Part III-Part IV

Jeannette gets her first job at Becker's Jewel Box.

I was afraid that Mr. Becker wouldn't give me the job if he knew I was only thirteen, so I told him I was seventeen. He hired me on the spot for forty dollars a week, in cash. I was thrilled. It was my first real job. Babysitting and tutoring and doing other kids' homework and mowing lawns and redeeming bottles and selling scrap metal didn't count. Forty dollars a week was serious money.

Jeannette waited on customers but wasn't allowed to go into the more expensive cases. She felt Becker didn't trust her, and judging from his refusal to leave her with keys, she was probably right.