Joneses – 8.12 Mary’s First Day

After Mary left Asia’s on Sunday afternoon, she spent some much needed quality time with her daughter although she was very pensive and quiet. She was reviewing the events of the morning in her mind. The appreciation she felt from everyone’s assistance made her smile. But then she would remember agreeing to leave Eliza in charge of her employment. At times she felt uneasy and hoped she made the right decision. There was something about Eliza she didn’t trust. The only reason she was interested in befriending her at first was because she thought she was important. However, after seeing her in action, she found she wasn’t the type of person she wanted to be friends with after all. But, they were neighbors and were always friendly. And now, she was doing her a favor. Show some level of trust, huh? (sigh) Ok.

Phoenix needed a nap, and that’s when Mary took the opportunity to pay Eliza a visit. She wanted to thank her properly as well as get details about the job, who she’d be working for, when and where to arrive. Eliza was surprised to see her so soon. She figured Mary would just wait for her call, but she was glad she stopped by; it made everything easier. She made the call to Ernesto Choate, the community organizer for the mayor’s office, and told him that she had found the perfect person to help him. She passed the phone to Mary so they could talk, and the rest was history.

Mary opted to start her new gig on Tuesday so she could spend Monday alone and get her head in the game. It was the first time she had been alone since the divorce, and she knew she needed some time to process all that had occurred that weekend. She wasn’t sad about the divorce anymore, but it wasn’t something she wanted to celebrate either. She spent more than half of her life with John. Whether it was an occasion for rejoicing or mourning, she definitely needed to wrap her head around him not being around anymore.

The next morning, she woke up ready to take on the day and made breakfast. There was a brief moment of lament when she realized she made too much parfait. She had only ever prepared meals for a family and didn’t know how to skinny the recipe down to just two. Hopefully the berries and whipped cream would keep in the refrigerator for a few days, she thought. Upstairs, she could hear Phoenix getting up and entering the bathroom. She was glad she was finally adjusting to the routine not that she minded getting her up and ready every day. But now that she would have somewhere to go herself every day it helped a lot. Phoenix came downstairs and got a bowl of the parfait and hopped onto the stool next to her mother at the bar.

“Are you nervous about your first day, mommy?”

“Somewhat, yes.”

“Don’t be scared. I’m sure they’ll like you.”

Mary smiled. “I sure hope so.”

After Phoenix left for school, Mary got herself ready as well. She wanted to feel confident so everyone she came in contact with would feel it too. After giving herself a pep talk, she brushed her teeth again for good measure and headed out the door.

Naturally, Ernesto wasn’t expecting to have a new employee, so he didn’t have anything prepared for Mary to do specifically. However, the mayor always needed an endless supply of supporters for the causes that were important to him. He relied heavily on the community outreach department in that regard for he didn’t have time to create and organize his own charitable events. So, when he and Mary spoke on Sunday afternoon, he explained what that cause was so she would be able to promote it. The mayor called it No Sim Left Behind. He had a dream that every child would get a quality education, every adult would be gainfully employed, and every person living within his sphere of influence would have a roof over their heads and food in their stomach every day. This type of cause was not something Mary was accustomed to promoting, but it was a very touching dream. She never considered that there were hungry children and people without homes. It made her happy and proud to know that perhaps one day she could be part of the change in their lives.

The only instructions Mary received was “promote to as many people as you can.” She wouldn’t be needed in the office that day, and Ernesto didn’t specify a specific location, so she decided to begin spreading the message at home. At least then she would be home when Phoenix arrived. When she left her property, she went around the corner to the park behind her house and began to share the message of No Sim Left Behind. There was an old man walking by himself; she thought he looked reasonable and struck up a conversation with him.

She cleared her throat. “Good morning! I’m Mary Jones.”

The man was caught off guard by her random yet assertive greeting.

“Oh… Hi. I’m Simon.”

He attempted to keep walking, but Mary intercepted his path. “Have you heard of No Sim Left Behind?”

The man groaned. “Yeah. It’s just some hogwash that guy downtown sold us so we would vote for him.”

