I never thought that at 38, I would be working as a cashier at a grocery store, scanning things for customers while trying to keep a smile on my face despite my own problems. A few years ago, I was in charge of managing projects at a busy software firm while also taking care of three kids and dealing with spreadsheets and conference calls. There were hard times in life, but I felt like I had a purpose and a sense of direction.
A few years ago, I was in charge of projects at a big software firm while still taking care of three kids and doing spreadsheets and conference calls. Life wasn’t flawless, but it had a plan and a cause for me to live. Everything changed when my husband James, with whom I had built a life, started to drift away. He stated that was a job. A long time. Getting tired.
But the truth was in his phone: he had been texting a woman named Tania late at night for five months. The affair really hurt, like a punch in the gut. Our marriage, which was already on the rocks because of stress and long periods of silence, terminated rather unexpectedly. I tried to be strong for our kids, Emma, Jack, and little Sophie, but the sadness wouldn’t go away. The lying, the heartbreak, and the money issues that come with divorce all happened very rapidly. I did badly at work. My boss realized that I was heading down. There were layoffs in the end, and I was one of them. There was no way to get severance pay. I only had a box, a handshake, and the sound of a door closing behind me.
I took the first job I could find, which was working as a cashier at the grocery store down the street. I didn’t have any money saved up and had to feed three people. It wasn’t a fancy job, but it paid enough to cover our rent and our Friday pizza night. The hours, work, and clothes made my skin itch. But I could go home every night, where I could help with homework and say goodnight to my kids.
That was worth more than any title I ever had. The business was fairly busy on Thursday afternoon when it was raining. My feet hurt, my brain was numb, and I was out of smiles. This was my third shift this week. A woman dressed in nice clothes walked up to my register with her adolescent son and daughter. They had carts loaded with high-end organic food and wines from small brands. She looked me over with a hint of disdain and then inquired in a voice loud enough for the folks behind her to hear, “Why do you look so sad?” Isn’t this your job?
I said nicely, “It’s been a long day,” because I wasn’t expecting it. But she wasn’t done yet. “Maybe you wouldn’t be so unhappy if you chose a better job,” she replied with a smile as she tapped her well-groomed nails on the counter. Her kids laughed. I didn’t say anything. I might have snapped back a long time ago. But what about now? I had learnt how to choose my battles. I just wanted the situation to end. Her kid, who was busy with his phone, tilted the cart while I was gazing at her last bottle of wine. It fell over with a loud bang, breaking bottles, spilling olive oil, and sending spaghetti all over the floor. The mother turned red and yelled at her son while trying to save face. I bent down to pick up the things that weren’t broken. “It’s okay,” I said calmly, even though my hands were shaking.
The store’s manager, Mr. Adams, came over. He added in a soft voice, “I’m sorry, ma’am, but you’ll have to pay for the broken things to be fixed.” She chuckled, pulled out a sleek black credit card, and handed it to me with a grunt. The system made a sound. No, thanks. I gave it another shot. The same thing happened again. “I’m sorry, your card has been declined,” I said quietly, barely able to hide the happiness that was growing in my chest. Her eyes got smaller. “That’s not possible.” She pulled out her phone and called a few people right away. There was no response. People who were behind her in line began to talk. I could tell that her face went from being uncomfortable to panicking.
One of our regulars, Mrs. Jenkins, came forward. She laughed wryly and said, “Well, it looks like karma is working today.” “Next time, maybe you’ll think twice before judging someone who is just doing their job.” The woman had to stand to the side and wait for rescue, which was really uncomfortable. benched breaking up with her kids wi Her husband delayed over an hour to get there, and it was evident that he was upset. He raged at her, “How could you mess this up?” “That’s why I told you to send the maid!” He swiped his card, took the bags, and went without saying anything further, leaving her speechless. A few minutes later, she came after him with her head down and her pride in pieces.
When I looked at Mr. Adams, he said, “You did that with grace, Erin.” Return home. “Spend time with your kids.” That night, as we sat around the kitchen table, the smell of fresh pizza permeated the room. Emma laughed at one of Jack’s dumb jokes. Sophie clutched on to me like she hadn’t in years. I actually smiled for the first time in a long time. I might not be living the life I had planned. But I was happy with my life, which was full of love, strength, and modest victories. And at that moment, I realized that I didn’t need anyone’s approval to be proud of who I had become.