Gale Nelson works the front desk at Mortimer Jordan High School. She has also lived in Morris for 17 years, and graduated from Mortimer Jordan in 1979. She and the rest of the faculty and staff started back to work on Monday, and Tuesday was the first time students were back in school since the Christmas holidays.

How was the first day back?

Everybody’s been good. They’re all happy, because they got Christmas presents.

Is it a little surreal to be working at the same high school you graduated from?

It was like deja vu! After I graduated, I used to dream I was here again, except in my dreams I was still a student. I used to work in the printing industry, but technology caught up to us and my branch was shut down. I was sick of driving on the interstate to Homewood every day. I would always tell people, ‘If I ever get another job, I’m going to find one closer to home.’ Then, I realized the school was perfect. It was close, and it has great benefits, which was what I was looking for. People always say you come full circle, and it’s true. Do you like your job? Oh, yes. I love people, I’m a people person. Sometimes I’ll get asked how I’m able to stand my job, and I’ll tell them that I like people, and that I love it when it’s busy.

Do you have any interests or hobbies outside of your job?

I love to hike, although I haven’t been in a while. I also love UAB softball; my daughter, Jennifer, went on a five-year softball scholarship to UAB. Of course, we watch other UAB sports. I also have a husband, Michael, and a son, Brandon.