When the bill came, it sat on the table for a while; neither of us touched it. Eventually, I picked it up and asked if she wanted to split it, and she said yes immediately. I was caught off guard because she had clearly said beforehand that she wanted to treat me, so I hadn't expected to pay. It's not about the money
Next March, Mary Voerding is due to celebrate her 30th year at Maplewood Rehabilitation Center, a suburban Twin Cities nursing home where she has worked as a nurse, care coordinator and now front desk receptionist. Cracking jokes last month about how she could not wait to get photographed, Voerding put visitors, patients and management at ease. Like many nursing home workers, Voerding said that she sees her job as a calling to help those in need. Unlike many nursing facility employees, Voerding has stuck around.
