I Didn't Get My Memory From Her

As I was paying a bill online for my mother this morning and giving her the confirmation number, she asked the date. When I told her "September 14th," her laser sharp memory kicked into gear.

"65 years ago today, I started working for the phone company in New Orleans. 820 Poydras Street...Yep... 4 p.m."

I laughed and made a crack about her memory. She would work for Ma Bell for 42 years.

Just now, I was cleaning off a bookshelf and noticed a photo album my mother had given me after her retirement. Normally, I just dust the album and move on... but the cover was coming off and I noticed that mother had some papers tucked behind the cover photo. I found her birth certificate... which could be a whole other blog post... and her graduation announcement. Which made me wonder what was inside.  As I moved on through all of Mother's favorite photos of herself across her lifetime, I found this:

This is the scrap of paper she wrote her report to work instructions on 65 years ago. And the salary of $29.00 a week? That was considered good pay back then.

Mom is 89, healthy and clearly sharp as a tack! It's days like this, I wish I were more like her.