I've been hearing a lot of mockingbirds lately (I have an organic yard with nice organic bugs), so I tend to have a lot of birds. Poor things. I also have Bubba and Baby Girl, who is showing a great predatory instinct.
I need to go back in time for a bit.
2000. What a crazy year. It started out with Ron, sick from not only the vicious flu of the year, but pneumonia. He was sick for weeks.
I, so desperately, wanted to move to Houston. I love my town. I almost cried when the plane landed and I saw our skyline.
Ron worked at a non-profit agency, one that did not deal in gay rights. However, they were told they would have to march in the gay pride parade. Ron said, I don't care what the clients do, I'll give them good service, but I can't condone the gay lifestyle. Not to mention, it's our day off, AND I have flat feet. Walking that far will kill me (he weighed about 200 at the time).
Once Ron stuck his neck out, everyone else agreed with him, even his best friend, who was lesbian. Ron has several lesbian friends, I think the blindness makes him non-threatening? Or he's a good listener?
Anyway, the boss had a revolt. NO ONE, even the alternative lifestyles (including a transgender and a couple lesbians) wanted to attend the parade. They had a "training" (basically called haters for refusing to endorse the lifestyle), and then they told Ron he'd better start looking for another job.
I'd wanted to move to Houston since 1994. I had nagged Ron for years, then, in early 2000, decided to stop nagging and turn it over to God. I did that - resolving to be happy, where ever God put me.
Ron came home upset, and told me what had happened. We had a vacation planned, in a few weeks. Things got very tense at work, for Ron.
We left for Houston. A few days later we're walking on the Seawall in Galveston. Ron sighed. "I wish I could live here".
I prayed for a second, then replied "You could, you know". Ron found out my agency's Houston branch was hiring a secretary.
I took the job, and we moved. After I got to town, I realized she was a horrifying tyrant. She loved to find out if I had plans with Ron, then tell me I had to work late.
I didn't know the office had a pool - how long the secretary would last. I made it 6 weeks. In desperation, I took a job waitressing.
I am not a good waitress, at least I wasn't off medication. I was barely making $4 an hour, and bitterly wished I had taken that job working for Target.
We had tremendous financial worries. Ron's check could pay the rent but that was it, and he was leaving to do the residential training in Austin (I think they do that so the wives get accustomed to missing their husbands - when they go to work you're used to not seeing him anyway).
I desperately searched for another job. Not-driving was a huge obstacle. Everyone wanted an office girl, accounting clerk, or secretary - if she could drive. I never really felt limited until then.
I finally found a job working for a CPA. I had a nice leather chair, a cherrywood desk, and a fancy computer. I had a lot of fun looking up various things on the internet, during slow periods. They paid the most I have ever gotten from a job.
However, they dissolved the partnership two months after I started work. I was out on the street again, with a week of severance pay. My period was late, and I seriously thought I might be pregnant.
When my period came, 2 months late, it was very heavy and unusual. I suspect I had a miscarriage.
Hard times. Off topic, I've had 3 times like that. So, I may have 3 kids in heaven.
At any rate, I really needed another job. Ron was leaving very soon, and I had no employment. I found another job, working for another CPA.
She "liked" Ron and I wondered if I would have to pimp him out, the way she carried on about his "sexy voice". Very alarming. Her assistant, my direct supervisor, was very demanding. They didn't know about the driving issue, yet. I knew that would get me fired.
I was very anxious; Ron was very supportive. One day we were walking home and he put his arm around me, making me stop. He pointed at a tree. "Hear that mockingbird? That is God, telling you He loves you and don't worry! Everytime you hear a mockingbird, remember that."
I began searching again, and this time I got smart. "God" I told Him "I'm done with finding a job on my own. If You want me to get a job, show me. Make it really clear which job is right for me, because I'm tired."
I faxed more resumes, and got 2 calls. The first interview, they said I didn't have one. Then they called me back an hour later, asking where I was. I explained. They got back to me and rescheduled. We had the interview. I had to take an IQ test, for a receptionist job (nothing against receptionists, I did the job for years). I had another interview with the boss. I told him, "Off the clock, sometimes I like to buy things online. Would it be a problem if I had them delivered here?" He got very angry and said no way, ever. Well. Didn't look like the job for me, but they did call and make the first offer, $22K a year.
The second job couldn't have been more different. I got lost on my way to the interview but they were very nice, even though I was late. They acted like I already had the job, and as a test, I even told them I'd be leaving in July (it was December) to go work for my husband. They thought it was wonderful. The hours were ideal; getting me home before dark every day (I was in an iffy area).
After I got the first offer, I stared at the phone and begged the second job to call. I really wanted the second job, and felt that was the one God wanted for me. They called, I accepted immediately, and then told them "I just turned down a job paying $3,000 more a year, so I could come and work for you." I wasn't exactly easy, but I did the job and left in July to work for Ron.
Lately, Ron's been worried about money, and pretty rightly so. However, I'm putting my faith in God. I do find it interesting, whenever I start to get anxious, I always seem to hear a mockingbird.
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