I have reached a time in my life when I have less time in the future and more in my past.

We all get to this point eventually, if we are lucky. I have led an interesting and challenging life, and I have no regrets.

I want to begin by describing myself. I am now 74 years old and retired. I have two adult children. One is married and lives in Philadelphia, and our youngest lives with us here in North Carolina, where we retired. We have lived here in North Carolina for the past nine years.

Previously, we lived in Pitman, New Jersey, for twenty-four years. We purchased that home because I had graduated from Temple University, Tyler School of Art. I was forty-one when I graduated with a BFA and Teaching Credentials for Art. I was the only adult student at that time. I graduated with a Magna Cum Laude. (Great with Honors.) I have to admit those four years were challenging to me as I had two young daughters at the time, and a home to take care of and all the responsibilities a woman has with children, school-age, and younger. My youngest daughter was at a Christian Day School, and my oldest daughter was going to school and then staying at a friend’s home until I arrived home from Tyler.

I’m not going to lie, it was extremely difficult to have the responsibility of my children and go to college full-time. Then have to get home on time to pick up my daughters and go home to do the cooking, clean the house, care for my young daughters, and then spend the night after my daughters go to bed and do my required reading, artwork that was due the next day. By the end of the day, I was exhausted. I still had to go food shopping, take my daughters to pediatrician appointments, and doctor’s appointments.

Let’s say I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep, nor did I have any free time, with projects to complete before my next class, studying art history. The list goes on and on. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was overwhelmed at times, but I never gave up. I always had my work for school on time, always, even if I had to go without sleep.

It became apparent to my instructors that I was always prepared, and so my work, whether it was artwork or written work, was always, always done on time. And so every one of my instructors would ask me to put up my work in front of the class, or they would read my written work in front of every class I attended, and they (the whole class) would critique it. And believed me, they didn’t hold back on the critiques, nor did the students, who rarely completed their work on time.

I have to admit that going to college at thirty-six was not easy by any stretch of the imagination, with two young children. But I have always been a stubborn person, and I knew there was no way in hell I was ever going to give up until I accomplished my goal of graduating from Temple University at the top of my class in 1991. And that is precisely what I did. I graduated with Magna Cum Laude. (Great With Honors) I was forty-one years old. I had a Bachelor of ARTS with teaching credentials. It hadn’t been easy, but nonetheless, I succeeded and was proud of my accomplishments.

I requested my Tyler School of Art instructors to write references for me so I could apply for and eventually get a teaching position at the Elementary or Middle School level. And they were happy to do just that. All my instructors in Graphic Design, Painting, and Drawing gave me their reference, and so did the Dean of Temple University. So, I was quite optimistic about getting an art teaching position, hopefully in New Jersey, where I was currently living.

Unfortunately, things did not work out as I had anticipated. After sending out resumes to all the Elementary and Middle schools, I did not receive any positive responses. What I ultimately found out was that New Jersey School Systems were no longer funding the teaching of art in the Elementary, Middle School, or High School. These curricula were no longer taught in New Jersey Schools. I had little response from the Philadelphia Elementary Schools as well. To say that I was disappointed would be an underestimate of how low and discouraged I was. Here, I was at forty-one, having just graduated with a BFA and Teaching credentials in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and unable to find employment. To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement of all time. I was way past discouraged; I was downhearted. And I didn’t know what to do next. I couldn’t help but feel that I had just wasted four years of my life attending college and excelling at it. And yet there were no jobs to be found. 

I spent a long time trying to consider what my possible employment would come from. And then it occurred to me that I could start my school. I saw an advertisement for a large home for sale in Pitman, New Jersey. It had been empty for eight years. It was not in great shape. It needed a great deal of work and repair, including new heating and air-conditioning and a new roof. Pitman was a small town, but we fell in love with both the house and the city the first time our realtor took us to see the house. And yes, the house needed a great deal of work. But, it was in a great neighborhood and it had a large population of friendly neighbors, many with small children, middle school, and high school. The New Jersey government was no longer funding art programs. So, I decided this would be where I would teach art. It took us a long time to renovate the part of the house where I would be holding my art classes. Then, I applied for a permit and was given one by the Pitman government. I placed an advertisement in the Pitman News and World Report. 