Mary was taken aback. “Hogwash?”

“They all do it, lady. They promise more housing and a fish in every pot, yet we still have people showering at the gym and starving every day.”

Another passerby heard the conversation and decided to stop and listen. She seemed very keen on what Simon had to say and hoped Mary was listening. She had no idea Mary was linked to the mayor, but she looked like someone who hadn’t a clue about the struggles of others.

Mary couldn’t deny she was a bit disheartened that the first person she spoke to was against her cause. However, she was Mary Jones, and she never gave up. She gave it all she got. “I understand how frustrating that must be, sir. If somehow you could see the mayor keeping his promise, would that change your mind about No Sim Left Behind? I’m working in the community outreach office, and I’d like to do whatever I can to make our community better. I could definitely use the support of people like yourselves who know what’s going on. Will you help me?”

The old man grinned. “Of course, miss.” He wasn’t sure if he felt sorry for her or if he hadn’t given up hope, but he was a reasonable man.

“Thank you so much, Simon! I look forward to speaking with you again soon.”

“Take care of yourself,” he said and walked away.

“And you?” she asked the woman.

“Sure. Why not.”

“Thank you!”

Mary felt awesome. She was met with adversity and turned it into a triumph. Perhaps this job thing would go well after all. Around the corner, Mary stopped and looked around. They had been living in that neighborhood for the past eight weeks. She had jogged around, but she never actually took time to look around the neighborhood. There were dozens of people walking by all day, and many of them stopped to take advantage of the free meals in the park. She wondered if any of them were homeless like Simon said. The thought of people struggling made her remember the conversation with John weeks ago about their finances. He sounded so scared and was always so tense and uptight. He had a job, so how did people without a job make it? Did they lose their homes? That thought was upsetting and she turned away and looked across the canal.

There was another old man about to cross in front of her, but he stopped to talk to her instead. “Mary? Mary Jones?”

“Yes. How are you?” She had no idea who the man was.

“You don’t know me, but I know you,” he said.

“Oh?”

“Oh yes. I used to work for your crooked father.”

She took offense to him calling her father crooked.

“Yeah, crooked. You heard me right! You’d be surprised at all the dirty little secrets I know. I could have taken him down with nothing but my left pinky, but no. I was loyal to him! I did everything for that man…including ratting out your no good husband!”

She gasped. Her heartbeat began to increase.

“Mmm hmm. I saw him and his little whore of the month going to a hotel.”

Heat rose in her face. All the horrid memories of that time came rushing back and assaulted her emotions.

“I found out what room they were in and I stood outside the window and took pictures. Then I showed them to your father. All that work I did… All the stuff I covered up for him… John’s job should have been MINE! But no! He promoted some other upity schmuck who couldn’t tell the difference between a plumbob and a freezer bunny!”

She began to sob. “Why are you telling me this?”

“All you Joneses are alike! You’re all up to no good! You ruin people’s lives and get away with it! And you think you’re invincible, but guess what? I just hurt you, didn’t I? Now you know how it feels!”

Something happened. One minute she felt like cowering in the corner like a scared child, and the next minute she was pointing her finger in the man’s face and yelling at him. She didn’t realize how tired she was of taking the fall for her father and John. How long would she have to pay for their sins? She was innocent and done being labeled a bad person.

“I am not my father! I’m sorry he didn’t do right by you, but that has nothing to do with me! I’ve been victimized by him too, but whatever bone you have to pick with him, you have no right to insult me and disrespect him in front of me! How dare you! Don’t you know anything about how to treat women? And don’t you dare speak to me about my…” She caught herself. That was the first time she almost called John her husband, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. “Don’t talk to me about John!”

The man was not expecting her to retaliate that way. He almost expected her to defend her father and husband–especially because he knew they had stayed married. He was pleasantly surprised. “Well… Somebody’s not daddy’s little princess anymore, is she.” He smirked. He looked like he may have been proud of her.

Mary felt as if she had been assaulted. This stranger stabbed her right in the heart, sliced open old wounds, and walked away. She was left there on sidewalk wondering what had just occurred while trying to take care of her wounds.