My Boss Called Me Baby Because He Always Forgot My Name

What it was like to be a one girl office in 1989

I didn’t have any ambitions when I was seventeen. High school sucked for me in 1974. I couldn’t imagine going to college since high school wasn’t that great. I lived at home with my family. Working at McDonald’s part time gave me enough money to gas up my 1962 Chevy Bel Air and pay it’s insurance. There was even enough money to go bar hopping with my best friend, buy clothes and records. I had the world by the ass. At least that’s what I thought.

Those happy days ended when Mom called me at work. She said to come home right away and put on some nice clothes. Our neighbor across the road was pregnant. She was quitting her one girl office job at a plumbing company. For some strange reason she thought I would be her perfect replacement.

I graduated three days before my interview. My high school diploma wasn’t even framed. Actually, it’s still not framed after 46 years. I didn’t take any business prep courses in school. I dropped out of Shorthand because the teacher couldn’t explain the course well enough to learn anything. Algebra was a breeze. I could type better and faster than anyone in Mrs. Winner’s typing class. Maybe a career change would be a good thing.