The Alaska Days

It was about eighty degrees when I flew out of Atlanta GA on October 26, 1983. When I landed at the airport in Anchorage AK it was 26 degrees and the first snowfall of the season. What have I done.

My first job in Anchorage was at a somewhat upscale retail store at one of the local malls. It had furs, dresses and very expensive undergarments for the ladies. Working retail is a great way to get to know the local folks, and oh what a group of locals they were. This store was a popular destination for the north slope oil workers when they came back into town after a two week shift. Some would buy a small gift for their wives but the most popular items were the g strings. No, not for their wives but for their "girlfriend" who worked at the Alaska Bush Company, the local strip club. Now I was just a Southern girl from a very small town and not used to such things. This was the beginning of my education in the real world.

One customer who I remember very well was an older gentleman in jeans and flannel shirts who would come in the store with his much younger ladies. With one on each arm they would head to the expensive lingerie section, the girls knew the way. Each girl would pick out several of the higher priced items and take back to the dressing rooms. He would buy them which ever piece they wanted but he wanted to see them in it first. They would make their selection and he would pay for the items with hundred dollar bills.

Some of the most colorful inhabitants of Anchorage made their way to this store from time to time. One of my favorites was Mafia Mike and his lady who I ran into from time to time during my stay in Anchorage. I saw them at three o'clock one morning at a local grocery store looking for ice cream toppings.

I also loved it when the folks from the villages would come into town to shop. They were so much fun to talk to and I made several good friends.

I worked at this store for about a year until it closed. Everyone in town was sorry to see the store go but the owners retired.