Beverly is 76 years old...
Illustration
Beverly is 76 years old and a widow. She no longer drives.
Every morning Bev gets up at 6. It is a two-block walk from her house to the recreation center at the corner where she works two hours every day, watching elementary-aged children before school begins. It is low paying and sometimes stressful work. Many of the kids have family issues that spill over into school-day activities. Bev has become like a grandmother to many of the children.
Bev's boss can be rough. A 22-year-old eager to do a good job, Bev's boss complains about every little thing. Rarely is anything good enough to please her. Often she writes up other staff for little things. It can make the work unpleasant. A couple of times Bev has thought of quitting.
But Bev reflects, "I have a pension and Social Security. Whether my boss is a pain or not, I just remind myself that I don't need the money. I don't need this job. I am doing this for the kids and that makes it all worthwhile."
Every morning Bev gets up at 6. It is a two-block walk from her house to the recreation center at the corner where she works two hours every day, watching elementary-aged children before school begins. It is low paying and sometimes stressful work. Many of the kids have family issues that spill over into school-day activities. Bev has become like a grandmother to many of the children.
Bev's boss can be rough. A 22-year-old eager to do a good job, Bev's boss complains about every little thing. Rarely is anything good enough to please her. Often she writes up other staff for little things. It can make the work unpleasant. A couple of times Bev has thought of quitting.
But Bev reflects, "I have a pension and Social Security. Whether my boss is a pain or not, I just remind myself that I don't need the money. I don't need this job. I am doing this for the kids and that makes it all worthwhile."