And sure enough, I began getting phone calls from parents and adults who wanted to take Art Classes. I called my school, THE ART ROOM. I taught art to children after school and on Saturdays, and in the evening, I taught adults. And sure enough, my phone started bringing,g asking for information about the children’s classes and adults interested in taking the lessons as well.

So, no, I didn’t make a great deal of money; I never got rich. But I did teach art for many years at The ART ROOM, and I made a great many friends in Pitman. It was a great town to live in, and we came to love it. We lived in Pitman for twenty-four years until we retired. At which point we wouldn’t be able to afford living in our house, since the Real Estate Taxes were relatively high. And to say it was challenging to leave Pitman and our beloved home of twenty-four years would be the understatement of all time.

We considered all our options, and ultimately, we decided that living in the South would be the most affordable place to live on Social Security and our savings. So, we put our beloved house up for sale and told our friends and neighbors that we were going to retire and move to the south. That we loved them and would miss them.

And so, my friends, we visited North Carolina and decided that we would find a home there where we could retire, and that we did. So, here we are nine years later, retired and living in North Carolina. It is a beautiful place to live. But, in all honesty, I miss my friends, family, and our lovely home in Pitman, but life doesn’t always end the way you expect it to.

So, here I sit at seventy-four years old with my husband, who is seventy-five. Do we miss New Jersey, yes, and we miss seeing our elder daughter more often; she and her husband live in Philadelphia. Our youngest daughter lives with us. We live in a small development, and we have a lovely house. But honestly, I miss all my family and my friendly neighbors in New Jersey. It appears as if the North Carolinians are not as pleasant as we had hoped they would be. But that’s the way of life, you never really know how things will turn out. You have to try to be optimistic and take one day at a time, doing the things you enjoy. And now, I have decided to start painting again, since after we moved here, I started writing and stopped painting. But I realized that I could do both, paint and write. So, my dear friends, that is precisely what I intend on doing. In addition, I am going to start making jewelry again. So, life goes on. Some days are good, and some days are not. But you have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Life is what you make of it. Try not to lose your momentum; life goes by quickly, so don’t waste a minute of it. I intend on making my last years on this planet good ones. I have spent the previous nine years volunteering at an animal sanctuary, taking care of parrots and various other birds. I came to love them. I know that my time on this planet is limited, but I promise you folks that I will continue to write my stories and paint and draw and create unique things. If you can, please follow my blog on Facebook. It is called WRITE ON, and I post it on Wednesday. Take care until we meet again in my imagination. Love, Susan A. Culver: writer/ artist

DIFFICULT DAYS AHEAD OF US PART 2

Senate Republicans passed a budget bill that would cut Medicaid, Medicare, and SNAP, a program that provides food assistance. As a result, at least 17 million American citizens would benefit, while wealthy Americans would not.

People fought to reject this bill. The most significant cuts were to healthcare and food assistance. Seniors would be the most at-risk population. It would reduce Medicaid because it would be more challenging to qualify for, and states’ payment options would be restricted to hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers.

Americans covered by Medicare would possibly be removed. American citizens could lose at least $185.00 a month. These amounts would increase over time. This increase in personal cost could result in an additional $8,340.00 per year for Medicare. This increase in cost could reduce the amount of funds that older citizens have to spend on food, leaving many people to go hungry, which often leads to health issues and higher rates of poverty due to food insecurity.

Cuts in these programs can and do affect job opportunities, as well as the economy and possibly job opportunities. Additionally, more deaths could occur due to the lack of access to better healthcare and care in nursing homes.

Of course, we all know that the majority of American Citizens are against these cuts. However, Congress is ignoring these people. Why is it that the poor and the wealthy have more power than those Americans who live in poverty?

And now, Trump is illegally sending people, and that includes innocent people, across the border to places like El Salvador. Apparently, he has the power to do that. I don’t know about any of you, but this is absolutely terrifying to me. Do we have no rights as American Citizens? Don’t we have the right to hire a lawyer? Doesn’t the government, including the President, have to follow the laws of the land???

