What is the best job you've ever had?

 WHAT IS THE BEST JOB I’VE EVER HAD!!

That would be difficult to answer. I have rarely had a job I was truly unhappy doing. I have had some jobs that did not have a good boss or administration. I have listed my jobs in previous writings but will list them once again in order to tell you the BEST job in my opinion.

My first job for which I paid into the Social Security System was with Sumpter Farm Stock Company (The Yellow Front Store) in Gordo. I was a check-out girl and was 14 to 17 years old, beginning almost as soon as we moved to Gordo (the next day or so). I recall I had to have a parent with me and meet with the High School Principal, Mr. Gibbs, to get a work permit. Daddy went with me and that Saturday, I began. In those days, we had a cash register that did NOT add the tax and tell you the amount of change to give the customer. The customer pushed their buggy full of groceries into a slot in the counter. The cashier unloaded the groceries, (no scanner) and keyed in the price. When all the groceries were tallied, she/he would calculate the amount of tax to be added, add it and give the customer any change due. It was all brain power, no technology was known that is available today. I am amazed at the adults who work in public businesses who do not know how to calculate the change due a customer without the computer giving the amount to them. Sad.

From there, I worked for Harris Clothing Company after school and Saturdays until graduation from GHS. I was responsible for price tagging items, display of merchandise and dressing the windows. And, of course, waiting on customers. Having been raised in a store where my Dad either managed or owned it made my skills better than had I been raised differently. Thanks, Mother and Daddy.

My next job (until I was 18) was in the Pickens County Registrar’s office. My job was to type court records from handwritten paper. I had to take fines for misdemeanors and took one from a great uncle of my future husband. Of course, I did not know that until Dr. Harris told me after the man left.

On July 4th, 1956, Thomas came home for July 4th. He had an interview for me at Birmingham Trust National Bank. I was hired and worked there for about 5 weeks when I had a wisdom tooth extracted and it formed a dry socket. We had been married for ten days and I was not able to return to work. Naturally, with no longer longevity than I had with them, they terminated my employment.

As soon as my health permitted (complications not related to the dental surgery), I found a job with American Life Insurance Company. My job was to change beneficiaries on insurance policies. I was there for a short time when miraculously, I got pregnant with my son. Two people could not have been happier or more dismayed. We were thrilled because I had been told I would never be able to have a baby. But we had only been married three months when the diagnosis was made. I wanted Thomas to go back to school but he was against the idea. Anyway, the matter was taken out of our hands as we excitedly began to plan for our baby. The only glitch (and it did not matter) was that when I told the insurance company that I was expecting, they had a policy that you had to be there six months if you worked during a pregnancy and I had not been. So I went home to our two room efficiency apartment and got ready for our baby.

When Tim was 16 months old, Tanya was born so now we had a great family, a baby boy and a baby girl. I was able to stay home with them until Tanya was about 18 months old and I went to work at Druid City Hospital as an EKG technician. It was a good job when an opening came up in the DCH medical technician school. I gave up my EKG job for a better paying job and the training program was just what we needed for our little family; training for a career in the medical field. I started working to replace a lady on maternity leave who did not plan to return to work. Unfortunately, her son was born with a club foot and in order for her insurance to pay for the surgery, she had to return. I was out of the street because I had not been in the new position for six months.

When I had gone to work at the hospital, I had interviewed for a bookkeeping job with Druid Drugs (later Harco Drugs). They were still trying to find a replacement for their bookkeeper. I applied and was hired. The job was running a bookkeeping machine, billing and filing. Ms. Harrison, Sr. was my boss (well, Jimmy Harrison was the pharmacist). I was able to organize their filling system so that everything that had previously been thrown in boxes or filing cabinets without any organization whatsoever into chronological and alphabetical order. When I had been there five months, Mr. Harrison, Sr. gave my assistant, Isabell, and me a five pound box of chocolates because that was the first time in years they had not had a statement returned by an angry customer. There was a fountain with sandwiches, sodas, cigarettes, etc. charged and there were two different sets of several names with no address on the charge tickets causing the wrong John Doe to get a bill that belonged to the other John Doe. I started (with their approval) a system that if a ticket came up without an address, the amount of the ticket was taken from that employee's pay that week. I was only there a few months when Thomas was called back to Hayes. He had been with Partlow State School for the mentally challenged for 18 months. That was not his type of work. He was wonderful with the patients but hated the job. We were glad to get back ‘home’ to Center Point.

