Retail Calling

A couple years after Mervyn's opened a store

In Carrollton, Texas

My mom said she wanted to work there

My dad didn't want her to

He already had a 2nd job working in the evenings

Me and my older sister were already working after school

My dad said someone would have to be around at night

I said I would sit for my younger siblings

So mom could work

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Which meant that I would

Leave my part-time job

At Burger King

Which was not a difficult decision

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She went to the store

Filled out an application, interviewed

And got the job

She was hired to work in the children's department

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For the last 35+ years now

My mom has worked retail

She worked at Mervyn's til the store shut down

For many years, she had a second job at Kohl's

And for the last many years, she has worked full-time at Bed Bath and Beyond

She is known to customers

She loves the schedule, people, and procedures

She talks about this

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I have come to understand

My mom has a retail calling

Retail jobs often serve as an entrance into the job market, or as an interim job

For some, like my mom, it is a career

That took me time to understand

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On a recent phone conversation

She shared her plan to retire

And immediately, without a pause, said

She would still work some hours

If they needed someone to fill in..

She waited for my approval

I said

I support your decision

This is a personal decision

Retirement should look how you want

She said

I just love my job

I said

I know