McDonald’s in Bells Corners

When I was 18 I worked at this McDonald’s in Bells Corners. Of course, since that time, it has changed physically but those giant golden arches are still there.

There were a variety of reasons I wanted to work at McDonald’s.

1. As kids we loved it there, it was fun, and I remember one Canada Day, I must have been 8 or 9, my mother brought us to this one and we sat on the front “patio” and I had my first Big Mac

2. My father had a family business (newspapers) and each of us kids (I’m the 6th of 6) worked from the age of 12 and up cleaning press rooms, washrooms and the layout rooms. At 12 I was also brought into the darkroom and was taught how to develop film, was handed a camera and began taking pictures at community events for the newspapers. By the time I was 18 I had my “rebellious stage” and wanted to work for someone else.

3. I moved out of my parent’s home to live in my best friend’s basement for the summer and spent two months of weekly visits to this McDonald’s asking for the manager so that I could apply. They must have been tired of me bugging them every week to work there that they finally interviewed and hired me. My first training shift took place on August 23rd with Steve Jacobs as my trainer (at this point it became less of a “want” more of a “need” as I was now expected to pay rent.

In order to get the job I was required to supply a reference (that wasn’t my dad) so I asked the boyfriend of my best friend’s mother (he had a connection with the McDonald’s world) for one and he agreed on one condition: “When I give you a reference and if you get the job you have to understand that you not only work for McDonald’s or yourself, you are working for me to prove that you were worthy of my trust in using my good name.”

That hit home and I have my own version for when I give references. 

And I’ve always wanted to make a proper photograph of this nexus point in my life.

So I went through the Drive-Thru when I was done.