But at the time, these were seen as jobs for young teens and people were expected to move on when they became full-fledged adults. Never intended to be a career but just a stepping stone to something better.
So true...another lost childhood business venture...the lemonade stand...
Well, I certainly mowed my share of lawns. Got a quarter to fifty-cents per yard. But another way I’d raise some nickels and dimes was to hunt around the local bayou and park, where people often left soda-pop bottles. So often I’d find myself sifting out into the murky, swampy water to retrieve bottles, often encased in mud and slime.
I’d haul many such bottles several blocks back to my home, and then put them in a washtub and scrub them like mad, to get them clean enough to take to the supermarket for their 5-cent deposit. I’d get enough money hopefully for a couple of comics, a pack of gum cards, and an RC Cola. Then do it all over again the following week.
But yeah, $20.00 seemed an almost unimagineable amount of money. I don’t recall ANY kind of toy or model-kit or picture-puzzle or anything a kid would conceivably want costing anything near such an amount. Almost everything geared for a kid was easily under $5 back then, usually considerably less.
The owner wanted to know why a guy my age wanted to work there.
I was going to be going to the community college, and needed a job that was flexible with hours.
I was a full time student, working between 30 and 40 hours a week.
During breaks I was working 40-50 hours (maybe 60 hours) there.
One summer, while working full time at the dog stand, I also worked for a log home company, 20 miles away, skinning logs.
Never had a problem working 50-60 hours as a young guy.
3 years out of HS, I was taking my last welding course at the Jr Coll..
The instructor heard from the head of the program about how good I was. He'd have me give other students a hand, when needed.
As the class wound down, he offered me a job welding, in the factory he worked at as the welding foreman. (Him, not me)
He wasn't sure I'd be willing to drive 30 miles for the job.
I did, to pay to go to school.
I sure could to actually get paid.
Started right out working 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week.
That prepared me for today, as sometimes I have to travel 70 or 80 miles, one way, to get to the job.
Often times working 10-12 hours a day, 6-7 days a week, for months on end.
Sometimes working 14-16 hours a day for a week straight. Or working 56 hours between Friday and Sunday. (16+16 and 24)
Whatever it takes to get the job done.
I have no respect for those who want to make a career out of JUST flipping burgers, and then scream about "a living wage".
One more thing I don't tolerate well.
People who say these two words...
I CAN'T!!!!