The first job I ever had that wasn’t babysitting or dog walking was at a drug store on Queens Boulevard where I was a cashier. My friend Liora got me the job when we were seniors in high school. She was already working there and she got the job through a guy in her homeroom class that worked there. This was the first of several crappy cashier jobs, but this one holds a special place in my heart. Here’s why.
In 1980
I was coming of age
When Sasoons, perms, and Candies
Were all the rage
A friend got me a job
At a local drugstore
Heck; my allowance was a dollar
And I was tired of being poor
Incredibly awkward
Small and shy
I played by the boss’ rules
To ensure I got by
Early on in the job
I met a pharmacy pro
He was 18 years old
And seemed to be in the know
He filled in the gaps
Of my experience void
While we priced boxes of ointments
To treat hemmoroids
He was confident and smart
And had such a quick wit
I fell head over heels
And thought, “Yep, this is it!”
I chatted and flirted
For how long I can’t count
But all of my efforts
To not much did amount
I consulted my brother
My best friend at the time
Who helped devise a plan
To give him a sign
“The next time you see him
Skip the peck on the cheek
Kiss him four times on the lips
He won’t be able to speak”
He got the message
Lickity-split
But there were others
Who pitched a small fit
Mom cried, “What is his name?
Who is this boy?
He’s not a Jew!
You’ve hooked up with a Goy?”
One fun-filled summer
Hanging out at parks and the beach
Ending with me miles away
At a school out of reach
Colleges were attended
Responsibilities mounted
Years marched on
Too many to be counted
And then at the beginning
Of 2008
I had an idea
That I thought would be great
I reconnected to people
Thanks to Facebook
And found my true friend
And got my second look
After hundreds of emails
And a few false starts
I have him again
Close to my heart
And as for my mother
After his 30 years on the bench
Now she adores him
And calls him a mench