"A
life lived for others: Margo Jones "
Margo
Jones doesn’t need to speak to reveal the essence of her character.
With one glance and a slight smile, an aura of kindness and pure sincerity
is obvious. Her life is spent toiling at two jobs, often for more than
fifteen hours a day, and caring for her family of six during down time.
In a community where minimum wage jobs are the norm and the future seems
stagnant, she persists to work as much as her body can endure to create
the best possible life for her family.
Adversity surrounds Margo’s life as she strives for success. Her oldest son, Kirk, 20, is in prison for a six month sentence for violating parole when he left Fulton to visit his ill grandmother in St. Louis. Margo’s second son Sean, 17, gets in trouble often and has a relationship with an older woman that causes her much strife. Her only girl, Ondrane, 16, had a baby boy at fourteen and was thrust into early parenthood before she became an adult. Margo’s long-term relationship with her boyfriend remains troubled as he has “attitude problems”, and shows no appreciation for Margo’s hard work and kind spirit.
Margo’s life away from home is consumed by work. She has been caring for people in need for over fifteen years, and currently works at Fulton Manor, a residential nursing home. As she swings her tired legs through the dimly lit halls, the residents’ heads slowly tilt up and faded faces turn to smiles as they exclaim “ Hi, Margo!” “It takes a special person to work here”, she says, as ten people have quit in the last month. Margo works a second job through a temp agency to pay off an $800 repair bill for her car. After her eight-hour shift at the nursing home, she walks forty-five minutes to the temp agency to sign up for evening work. An hour later she receives word as to whether there is work that day, and if there is, starts another eight-hour shift at four thirty in the afternoon.
Overworked and under appreciated, Margo Jones tirelessly labors for others. Devoting her life to work and family, there is little left for herself. With an amazing inner strength, she continues to bring happiness and positivity to a world of adversity.
Adversity surrounds Margo’s life as she strives for success. Her oldest son, Kirk, 20, is in prison for a six month sentence for violating parole when he left Fulton to visit his ill grandmother in St. Louis. Margo’s second son Sean, 17, gets in trouble often and has a relationship with an older woman that causes her much strife. Her only girl, Ondrane, 16, had a baby boy at fourteen and was thrust into early parenthood before she became an adult. Margo’s long-term relationship with her boyfriend remains troubled as he has “attitude problems”, and shows no appreciation for Margo’s hard work and kind spirit.
Margo’s life away from home is consumed by work. She has been caring for people in need for over fifteen years, and currently works at Fulton Manor, a residential nursing home. As she swings her tired legs through the dimly lit halls, the residents’ heads slowly tilt up and faded faces turn to smiles as they exclaim “ Hi, Margo!” “It takes a special person to work here”, she says, as ten people have quit in the last month. Margo works a second job through a temp agency to pay off an $800 repair bill for her car. After her eight-hour shift at the nursing home, she walks forty-five minutes to the temp agency to sign up for evening work. An hour later she receives word as to whether there is work that day, and if there is, starts another eight-hour shift at four thirty in the afternoon.
Overworked and under appreciated, Margo Jones tirelessly labors for others. Devoting her life to work and family, there is little left for herself. With an amazing inner strength, she continues to bring happiness and positivity to a world of adversity.