Since Thomas had only helped me with the children and not ever any housework, I had lost 20 pounds the last two weeks of employment with the drug store. I was exhausted from lack of rest and told him that he had to help me or I was not going back to work. “You can hold down as many jobs as you can, but I’m not going back to work and be too tired to care of the children,” I told him. I was not kind, I was tired! Well, he was either on strike or laid off and I went to work at temporary work with Kelly Girls. What a learning experience! (Thomas could clean and was an excellent cook. He could also do laundry and iron. I didn’t know he could boil water.) From then on, if I had to work, he helped me out and when we bought our house, he did all the yard work. I did what I could at home, worked for Kelly Girls and learned so much in the way of office work that I had not known. Fortunately, it was not long until Thomas got on with Lockheed in the Atlanta, Georgia area. He and six other laid off men from Hayes rented a house there and he worked there all week and came home on weekends. We would have all day Saturday and Sunday as a family and get up at 4:00 a.m. Monday, meet the men in Irondale to ride back to work in Georgia. Sometimes I would bake a cake for their lunch that week. One week I baked a lemon pound cake and had to take it out of the oven too soon. It fell and looked like a horse shoe. Thomas said it didn’t make it to Atlanta. The smell lured the men and it was eaten in the car. After five months, Thomas was so homesick and we were missing him all week. After they got back to Atlanta, he had gone house hunting again for a place to move. He called me and said he was ready to come home and just quit. He could not stand being apart any longer. The next morning, I took Tim out of school with his teacher’s permission, got my children up at 4:00 a.m. and put them in the back seat (fixed like a station wagon) in their pajamas. I was 24 years old and had never driven past Irondale but I drove to Atlanta stopping just inside Georgia, dressing the children and asking directions at a service station, arriving at the house he lived in, knocking on the door and asking for Thomas. With only one other stop for directions, I had driven from Center Point to Atlanta and arrived at 7:00 a.m. I was so proud of myself !! Well, pride does indeed go before a fall. When Thomas got to the door, he said, “Well, I guessyou know you have to go home. There is no place for you and the children here.” I burst into tears. We rented a 4 room motel for $10.00 a night for two nights and would look all day for a place to move and he would go to work at night. We were not successful and the children and I went home. He seemed to make that week better. When school was out, we were able to find a duplex to rent and had a great seven months there. I was able to get a job as a replacement for the EKG tech who was on maternity leave until she returned. Then I worked in the Administration Office. When Thomas was called back to Hayes, we were both glad and sad because we had really enjoyed our stay.

When we got back to another duplex in Center Point, we were ecstatic to learn we were expecting another baby. Tim was eight and Tanya was seven when Tera was born. We were so happy to be back home. When Tera was two months old, we bought the house we lived in for 40 years. Oh, how we loved our old red house! We had a large yard and Thomas had flowers and flowering trees. We eventually had apple, pear, and fig trees. Thomas planted a magnolia tree, golden rain tree, camellia bushes, yellow bells, hydrangea bushes and blueberry bushes. He made a large vegetable garden every year until his health failed. I still miss having a garden.

It was great to stay home with my children. Our yard was large enough for the neighborhood children to play in it. The back was fenced. We had outside dogs and one cat. We went back to Center Point Baptist church.

The next lay off came when Tera was about 18 months old. I was able to get a job at UAB as a key punch coder. Other employees interviewed individuals all over the Birmingham area and I would take the booklets they had completed from the interviews and code it for the key punch personnel. After two years, the grant was not renewed. I was so naive, I did not know I could apply for transfer. With all the building of the expanding campus made parking blocks away from work and walking rain or shine frustrating. I said I would NEVER work there again. Dr. Raffel, my boss, understood. My car had been moved in the parking lot and I could not find it when I left work one day. That required me to return to the office to call security to help me find my car. I had found a job close to home that had close parking.

Oh, yes, two years of medical transcription in a psychiatric office. I enjoyed it, worked very hard and was terminated at the end of that year because they were building a new hospital and had to let the newest employees go. (I was the only one and my immediate supervisor, Dr. Don Silbernan was unaware that I was being terminated. Shortly thereafter, he left and went back to UAB.)

I found a six month stent as secretary to a surgeon. Dr. John Whitehead needed a temporary person while his secretary had surgery. While I was working for him, I was looking for a permanent position.

