| Chapter Eight: The Empty Nest
In the 80’s I got a job taking care of the Donofrio boy (God I can't remember his first name). I either rode my bike over to Wall St. or walked. I can remember walking home in a snowstorm because the taxis weren't running and was so cold I had to go into Pathmark to try and get warm. I was covered in ice and had sneakers on that leaked and I was soooo tired. It took me well over an hour to get home to Southbrook. Almost got killed crossing the circle as it was snowing so hard I couldn't see the cars and the snow was a foot deep. It was horrible. That summer I went to Minnesota with Don and Judy to watch Darrin. That was his name. He was adorable and so good. Minnesota was beautiful. I went to the pool every day ALONE after Don and Judy came home from college. They were there to get their Doctorates. We drove out in the BMW. What a great ride and I saw a lot of the country. Then we drove down to Tucson, Arizona and I stayed a week. I flew home as they wanted to stay another three weeks and I didn't want to leave Chris home alone that long (he probably had a ball while I was gone). I think he was going into his senior year of school that Sept. Editor’s Note: Yes, We did have a ball at Club 44A that summer. Then I worked as a sitter and housekeeper for the Rapparsardis family while they went to Paris (about 7 weeks, beautiful home but LOUSEY pay. $150.00 week for seven days and nights). Their little girl was about 6 years old. Then I got the job in Metetaconk working for Mami DeVoe. That was Chris’s first year of college I think (1983). It was a nice job and very nice family. She was in a wheelchair and couldn't do anything. Chris hated to come up to see me, as he hated Chambersbridge Rd. He had the VW then. That's when I first discover MASS GREED and jealousy among sisters. It was unbelievable the lies that one sister said against the other. Mamie had a nice Buick that I drove everywhere. I liked that car. I was there a couple of years. Then when Chris was going to school in England I worked in Spring Lake (5PM to 9AM) watching the most miserable old woman. She NEVER said a word all the time I was there. That job paid $95.00 a night. She was 96 years old and a real pain in the neck. Then I started working for Harry Beattie. He was a really sweet gentleman. The pay was good $350.00 a week and every afternoon off so I could go to the races etc. That's about the same time that Ski started living at the house. It saved him money and helped me out with the rent. He gave me $50.00 a week rent. He was also HEAVY into drugs but I didn't know it. He finally lost his job at AT&T. I carried him for a while, paid his bail when he got arrested. He finally owed me $1300. When he finally got out of rehab, I told him I'd settle for $650.00 of the $1300. When his mother’s house got sold.... he paid the $650.00 back. When his mother died I was working for Kathryn Barnett. I caught Susie in Huminskis house robbing it of just about everything she could get her hands on. She had been there MANY times. I knew someone was in there as I was packing up stuff for SKI that he wanted (and on a day to day basis I could see things that were there one day were gone the next). He was in Asbury Park rehab for 6 months at that time. Before I went to work for Kathryn (which was my LAST job) I worked for an Alzheimer’s patient in Spring Lake until he fell out of bed and had to go to a nursing home to live, and George Hummel (another Alzheimer case). I was there 1 1/2 years until I found out his son was robbing him BLIND and reported it to his lawyer. That didn't sit very well with Bill Hummel so he fired me. He and his two sisters put George in a nursing home in PA. Another case of family greed! My jobs with Harry, Mamie, and Kathryn were pleasant and paid well. I had one heart attack when I worked at Harry’s (1989). Charlotte Rossi went to the hospital with me and stayed with Harry a few days, then helped me out when he got too much for one person. My health was pretty good then. ... Next |
| T h e L o v e l y L o i s S t o r y A Biography of Lois Eleanor White |
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