My Turn: Leigh Bender of East Meadow's summer job lessons in joy and hot fudge

With school and all, summer used to be the only time I could work. But, abbreviated as those jobs were, they provided lessons and memories that have stayed with me.

I started my first job ever as a mother’s helper for a tiny infant with the regal name of Victoria and her two siblings.

Her 5-year-old brother, Joey, whose blue eyes shone from behind wire-framed glasses, had curly blond hair and often smelled like Cheerios.

Annie, her 3-year-old sister, fragrant with the scent of baby shampoo, sported a chestnut brown ponytail on her right side and an enormous smile.

Every morning when I arrived, Joey and Annie ran to the door to give me a welcoming hug. They were ready for fun and chirped, “Hi Leigh. Can we ride the backyard swings?”

Smiling, I would say, “Sure.”

Then, they needed to know what we could do next. “Maybe we can swim in the pool later?”

“Of course.”

Inevitably, there was a question about a snack. “Do we have Cheerios?”

I’d answer, “We can bring them to the pool for after lunch, okay?”

It was a privilege to spend another year with this family. When they moved to New Jersey so their dad could be closer to work I cried at least an hour a day for a week.

The next summer, I was eligible for working papers and I worked as a waitress at a local Howard Johnson’s restaurant — affectionately known as HoJo’s.

HoJo’s believed in thorough training of all new staff. On our first day we were greeted by Mr. Winters, the supervisor.

“Good morning,” he said. “Over the next three days you will attend training sessions and by next Monday you will report for five-hour working shifts. First, I am handing out a name badge and a motto badge, ‘People Pleasing People.’ Please affix these to the upper right side of your uniform.”

Mr. Winters continued, “Our first lesson is how to balance an ice cream scoop atop fountain sodas. Please notice my technique of resting the scoop at a slight angle on the glass. Any questions?”

The trainees marveled at this masterpiece.

“Next, after opening up this industrial-sized can of hot fudge, you will notice that when it is nearly empty some still sticks to the side of the can. A small spatula must be used to scrape out every last bit of hot fudge — same for the ketchup cans. Any questions?”

We craned our necks to get a closer look.

“Let’s move on to the fish fry cart. Fill and refill constantly so that the customers realize that it REALLY is all they can eat. Any questions?”

He made his point about the importance of diligence.

That July, I had the best time a person could have stuffed into a stifling, polyester orange plaid uniform, beige stockings and white waitressing shoes. I mastered the fine art of ice cream sodas and the excavation of every last drop from a can, and earned my fish fry cart license while achieving enviable expertise at all three.

While those early summer memories were work-filled, the more recent ones are not.

Reflecting back on those days, I learned that living in — and embracing — the present moment are paramount for a life well-lived. Joey and Annie were always present and happiest when they had my full attention. HoJo’s provided a serious and strict work environment whose lessons have served me well over the years. Work camaraderie, along with clear and direct communication, contributed to my professional work ethic.

Currently, above is a brilliant cerulean sky filled with silky cirrus clouds. There is a T-shaped pool fit neatly into concrete squares. The sun throws glitter on the water and beckons me. The lap lanes await, separated by long, sturdy red and white buoyancy markers. My preference is Lane 1. The water feels like a big hug reminiscent of those long ago.

 Leigh Bender

East Meadow