Thanks for the memories…
Silence. It seemed forever before one of the two people on the line spoke again. They had offered me a job with the paper. I told them I could not start for three weeks – that was when we would be moving to Fairfield. I was sure the pregnant pause meant they would not hold the position that long.
Karen finally responded that I had the job and so began my journey as a reporter.
Let me go back to how I came about being offered the position. It had always been my dream to write for a small-town newspaper, following in the footsteps of a distant relative who had written a column for the Rains County Leader. She had gone to her heavenly reward many years earlier, but I still remembered how much my relatives enjoyed her writings.
When we knew that we would retire in Fairfield, I began submitting articles to the paper. They actually published them and soon allowed me to write under “Coffee With Mary.” I didn’t get paid to do it; I just loved the opportunity.
On the job, Karen became my instant mentor, teaching me what fonts to use, how to arrange a business article, and how to make still pictures and then get them paper ready.
Within a short period of time, Scott gave me a raise. Two weeks later, he gave me another one. With the second, I reminded him he had just given me a raise, to which his response was that he was giving me another one. Wow!
It was many days before I learned that the Office Manager, Natalia, was Scott’s wife. She was my favorite!
The County Fair was both fun and challenging to cover every year. There was the parade; the pageant, animal judging to cover, and daily visits just to take pictures.
Then came football season. I loved it! Melissa Lee quickly taught me how to take action pictures. I would run from one end of the field to the other, just to get the right pic. By fourth quarter, I was spent and would barely make it to my car! It was a bonus that my granddaughter, a cheerleader, was on the field as well.
I worked well with reporters from the other paper. Since we cover many of the same events, we often rode together.
Marathon Oil presented me with a problem one year. They had brought in a tall ladder, as they wanted their picture from a downward angle, standing on their emblem.
I was not sure how I was going to manage getting up on the ladder. The reporter from the competing paper took one look at my face and said, “Give me your camera.” No one ever found out she took the pic, so don’t tell them.
One evening, I was sitting across from a gentleman who offered me his Dallas paper. I told him he should read The “Times” as I wrote for it. He said that he did and asked my name.
I responded, “Mary McDonald.”
Two ladies in a nearby booth gasped, and said, “That’s Mary McDonald.” I waved at them. I was so thrilled!
There were so many people I got to know in the County from working at the paper.
There were too many memories to mention in a few short words. I want to thank Scott, Natalia, and Karen for providing me with an experience of a lifetime and lasting friendships.
