I recently found out my very first boss, Mary Sue, passed away. I’ve been thinking about her all week and in doing so, it’s become clearer and clearer what a role she played in my career and approach to work. The lessons I learned from Mary Sue are still ingrained within me and are things I try to teach to others I work with and supervise. She was patient, but firm, loving but had high expectations. I wish that I had spent more time thinking about her before she passed away so I could tell her that she made such an impact on my life, all these years later.
Mary Sue was one of my mom’s first friends when she moved to Chicago and the owner of Mary Sue’s Hair Design, an unassuming salon next to a laundry mat and White Hen Pantry, with a tiny parking lot in front. You walked in and the first thing you noticed was “Lola”, the paper machete life-size cabaret dancer that Mary Sue had made. There was also a haze of cigarette smoke from the clientele and employees. Those ladies loved their Capri Ultra-Light 100s, Virginia Slims, and the likes. One of the first memories I have of Mary Sue was when I was in fourth grade. I wanted to cut my hair short, and she was totally on board, giving me a funky asymmetrical due and what is still one of my favorite haircuts. In seventh grade, I thought putting Sun-In in my hair would turn is bombshell blond. It came out Dorito Orange. Mary Sue once again to the rescue.
It was long after the Sun-In debacle that I was offered a job to work on Saturdays as the shampoo girl (or ‘aqua-tician’ as it appeared on my first ever resume- true story!). I made a base of $5-an-hour and then collected tips on top of it. At the end of a good day, I’d have made $75-80…not too shabby for an eighth-grader.
All throughout eighth grade and high school I’d work each Saturday, arriving at 7:50 a.m. and work through 4:30 p.m. It kept me in early (or earlier) on Friday nights and put money in my pocket for Saturday nights. In addition to the shampoo duties, I would do all the laundry, make sure everything was refilled, answer the phones, book appointments, sweep, dust, set up in the morning and clean up before closing.
I came to know the women who would come in each weekend and I loved them as much as they seemingly loved me. Dorothy was always in right at 8 a.m. and she was one of the more generous tippers ($2). Blanche would come in later during the day, with her doting Seymour driving her and sitting patiently in the patent chair in the waiting section. There was Marilyn who had been friends with my aunt Marilyn when they attended grammar school together. There was Carol, who was pretty snarky, but had a loyal and loving heart. There was Janelle who came to see me in my senior year musical.
And of course there was Mary Sue. She has this laugh that could stop a room full of talking people in their tracks. Her hair was always in a bouffant of sorts and she had amazing style. She later did some jewelry designing and had a fun flair to her. It amaze me how she could be styling someone’s hair with a long, skinny cigarette dangling out of her mouth. It doesn’t sound it, but it was pretty glamourous. In addition to Mary Sue, there was also Laura. I loved Laura! She had this amazingly positive attitude and I don’t think I ever once saw her mad. She’d say things like: “Okey-dokey karaoke”. And Bic, who was originally from Vietnam, and did manicures and pedicures. Bic was so sweet and to this day gave the greatest manicures I’ve ever had.
All of these women helped me grow so much. As a successful career-minded woman, I feel so grateful to have known them and been exposed to them when I was so young as their lessons have helped me grow into who I am today. And now, for your own career development purposes, here are the best (and most lasting) lessons from Mary Sue:
Don’t sit
- There’s always something that can be done and if you don’t see what needs to be done, then ask someone if they need your help
Keep the plates spinning
- Stay on top of the tasks you’re working on, be organized
Smile
- Everyone loves to be around people who are friendly, fun to work with, and have a positive outlook and approach to what they do
Work hard
Never be too good to take out the trash
- No matter what level you’re at, never have the approach that something is too far beneath you
Don’t smoke a cigarette too close to a can of aerosol hair spray
- Words to live by. Literately.
Thank you, Mary Sue. You did so much for me and I only wish I could have shared these thoughts with you sooner. You won’t ever be forgotten.
Social Spinning Plates 