At Work In the Grocery Store

For most of us we spend more time at work than any other activity except sleeping. I spent 37 years as a teacher and then school librarian. I also worked as a substitute teacher for 5 years both before and after being a regular teacher. Before that I worked four years in a grocery store working my way through college. I refereed high school hockey, basketball and softball for about 10 years while working at my other jobs. I wish I kept a journal all those years – so many memories lost.

I worked at Two Guys grocery store in Cherry Hill where I stocked shelves. Mary Matolla, an older lady, and I were the only female stock “boys”. The guys were a variety of young and old. I don’t remember all the names. Jack Cassidy was about my age. He was a typical young guy of that era, long hair, drugs, former college student. He was a pleasant guy to work with. Another one whose name I can’t remember was about the same age and went to the Rochester Institute of Technology. Reds Gilbert(?) worked part time at Two Guys and full time at another grocery was with my mom. He got me the job. John Slane was the assistant manager of the stock bunch. He was a homosexual whose adversity made him a little negative. But he was always nice to me and I counted him a friend. Myrtle Kennedy, Chris and Shirley were some of the cashiers. Myrtle was older and a little tough but nice too. Chris was about my age and like Jack Cassidy was a child of the hippie generation. Shirley was a large lady and a nice person, basically happy. Later my mom would occasionally see her at bingo. Earl was the produce man who lived in Westville. Minnie Rosencrantz worked in the meat department. I grew up in an Irish Catholic town and unbelievably I didn’t know Minnie was Jewish until after several years she was talking about a holiday. Mr. Hanigan was the receiver. Mr. Pratt was the area supervisor. He was a large heavy man who had been an Army officer and ran and treated us like we were his soldiers. Eugene Salzgruber worked in the department store side. I dated him a few times and was on a company bowling team with him. He was a big happy guy. I think he eventually married an older woman with children and died somewhat young.  My job was mainly the “candy aisle”. It ran the entire length of the row, quite long. I’ve never seen that much in any other store. Also, there would be displays on the endcaps. I also stocked other things as needed. The worst was the sugar. The pallet weighed 1 to 2 tons you and would pull it out with a manual hand truck that had the forks of a forklift truck. The aisles were wide enough that the pallet could be pulled down it. Occasionally it was puzzling when a customer would call you boy when my hair was to my waist and I wore a pink smock. OK, the guys at that time had long hair. I hated the beginning of the month when food stamps came out and I would have to jump on the register. No scanners in those day and items would be marked like 3 for 59 cents. That way if they bought just one the price would be a penny more. Registered didn’t calculate change. Sometimes I think I should have continued to work part time after I started teaching since I made less teaching. It wasn’t such a bad job.

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