Marion Pellicano Ambrose
I started my first job at the age of 14. I worked the “Fishing Boat”shift at the local Dunkin Donuts. At 5 am, the ships filled with tired, hungry men who had been out on the water all night, pulled in and they all came to have coffee and a donut (more like several donuts!). We ran non stop from 4am, stacking shelves, filling sugar jars and making coffee, through the 2 or 3 hours of hungry fishermen drinking gallons of coffee and consuming dozens of donuts. By the time they were done, the shop reeked of fish and sweat, my ankles were swollen like balloons, and my once white stockings were splattered with hot coffee stains. Then the regular working crowd started. By the time I got off at 11am, I could barely walk the half mile home. This was to be the pattern of my life, working hard, long hours, going to school, and loving the feeling of being useful. After being a “Donut Girl”, I worked in the library, in a luncheonette, at a five and dime, and as a guitar teacher. Finally, in my senior year of college I taught music in an elementary school. I was immediately hired upon graduation and have been teaching ever since, even during the 6 years I was an Assistant Principal. I couldn’t imagine my life doing anything else but the job I loved so much.