One of the nicest doctors with his wife interviewed me at one of our leading restaurants at the time. They were looking for a replacement for the bookkeeping position in his private practice. His wife was a registered nurse and office manager. They could hold the position for me until I completed the time with Dr. Whitehead. And, that is how I FINALLY got a job lasting over two years. I worked almost all of the 1970s with Dr. and Mrs. W. B. McDonald (Bill and Doris). After I had worked there a year or so, we began to occasionally celebrate our wedding anniversaries together. They married in August 1946 and we married in August 1956. It was great fun. We went to their lake house with them and went for boat rides with them. Doris and I embroidered shirts for our children together when we didn’t have patients. Mrs. Harmon and Mrs. Barnett taught me to crochet when I didn’t go out to lunch. I was close to home and usually went home for lunch. You can accomplish a good bit of work in the hour and a half that I would have at home which gave me more time at home with my family. With Thomas working the second shift the majority of time (3 to 11 p.m.), it was important for one of us to be home. I was usually home by 4:30 each day. It was just the four of us there so I would prepare something for us to eat. Tim and Tanya were in high school and Tera was in elementary school. Tera was in a nursery after school until the older two were her ‘babysitters’. We say Tanya is her second mother because she really taught her a lot of stuff that a mother usually tells her young daughter. They were really good kids. Tim went off to Montevallo and Tanya followed one year later. They had always been a year apart in school, but when she started to Montevallo, she had tested-out of Freshman year and began as a Sophomore. They were both in the school of business and she was his fraternity little sister. After her first year, they each rented apartments with roommates. Tim was working at a Moore Handley hardware store and on his recommendation, she was hired at the same store. Her first year at the store, she worked 64 hours a week and took a full course load in school. Before she could make herself sick, we advised that she take the next year with a reduced work-load and graduate at 20 instead of 19.

Dr. and Mrs. McDonald took care of my family as part of my benefit package. One day we were at the office and they suggested I take the summer off to be with Tera before she started high school. They were not going to work many more years and wanted to be sure I had a good job before they left. They gave me my pension and profit sharing monies, a letter of recommendation and a lifetime of friendship. I spent the summer as they advised me, with Tera and looking for a job.

About the time for school to start, I was once again hired by UAB in the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology. I transferred four years later from University to Hospital in the Adult Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory to type cath reports. I did that for the next 14 years. During that time, I processed all adult cardiac reports and the first year Kirklin Clinic opened its cath lab, I did their reports. Finally, my friend, Jo Kahler was hired to process the reports for Kirklin. I knew all the cardiologists, dealt with cardiology fellows and cardiac surgeons. I set up both the daily report filing system and cardiac archives. The cardiac transplant patients invited me to have dinner with them. Tera was working for Dr. Katholi and was also invited to meet with them. When the young man who was the second cardiac transplant patient, Eric Boyd died, the entire lab staff cried. We all knew and loved him. He was the youngest patient to receive a heart and was 18 years old when he died.

After 18 years with cardiology, I was told that I would never get a raise in salary. I was nearing retirement and with the two years that I had bought back from my earlier employment at UAB, had 20 years but I was not 65. I applied for a transfer and was able to go to work in Rheumatology. I will not name the woman I went to work for. She is not worthy of mention except to say she was evil. She hired and they quit four more replacements before she was allowed the secretary that she wanted to keep. Ella had quit until the doctor could promote her with an increase in pay before she would quit interviewing. I heard that was her plan.

I was most fortunate when Dr. Winn Chatham stopped by one day when I was alone and said, “Robbie said you needed to move and that you could do medical transcription”. I told him, “There is none better”. He hired me and I stayed in the same division and was promoted three times before retiring. When I retired, he gave me a fantastic party with a live band. It poured rain but my family was all there and we danced, had marvelous food and the friends and co-workers who came to tell me ‘bye’ were numerous. I can say with all sincerity that I have had two of the best jobs I could have ever asked for. All of my co-workers for all my jobs were great. Administration was for those chosen few. Clerical was not included. Dr. W. B. McDonald and Dr. Winn Chatham were the best bosses anyone could have.

Included below is part of Thomas' life after he became ill. The reason will be made clear at the end of this story.

