Running towards life
By Sophia Aldinio
Sophia Aldinio
South Portland, Maine
STORY SUMMARY
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Karen Task is a 52-year old single mom who lives with her son Shawn and her mother Elaine. She spends her days running a cleaning business and then goes home to her son and mother. “I haven’t stepped on the sand all summer,” she said. A friend suggested to Karen that she start a cleaning business in 2018, and today she has four employees. Summer is busy with lots of cleaning and laundry to do, and finding time to be with her son is hard. With COVID-19, and many people collecting unemployment benefits, it is difficult to find workers and that takes time away from her family.
In November of 2020, Karen made the decision to move in with her mother, and step away from her winter rental and summer campground lifestyle with her son. “It was this one day that I thought I had enough of the business,'' she said. However, her active spirit pushes her to continue moving forward — even if it means sacrificing time with her son.
On a Friday morning, Karen Task cleans a condo apartment in Saco, Maine. She started a cleaning business in 2018 with the hope to create a sustainable income for her and her third child who lives with her at home. Cleaning and running her own business takes up most of her time and energy, leaving little time to play and spend time with her family.
Karen Task heads to the kitchen first thing in the morning to make coffee before heading out to complete her daily tasks as a business owner.
A painting of Karen Task's father hangs in her mother's room. It has been eight years since Karen’s father passed away, but it wasn’t until November 2020 that Karen’s mother decided to move in with her.
Karen Task drives around a car full of cleaning supplies and linens. She travels from one place to another, cleaning summer rentals and residential homes.
Karen Task arrives in Portland, Maine to clean for one of her clients on a Wednesday morning. Task is accompanied by a new employee that she is training. Karen has been having a hard time hiring employees since COVID-19, which has put stress on her lifestyle and relationship with her son.
In between cleanings, Karen drives from one location to another, always running, making sure she cleans in time before the next guest checks in.
After a long day of work, Karen Task, 52, takes a moment to sit on the sofa with her son Shawn Task in Scarborough, Maine. “I have not spent any time with Shawn this past summer,” she said.
Elaine talks on the phone to one of her family members while Karen works on her computer. After a long day cleaning houses and running her business, Karen gets home to continue working while her son tries to engage with her.
In between cleaning, Karen stops at her house to eat some lunch. Her mother spends most of her days at the house. “I miss my old house and
friends,” she said.
Each afternoon after school, Shawn Task, 12, plays video games with his friends and father that lives in California. He lives full-time with his mother, and it wasn’t until recently that he started to spend time with his dad.
Early in the evening, Karen shares dinner with her mother Elaine after a busy day at work. While her son enjoys his dinner watching video games, Karen shares a moment and stories with her mom during dinner.