Yes, people, we do have certain inalienable rights:

American citizens have a broad range of rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. They also have rights related to DUE PROCESS, protection against unreasonable search and seizure, and the right to a fair trial. Furthermore, citizens have the right to vote, travel with a U.S. passport, and bring family members to the U.S.

Specific Rights and Protections:

And as American Citizens, Trump nor any other government employee has the right to ignore our rights. When are we ALL going to step up against this nightmare of a President and have him removed now, not later?

Here are our rights:

American citizens have a broad range of rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. They also have rights related to due process, protection against unreasonable search and seizure, and the right to a fair trial. Furthermore, citizens have the right to vote, travel with a U.S. passport, and bring family members to the U.S.

Specific Rights and Protections:

• Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly, and Petition: .

These are foundational rights outlined in the First Amendment, ensuring the ability to express oneself, practice one’s religion, report news, gather publicly, and appeal to the government.

• The Bill of Rights also protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, self-incrimination, and double jeopardy. He ensures the right to a speedy and public trial with the assistance of legal representation.

Citizens have the right to participate in the democratic process by casting their votes in elections.

Citizens also have the right to bear arms, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to privacy.

Citizens can live in the U.S. without fear of deportation, obtain government benefits, access more job opportunities, and become eligible for federal grants and scholarships.

U.S. citizens can petition to bring family members to the U.S. and obtain citizenship for children under the age of 18.

So,I don’t know about you, but I plan on not being thrown over the border because we do have those rights.

Trump is using his office, his power as President, to terrify and control people. What the hell kind of President does this? None in my lifetime until now. We must rise up and fight Trump. He is no longer the President of the United States. He is a living nightmare; he is a dictator.

So, what are we waiting for? We, as Americans, have the right to be free. This lowlife is a coward, and we can overcome and remove him. Really, what the hell are we waiting for? What is Congress waiting for? The rest of the world is watching what is happening here in America and looks on with disbelief and Fear. Who wouldn’t?

There is only low-life Trump, we can remove him and get rid of him, What the hell are we waiting for?????

The Fact is that Trump cares for no one; he has no intention of trying to stop Putin’s annihilation of innocent people in Ukraine. Why? He says, because who cares, they are not American???? And his other solution is to put tariffs on countries that do business with Russia????? Remember TACO. Trump always chickened out. He a coward and a low-life. Let’s get rid of him before he does any more harm to America and its people and the world. Trump is an absolute nightmare. Face it, he has to go.,,,,.

DIFFICULT DAYS AHEAD OF US PART 2

Senate Republicans passed a budget bill that would cut, Medicaid, Medicare and SNAP, which is food assistance and as a result at least 17 million American citizens that would benefit wealthy Americans.

People fought to reject this bill. The most significant cuts were to healthcare and food assistance. Seniors would be the most at-risk population. It would reduce Medicaid because it would be more challenging to qualify for, and states’ payment options would be restricted to hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers.

Americans covered by Medicare would possibly be removed. American citizens could lose at least $185.00 a month. These amounts would increase over time. This increase in personal cost could result in an additional $8,340.00 per year for Medicare. This increase in cost could reduce the amount of funds that older citizens have to spend on food, leaving many people to go hungry, which often leads to health issues and higher rates of poverty due to food insecurity.

Cuts in these programs can and do affect job opportunities, as well as the economy and possibly job opportunities. Additionally, more deaths could occur due to the lack of access to better healthcare and care in nursing homes.

Of course, we all know that the majority of American Citizens are against these cuts. However, Congress is ignoring these people. Why is it that the poor and the wealthy have more power than those Americans who live in poverty?

And now, Trump is illegally sending people, and that includes innocent people, across the border to places like El Salvador. Apparently, he has the power to do that. I don’t know about any of you, but this is absolutely terrifying to me. Do we have no rights as American Citizens? Don’t we have the right to hire a lawyer? Doesn’t the government, including the President, have to follow the laws of the land???

