Forget yesterday-it has already forgotten you. Don’t sweat tomorrow you haven’t even met. – Steve Maraboli, radio commentator, author (1975- )
You will find that it is necessary to let things go, simply for the reason that they are heavy – C. Joybell C., author
I got my first job that paid money at the age of 14. The Stork and Tot Shop wanted a helper during the lunch hours. I begged Momma to call them and get me the job. “Don’t tell them I’m 14; tell them I’m going into the tenth grade. I couldn’t drive so Momma drove me every day and picked me up later. I made one dollar an hour. When the Sears store came to town. I applied for a job. I had a resume, so they hired me to be the “candy girl” that doled out popcorn, nuts, and candies. They told me to eat all I wanted but I didn’t, eight hours of the smell of cooking oil was not inviting.
McRae’s came to town; they paid more, and they didn’t smell like cooking oil. Then came college where I could work weekends and summers being a McRae’s sales clerk. There were three McRae’s in Jackson near Mississippi College. I could work at any of them. Back at home in Greenville there was another McRae’s I could work for.
I was called a “floater” and worked every department from clothing, to children’s, to linens. After college I took a job at McRae’s distribution center. I would be working with buyers. It was there I realized what I really wanted, I wanted to be a buyer, to go to New York City, and places unknown to select clothing for stores. I’d be a “city girl.” It did not happen as management changed directions and I’d be sitting at a desk. So, I reached out again and took a job at a travel agency.
When I started flights were booked by flipping humongous catalogs with printed arrivals and departures. Tickets were written by hand. Once an agent made a mistake sending her client to Minneapolis when he meant to go to Indianapolis. It could happen. Then came the computers. Two agents were sent to Dallas Texas to learn Delta’s computers for booking flights. Air travel was beginning to change.
People often think travel agents get to do a lot of traveling, which is not true. There are a few perks where companies provide trips so agents will see what the hotel, cruise, recreation, history, casino, offers. Agents send travelers to their destinations.
We were taught early on if a client asked if we have been to a certain destination “Grab a travel brochure and read it.” Today you can book your own tickets on a personal computer. You can search places across the world and decide where you may like to go and what you may like to do. In time everything changes.
Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
