I had been working at a pub ever since I turned 18. I had to do something to pay my bills and expenses.
I had no idea that my mother would find out about my job.
I had been so careful to keep it a secret. I had avoided talking about it to anyone and had made sure that there were no suspicious phone calls or other signs that would give away my secret.
But it was all for naught.
My mother had found out and she was livid. She had heard from someone that I had been working at the pub and ‘serving’ men. I had never done anything of the sort but that didn’t matter to her. She had already made up her mind and there was no changing it.
She stormed into my room and started yelling. She told me that I was no longer welcome in her house and that I had to leave right away. She didn’t even give me a chance to explain myself. I was so shocked and overwhelmed that I just stood there in silence.
After a few minutes of screaming, she had finally calmed down enough to let me explain my side of the story. I explained that I had only been working at the pub as a waitress and that I had never done anything inappropriate.
I also tried to explain that I had been doing this job to make ends meet and that I had been trying to keep it a secret to protect her from the shame.
But my mother wasn’t having any of it. She still believed that I had been doing something wrong and that she had to protect her family from the ‘shame’ of having a daughter who was working in a pub. She then told me to pack my things and leave her house.
I was devastated. I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. I had been counting on this job to help me get through university and now it was gone. I was so upset that I just started to cry.
I had no idea what to do. I had no family and no friends who could help me out. I was completely alone and had nowhere to turn. I felt like my life was over and that I had no way out.
I eventually ended up staying with a friend for a few weeks until I could figure out what to do next. I was able to find a job at another pub and was able to move into my own place. It was a long and difficult road but I eventually made it through.
Looking back, I can see how naïve I was for not telling my mother about my job. I know now that she only had my best interests at heart. But at the time, I felt like she had abandoned me and I was ashamed of her reaction.
I’m grateful that I was able to find a way out of my situation but it was a hard lesson to learn.