Yes, people, we do have certain inalienable rights:

American citizens have a broad range of rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. They also have rights related to DUE PROCESS, protection against unreasonable search and seizure, and the right to a fair trial. Furthermore, citizens have the right to vote, travel with a U.S. passport, and bring family members to the U.S.

Specific Rights and Protections:

And as American Citizens, Trump nor any other government employee has the right to ignore our rights. When are we ALL going to step up against this nightmare of a President and have him removed now, not later?

Here are our rights:

American citizens have a broad range of rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. They also have rights related to due process, protection against unreasonable search and seizure, and the right to a fair trial. Furthermore, citizens have the right to vote, travel with a U.S. passport, and bring family members to the U.S.

Specific Rights and Protections:

• Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly, and Petition: .

These are foundational rights outlined in the First Amendment, ensuring the ability to express oneself, practice one’s religion, report news, gather publicly, and appeal to the government.

• The Bill of Rights also protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, self-incrimination, and double jeopardy. He ensures the right to a speedy and public trial with the assistance of legal representation.

Citizens have the right to participate in the democratic process by casting their votes in elections.

Citizens also have the right to bear arms, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to privacy.

Citizens can live in the U.S. without fear of deportation, obtain government benefits, access more job opportunities, and become eligible for federal grants and scholarships.

U.S. citizens can petition to bring family members to the U.S. and obtain citizenship for children under the age of 18.

So, I don’t know about you, but I plan on not being thrown over the border because we do have those rights.

Trump is using his office, his power as President,t to terrify and control people. What the hell kind of President does this? None in my lifetime until now. We must rise up and fight Trump. He is no longer the President of the United States. He is a living nightmare; he is a dictator.

So, what are we waiting for? We, as Americans, have the right to be free. This lowlife is a coward, and we can overcome and remove him. Really, what the hell are we waiting for? What is Congress waiting for? The rest of the world is watching what is happening here in America and looks on with disbelief and Fear. Who wouldn’t?

There is only low-life Trump, we can remove him and get rid of him, What the hell are we waiting for?????

The Fact is that Trump cares for no one; he has no intention of trying to stop Putin’s annihilation of innocent people in Ukraine. Why? He says, because who cares, they are not American???? And his other solution is to put tariffs on countries that do business with Russia????? Remember TACO. Trump always chickened out. He a coward and a low-life. Let’s get rid of him before he does any more harm to America and its people and the world. Trump is an absolute nightmare. Face it, he has to go.,,,,.

DIFFICULT DAYS AHEAD OF US PART 2

Senate Republicans passed a budget bill that would cut, Medicaid, Medicare and SNAP, which is food assistance and as a result at least 17 million American citizens that would benefit wealthy Americans.

People fought to reject this bill. The most significant cuts were to healthcare and food assistance. Seniors would be the most at-risk population. It would reduce Medicaid because it would be more challenging to qualify for, and states’ payment options would be restricted to hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers.

Americans covered by Medicare would possibly be removed. American citizens could lose at least $185.00 a month. These amounts would increase over time. This increase in personal cost could result in an additional $8,340.00 per year for Medicare. This increase in cost could reduce the amount of funds that older citizens have to spend on food, leaving many people to go hungry, which often leads to health issues and higher rates of poverty due to food insecurity.

Cuts in these programs can and do affect job opportunities, as well as the economy and possibly job opportunities. Additionally, more deaths could occur due to the lack of access to better healthcare and care in nursing homes.

Of course, we all know that the majority of American Citizens are against these cuts. However, Congress is ignoring these people. Why is it that the poor and the wealthy have more power than those Americans who live in poverty?

And now, Trump is illegally sending people, and that includes innocent people, across the border to places like El Salvador. Apparently, he has the power to do that. I don’t know about any of you, but this is absolutely terrifying to me. Do we have no rights as American Citizens? Don’t we have the right to hire a lawyer? Doesn’t the government, including the President, have to follow the laws of the land???

