Open mouth - insert foot (40 years later)

I don't suppose any of you know an 18 year old who knows everything and is positive of their future and is too good for 'regular' jobs?  Well, unfortunately, that was me 40 years ago and my arrogance ended up costing me a paid college education and it cost my family an inheritance!
My godparents were Marie Murray (1902 - 1983), a single woman who lived in Minneapolis and her single brother Victor (1900 - 1975), who lived in Des Moines, Iowa.  Marie and Vic were also first cousins to my father. Marie would come to visit when I was little and the most memorable thing about her was her fur coat...I loved snuggling in that when we would go to church in the winter.  As my high school years passed and it became time for college, Marie offered to pay my tuition, IF I became a secretary, like she had.  It was the 60s.  I couldn't be a secretary!  I had to save the world!  I was going to be a lawyer and travel the world as an ambassador! (ah, youthful dreams!)
Marie was heartbroken.  My rejection of her career was a personal rejection of her.  She never forgave me. In fact she disinherited my whole family over that.  Yesterday I was going through some old scrapbook pages and  I found this newspaper article about Marie.  She wasn't "just" a secretary.  She had become the cooperate secretary to the board for Red Ball Corporation in Des Moines, Iowa, and later the National Tea Company out of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  And do you know what I became for many years?  Yep....an entry level clerical person.  I'm sure Marie got her giggles out of that!

Comments

  1. That is stunning how you contrived to fully open up the subject which you have chosen for this particular entry. By the way did you turn to any similar posts as a source of ideas to fulfill the entire situation which you have revealed in this entry?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have no idea what you are talking about in your reply. This is a personal story to me. How would I have used another post somewhere? If you have a problem, please do not be coy....what are you implying?

      Delete

Post a Comment