This is Really NO Mystery After All!

Our AYM topic for September is: "My Favorite Job".

That got me to thinking about ALL my jobs---all the way back to the 5th grade when I sold greeting cards for the Cheerful Card Company door to door. I sent in a card at the back of my "Calling All Girls" magazine. 

I needed money. Money to buy candy. My 25 cents allowance just wasn't cutting it. 

I have no idea how much money I made, but it was no where near $100.00. Still it was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth! 

Pretty much after that, I always figured out ways to make money---babysitting, holding neighborhood carnivals, babysitting camps, ironing, soliciting for State Farm Insurance, looking up phone numbers for my mom's magazine business, went door to door for Charles Chips, sold Stanley Home products, Big Daddy Malt Shop and Target (twice). 

Once I graduated from high school, I had my very first adult job. I worked at a Catholic visiting nurses type organization called The Cardinal Ritter Institute. For my St. Louis friends, it was on Lindell about a block from the Chase Park Plaza Hotel across the street from Forest Park. 

I scheduled home health aids and posted their hours for their paychecks. Back then, 1970, we had a dress code. Even though I was in an attic room of an old house and didn't see anyone, I still had to wear skirts or dresses---no pants allowed. The place was run by nuns. I don't remember how much money I made there--since it was non-profit, probably not much.

Anyway, I decided that I wanted to try to track down a picture of the place. I went to the internet. The business is actually still in existence, but has been absorbed in to Catholic Charities. I searched and searched for a photo. 

Finally, due to the miracle of technology, I reached out to Catholic Charities. I asked if anyone could help me in finding a photo. Very quickly, a guy responded to me and asked a few questions. The first pictures he sent were not what I was looking for. Then he sent this one:

I recognized it right away! That's it!! The building is still there--over a hundred years old. I was so excited and thanked "the guy" profusely. I was really touched that he would take the time to help me. I offered to make a donation to CC. He was grateful for that. 

Turns out, it was a mystery that a mere $25.00 could solve!!

I'm happy to have the picture. Now I just have to do the layout.