Yes, people, we do have certain inalienable rights:

American citizens have a broad range of rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. They also have rights related to DUE PROCESS, protection against unreasonable search and seizure, and the right to a fair trial. Furthermore, citizens have the right to vote, travel with a U.S. passport, and bring family members to the U.S.

Specific Rights and Protections:

And as American Citizens, Trump nor any other government employee has the right to ignore our rights. When are we ALL going to step up against this nightmare of a President and have him removed now, not later?

Here are our rights:

American citizens have a broad range of rights guaranteed by the Constitution, including freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. They also have rights related to due process, protection against unreasonable search and seizure, and the right to a fair trial. Furthermore, citizens have the right to vote, travel with a U.S. passport, and bring family members to the U.S.

Specific Rights and Protections:

• Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly, and Petition: .

These are foundational rights outlined in the First Amendment, ensuring the ability to express oneself, practice one’s religion, report news, gather publicly, and appeal to the government.

• The Bill of Rights also protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, self-incrimination, and double jeopardy. He ensures the right to a speedy and public trial with the assistance of legal representation.

Citizens have the right to participate in the democratic process by casting their votes in elections.

Citizens also have the right to bear arms, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to privacy.

Citizens can live in the U.S. without fear of deportation, obtain government benefits, access more job opportunities, and become eligible for federal grants and scholarships.

U.S. citizens can petition to bring family members to the U.S. and obtain citizenship for children under the age of 18.

So,I don’t know about you, but I plan on not being thrown over the border because we do have those rights.

Trump is using his office, his power as President, to terrify and control people. What the hell kind of President does this? None in my lifetime until now. We must rise up and fight Trump. He is no longer the President of the United States. He is a living nightmare; he is a dictator.

So, what are we waiting for? We, as Americans, have the right to be free. This lowlife is a coward, and we can overcome and remove him. Really, what the hell are we waiting for? What is Congress waiting for? The rest of the world is watching what is happening here in America and looks on with disbelief and Fear. Who wouldn’t?

There is only low-life Trump, we can remove him and get rid of him, What the hell are we waiting for?????

The Fact is that Trump cares for no one; he has no intention of trying to stop Putin’s annihilation of innocent people in Ukraine. Why? He says, because who cares, they are not American???? And his other solution is to put tariffs on countries that do business with Russia????? Remember TACO. Trump always chickened out. He a coward and a low-life. Let’s get rid of him before he does any more harm to America and its people and the world. Trump is an absolute nightmare. Face it, he has to go.,,,,.

Hello WRITE ON READERS,

My blog today will be different from my short stories, which are fictional, and memoirs, which reflect and share my experiences from childhood to the present.

As a retired senior, I have experienced many things in my life and learned what is good and what is bad. I learned to treat all people with respect regardless of their color, creed, or living conditions, and where they lived. I am accepting and welcoming to all people, even those with the most difficult of personalities. I have known the very rich and the very poor.

In fact, I spent many years of my working life helping people who were struggling to get from point A to point B. And that included people who were mentally ill, and adolescent boys and girls who had a rough start to their lives. And people who lived in poverty in places like Camden, New Jersey. While I worked with Wilson Goode, I made every effort to find resources for them so that they could afford to remain in their homes, have food on the table, access healthcare, and ensure their children had access to education.

After I retired, I decided that I needed a break from Social Services, and I have been volunteering at an animal sanctuary here in North Carolina for the past nine years. In addition, I started writing short stories and memoirs in my blog, WRITE ON. I have written over 200 stories and memoirs in the past nine years, since my retirement.

But at this point, while our country is going through a terrible transition from a Democracy, where we all have rights as American Citizens, our present leader, Donald Trump, has chosen to do the unthinkable at every turn. Every single day, a new nightmare for us to confront. I will never understand why the Republicans chose this man, this low-life, this spoiled rich man to represent and preside over, not once, but twice, now we find ourselves under his thumb yet again. For me, it feels like an ongoing nightmare, I kid you not.

I will never forget the vision of Trump on the internet, coming from the meeting he had with Putin, he looked like a whipped dog. I absolutely knew that somehow, Putin had Trump under his thumb and that we, the American citizens and the rest of the world, were going to suffer the consequences, and it would not be good; in fact, it was going to be an ongoing nightmare. And that is precisely what has happened.