Thomas’ had a root canal and got Staph infection as a result. He spent the very first night of his life in the hospital at 61 and he was there for 10 days, receiving IV antibiotics. We may have been told it was Staph but if so, it didn’t register. Later, he had a knee replacement and that procedure reactivated the Staph. From them on, he was in the hospital many times. He was diagnosed with asbestosis and had to use a Bi-pap at night because of his difficulty breathing. He had a surgery (UP-3) and hemorrhaged at 4:00 the next morning (at home). I drove pretty fast to the ER, passed two police cars but had my flashers going and horn blowing and they ignored me. There was the colonoscopy with removal of polyps with resulting hemorrhage the next morning. Same as before - fast drive to the hospital. He had his right knee operated on so many times I lost count. Nearly every time, despite heavy antibiotics, Staph again. His left knee had to be replaced and, once again, Staph. At 74, he needed a shoulder replacement. His health was not good but was better with all his meds except for the constant severe pain in his shoulder. The multiple doctors who were caring for him wanted several tests before they would operate again anywhere. He was clear with everything until his cardiac catheterization. He had a blockage. They scheduled a stent procedure and if it was successful, he could have his shoulder replaced. BUT, NO, the Staph became active again. He was hospitalized for most of remaining life. I always spent the nights with him when he was in the hospital. The staff at both Medical Center East and UAB knew we needed a private room even if I had to sleep on the floor and they always provided me with blankets and a pillow. If he was able, I showered, dressed and went to work from the hospital, returning as soon as possible. If he was at UAB, I would eat lunch in his room. When he had his final hospitalization, his last 11 days, he was in intensive care. I could only see him at certain times. I stayed in the waiting room every night and met many wonderful people. Thomas waited on Tanya to get here from California before giving up. On Saturday, January 7th, 2006, he held her hand until Tim had to pry her fingers from his hand. On Sunday evening, he went home. Since that time, I have sold the new home he bought for me and lived in 12 days before his final hospitalization.

Four years ago when I sold the house, Tera and Kenny invited me to stay with them and build a small home on their property. I got too comfortable and told them I did not want to move again.

I have two rooms, 1 and a 1⁄2 baths, a hall and the run of the house. They take care of me and I take care of them to a small degree. No rent, no utility bills, I buy some groceries. Last February (2021), I started to work again (at 83) and worked the remainder of tax season at Liberty Tax in Cullman. During the summer, I work on Thursday when they need me. It gets me out of the house. I attend Senior Sizzlin at Good Hope City Hall twice a month. Tera started going to the church I belong to when my blood pressure was acting up and is still worshiping with me. She remains a member of the church she and Kenny have been members of for many years. We are both in the Good Hope Baptist Church choir and attend choir practice and Sunday and Wednesday services. When my friends in Hanceville pass away, I am called and if possible attend the funeral. Thomas is buried at Bethlehem East in Hanceville. I work at the church as librarian which mainly required my organizating many boxes of books that were donated by church members. When that was done, the checkout/return is on the honor system. A notebook is provided for checkout and return of books. If they do not refile it, I make sure it gets refiled. So, as you see, I still stay active.

NOW, I am finally going to reveal to you what I think of as the BEST JOB I have ever had.

God gave us three children. Three children that we thought when we married would be impossible. What a blessing! My most important job EVER was the JOY (and sometimes headache) of my life was being mother to my three precious children. Of course, I felt that it was my responsibility and privilege to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of God. I was raised that way and my children were raised that way. My three children all are responsible, honest, God fearing adults and the two with children have raised their children in church. I could not be more proud of who they have become as they matured. None ever gave us the heartache that some teenagers we knew about. No drugs, no broken laws; just average, athletic kids who worked hard and made good with God’s help. Do I take credit for all of this? That would be ludicrous! They had a daddy who was honest, hard working and who worshiped with us. He was not a disciplinarian as much as I because he worked long hours and was not with the children as much as I. However, he made sure that he provided shelter, food and the necessities the children and I needed. Yes, I made many of their clothes and cooked and washed and kept house. He was a farmer. He kept the yards, made a garden, had fruit trees, flowers, and remodeled our home to make it more family friendly. It was - for 40 years. We were blessed to have Thomas as our teacher with regard to remodeling and gardening. All children know so much more than I ever will about those things. He took the children hunting and we all went fishing and hiking. Our most blessed and important help came from God. We were blessed as we raised a family that he loved and I love. What more important job can anyone say they had?