For almost as far back as I can remember, my mother worked at school as a yard duty assistant. She also did many other part-time jobs to bring in a few extra dollars to the family. Usually these jobs were designed to allow her to work strange hours. This was necessary because she had to make breakfast and dinner, work the yard duty at school, and do all of the other tasks required of a good mother.
So she took on flexible jobs like selling Tupperware and Avon products. Our house never seemed to have a shortage of cologne, soap and weird-shaped plastic tubs. I must admit that I got a bit tired of receiving soap-on-a-rope or a decanter of after shave for Christmas.
The Tupperware parties were always fun. Mom would bring me along sometimes, as long as I promised to be quiet. She’d arrive at some ladies’ house, and begin her routine. This basically consisted of talking about the various Tupperware products, answering questions and taking orders. A few weeks later, the products would arrive and be delivered to everyone’s house.
Selling Avon products was more complex. Mom got a special suitcase, filled with samples, which she carried around the neighborhood from door to door. She eventually built up quite a clientele, consisting mostly of other young mothers who couldn’t get out during the day to purchase cosmetics. Of course, everyone also wanted to talk with somebody. It was probably a great pleasure to these women, stuck at home with a baby or two, to have my mother drop by and talk for a while. Perhaps that’s why everyone always seemed to purchase at least something each time she came around.
My mother continued working these kinds of jobs right up until we moved to Lake Arrowhead. After we did that, she had no reason to work elsewhere, as she had a family business to run.
Unless otherwise noted, all photos and text is Copyright © Richard G Lowe, Jr.