And what I will never, never understand is why, why would anyone in their right mind, vote for this low-life not once, but twice. And here we all are in a recurring nightmare. Trump has every intention of destroying our Democracy, our country, and cares absolutely nothing for we Americans except for the wealthy ones, whom I do not doubt that he will nickel and dime to death. Which serves them right as far as I am concerned because they care nothing for all the rest of us, nor do they care that they are just as guilty as Trump is, as he destroys all that is good in America.

And let’s consider some of the “so-called” experts that Trump has placed in our government. Robert S. Kennedy, let me be clear: this man does not hold a medical degree by any stretch of the imagination. He has no business telling Americans not to get vaccinated; he needs to keep his lying mouth shut before he kills people with his bulshit.

Honestly, I would have to write a book to spell out all the things that Trump is and has done to our democracy; his main goal is to end it. He is Putin’s puppet if any of you haven’t realized that yet, it’s time to wake up, people. 

In addition, one of Trump’s promises to American Citizens when he ran for his second term was that all Americans would have access to healthcare. Did that happen, people? “Well, hell no, it didn’t happen. In fact, healthcare access legislation, such as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” could lead to millions losing health insurance coverage due to cuts to Medicaid and changes to the Affordable Care Act. Trump doesn’t give a good god damm about American Citizens’ health care. All he cares about is connecting with the rich Americans. President-elect Donald Trump has assembled the wealthiest presidential administration in modern history, with at least 13 billionaires set to take on government posts.

They include a wrestling magnate, a private space pioneer, a New York real estate developer, the heir to a small appliance empire, and the wealthiest man on the planet — with several being donors and close personal friends of the incoming president.

In total, the combined net worth of the wealthiest members of his administration could surpass $460 billion, including Department of Government Efficiency co-head Elon Musk — whose net worth of more than $400 billion exceeds the GDP of mid-sized countries.

So, have any parts of your lives improved because of the things Trump has done, including getting rid of Medicare and Obamacare? They have certainly not improved the lives of anyone in our country so far, have they?????

Let’s go back in time for a moment. Do any of you remember Trump’s response to COVID-19? He told us that we shouldn’t let it control our lives. The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus eclipsed 400,000 on Tuesday in the waning hours in office for President Donald Trump, whose handling of the crisis has been judged by public health experts a singular failure.

President Donald Trump signed his domestic policy bill into law on July 4, 2025. The legislation makes sweeping changes to U.S. healthcare.

The bill is expected to reduce healthcare spending by roughly $1.1 trillion and result in 11.8 million people losing health insurance over the next decade, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. So, people, what do you think of Trump’s plan to cut health care for almost 12 million Americans? Which is 1/5 of our nation’s population. Does that seem like someone who gives a good god-damn about Americans? Hell no, he only cares about the rich, let’s face it he is not the President for ALL THE PEOPLE, only the freaking rich Americans. Stop fooling yourselves. It remains to be seen whether Trump will cut Social Security and Medicare. But, people, I am not holding my breath because Trump has proven himself to be a liar and a manipulator. I don’t believe a word out of his lying mouth. We will have to wait and see what happens, probably in the very near future.

I will be writing another blog about what Trump is going to do to us in the near future. Trust that I will tell you what is really going on, and anot the bullshit that Trump says.

It’s hard to believe, but nonetheless it’s true. I am seventy-four years old. It seems like just yesterday when I graduated from high school. I attended St. Mary of the Angels Academy in Haddonfield, New Jersey. It was an all-girls high school. I graduated in 1969. That’s right, 1969. My parents did not have the income to send me to college.

So, I had to get a full-time job. And, believe it or not, I landed a full-time job right out of high school. I was offered a position as a dental assistant to Dr. Edward G. Wozniak. His wife had attended St. Mary of the Angels Academy as well, and they felt they would definitely find a good employee from St. Mary of the Angels Academy.

