Mom, Selena, Myself and Pigeon Forge
I worked with my mom in Pigeon Forge off and on for many years and at several places. I first helped her out when she worked at Genera. Genera was the company who created the clothes that changed color based on body heat. It sounds like a great concept at first, but then when you factor in how awkward looking it is when your arm or leg pits become warm, or how embarrassing it is when you pass gas (yes, it showed when you did that!) the concept was short lived. Besides, the novelty wore off after one or two times wearing it; something can only be cool for a very short shelf life.
We also worked together at Galt Sand in the Red Roof Mall. Galt Sand was based in Texas and was named after John Galt from the Ayn Rand book Atlas Shrugged. They sold t-shirts and assorted clothing for men and women. I helped them with their inventory at times, and became a partitime key holder. My mom and I had become very close to the coworkers and store manager, Kim Greene, at Galt Sand. There was a girl named Kim and Tina who were also key holders there. Tina was also a paramedic at her other job. Kim’s dad was and is the spokesperson for the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. I had my first alcohol with Kim and Tina; we had rented a room one night in Pigeon Forge and got drunk on peach schnapps.
I also was a full time key holder at the Book Warehouse in the same mall. I received my job at the Book Warehouse because the store manager there was also my store manager at my 2nd job ever when I worked for Waldenbooks during High School (in Foothills Mall). I loved working at the bookstore, but it was my first key holder position and I was too inexperienced to know the basics, such as not rushing someone out of the store right at closing, or visibly showing annoyance if customer’s stayed past closing. That job ended when I called a woman a bitch for keeping me late!
Working in Pigeon Forge with my mom allowed us to grow very close. These are some of the best memories of my life, because it marked the first time that me and Mom interacted as adults. During that time period I learned some valuable lessons about working and about life. Those morning and evening drives to and from work, for the times when our work schedules overlapped, were times when me and mom had some of the best talks. It was during this period that we lost my grandmother. It was during this time that I fell in love for the first time. It was during this time that I moved away from home for the first time, to go to Chattanooga.
I also learned that it is ok to go to bed at a reasonable hour in order to be rested and fresh for work the next day. I learned that it is ok to be home on a weekend night, that I don’t have to be out and about just because it is the weekend. I learned how expensive it is to eat out at lunch every day; often I just skipped lunch altogether and was never the worse for wear because of it. I learned that being in a routine can be comforting and good. The routine of work, coming home, relaxing after work, going to bed, getting up to get ready for work (as well as figuring out how much time I need to get ready) were all basic but necessary life skills that I cherish to this day. It was probably during this time that I became an introvert. To me then, as it is now, the highlight of life is to be relaxing at home.
I worked in Pigeon Forge for many years, up until I moved to Knoxville to go to UT, at which point it was just too long of a drive to deal with. Pigeon Forge was like a second home to me. There were so many days where I spent literally all day there, first at work, then out with friends afterwards.
One memorable and sad time that I recall was when Selena was murdered. Selena was knows as the Queen of Tejano music, kind of like the Latina version of Madonna. Latino-influenced music was not yet a “thing” back then; it was just starting to germinate in the wider culture. The only Latino musician who we knew of back then was John Secada. Selena opened up doors with her music. Anyway, at the time I was obsessed with Selena and her music; I kept her English crossover album Dreaming of You on repeat, especially when I was driving home down the mountain from Pigeon Forge. It was while listening to her that I learned of her murder. That was the day music mourned and the world mourned. It may sound silly and cliche, but Selena got me through some really tough times and she opened my heart so wide back then as well.
We also worked together at Galt Sand in the Red Roof Mall. Galt Sand was based in Texas and was named after John Galt from the Ayn Rand book Atlas Shrugged. They sold t-shirts and assorted clothing for men and women. I helped them with their inventory at times, and became a partitime key holder. My mom and I had become very close to the coworkers and store manager, Kim Greene, at Galt Sand. There was a girl named Kim and Tina who were also key holders there. Tina was also a paramedic at her other job. Kim’s dad was and is the spokesperson for the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. I had my first alcohol with Kim and Tina; we had rented a room one night in Pigeon Forge and got drunk on peach schnapps.
I also was a full time key holder at the Book Warehouse in the same mall. I received my job at the Book Warehouse because the store manager there was also my store manager at my 2nd job ever when I worked for Waldenbooks during High School (in Foothills Mall). I loved working at the bookstore, but it was my first key holder position and I was too inexperienced to know the basics, such as not rushing someone out of the store right at closing, or visibly showing annoyance if customer’s stayed past closing. That job ended when I called a woman a bitch for keeping me late!
Working in Pigeon Forge with my mom allowed us to grow very close. These are some of the best memories of my life, because it marked the first time that me and Mom interacted as adults. During that time period I learned some valuable lessons about working and about life. Those morning and evening drives to and from work, for the times when our work schedules overlapped, were times when me and mom had some of the best talks. It was during this period that we lost my grandmother. It was during this time that I fell in love for the first time. It was during this time that I moved away from home for the first time, to go to Chattanooga.
I also learned that it is ok to go to bed at a reasonable hour in order to be rested and fresh for work the next day. I learned that it is ok to be home on a weekend night, that I don’t have to be out and about just because it is the weekend. I learned how expensive it is to eat out at lunch every day; often I just skipped lunch altogether and was never the worse for wear because of it. I learned that being in a routine can be comforting and good. The routine of work, coming home, relaxing after work, going to bed, getting up to get ready for work (as well as figuring out how much time I need to get ready) were all basic but necessary life skills that I cherish to this day. It was probably during this time that I became an introvert. To me then, as it is now, the highlight of life is to be relaxing at home.
I worked in Pigeon Forge for many years, up until I moved to Knoxville to go to UT, at which point it was just too long of a drive to deal with. Pigeon Forge was like a second home to me. There were so many days where I spent literally all day there, first at work, then out with friends afterwards.
One memorable and sad time that I recall was when Selena was murdered. Selena was knows as the Queen of Tejano music, kind of like the Latina version of Madonna. Latino-influenced music was not yet a “thing” back then; it was just starting to germinate in the wider culture. The only Latino musician who we knew of back then was John Secada. Selena opened up doors with her music. Anyway, at the time I was obsessed with Selena and her music; I kept her English crossover album Dreaming of You on repeat, especially when I was driving home down the mountain from Pigeon Forge. It was while listening to her that I learned of her murder. That was the day music mourned and the world mourned. It may sound silly and cliche, but Selena got me through some really tough times and she opened my heart so wide back then as well.
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