So, several months after I graduated, I was offered a job at Dr. Wozniak’s dental office. And, believe it or not, I fit right in. The Wozniaks were wonderful people, and Dr. Wozniak taught me everything I needed to know to become a dental assistant. I worked there for almost four years. I liked the job very much, and I took to it right away. I learned how to assist the dentist and make phone calls to patients the day before their appointments. I also made appointments for the patients. And called them to remind them of their appointments or their children’s appointments.

I was a chairside assistant, and in addition, I developed X-rays and assisted at the chairside. I found that I enjoyed talking to the patients, and I was able to calm any patient who was afraid of the dentist and dental work, as I began to realize that my quiet demeanor and voice helped calm them. It turned out that the patients who were most fearful of dental work were me. However, some occasional women would start crying.

One day, Dr. Wozniak had a patient scheduled for an hour and a half. I’ll never forget her, she came right on time and Dr. Wozniak told me to seat her in the front room. She was an older woman, at least to me, as I was about nineteen at the time. I was the chairside assistant,t so I stood next to the patient and handed Dr. Wozniak the instruments. The patient seemed old to me, but that was because I was so young at the time. She was probably about forty.

Well, Dr. Wozniak anesthetized her so that she wouldn’t feel any pain, and then he began extracting one tooth after another. I kept looking at Dr. Wozniak. I felt like he wasn’t going to stop extracting her teeth, and he didn’t. He kept going until all her teeth were removed. That was about the time I started crying, and then I passed out. When I came to, I found myself lying on the couch in their living room. I had never been in the Wozniaks’ living area before. Mrs. Wozniak had put a cold compress on my forehead. I started crying again. I wondered how it came to be in their living room. Mrs. Wozniak said, “Susan, you passed out. Dr. Wozniak had to carry you in here and let you rest until you felt better. Guess what I did? I started to cry again. I said, “ I want to go home. So, as soon as I could sit up, Mrs. Wozniak walked me out to my brand new 1970 yellow Volkswagen. I went home. I decided that I had had enough of dental work, and I was going to get a new and different job.

The next morning I didn’t get up early and go to work, I told my parents I wasn’t going to go to Dr. Wozniak’s office again. My parents were upset because up until the day before, I had been working there. Just about then, Mrs. Wozniak called our house. I lived in a different town, about a twenty-five-minute drive from the dental office. My mother talked quietly on the phone to Mrs. Wozniak and then my mother called me into the kitchen and said, “ Mrs. Wozniak said, “you have to come to work, they need you, Dr. Wozniak needs you, You have to go to work. So. Susan, go in and get your uniform on and get ready to go. I‘ll pack you a lunch. So, sure enough, that’s exactly what I did/ I wasn’t in the habit of disobeying my parents. So, if they said I had to go. Then I would go. 

I was nervous on the whole ride to Dr. Wozniak’s office, but I went there. When I arrived, when I walked into the office, they were both waiting for me. And they had smiles on their faces. They said that they missed me so much, and I was an excellent dental assistant, and they wouldn’t want to lose me. So, I looked at them, and they looked back at me with smiles on their faces. And I said, “OK, I’m alright, I just didn’t know you were going to pull all her teeth out. They smiled. Mrs. Wozniak gave me a quick hug, and Dr. Wozniak said, “ Let’s get to work, Susan. The first patient of the day is on their way. And sure enough, I heard the doorbell ring, and I went into the waiting room and directed the patient into the exam so they could get X-rays. And that was the beginning of a new day. I never passed out. Since Dr. Wozniak made a point of telling me when he was going to extract all of somebody’s teeth, and I wouldn’t have another horrible surprise.

I worked for Dr. Wozniak for several more years. Until I decided that I had to work in a different job because I had only Sundays off, and I didn’t have time for a personal life. And at the time, I wanted to find a boyfriend more than anything. And life went on, and eventually I found another job writing and selling high-risk Auto Insurance with the Ellis Brothers. And that was the beginning of a new chapter in my life.

Little did I know, but I had many adventures ahead of me and a variety of different types of employment. You will have to wait for the next chapter, my friends, until then, take care.