Working for a Living

Thomas Edison once said, "The harder I work, the luckier I get." I bet he never worked in a fast food restaurant, or rode the back of a fire truck, or walked behind a lawn mower all day, or wrote appraisal reports for a living.

I started working at McDonald's on Taylor Boulevard when I was fourteen years old. I was only allowed to work up to twenty hours a week, so most of my hours were on weed-ends. They started me out working at the counter, making the transactions with the customers. I quickly learned how the customer is always right. My managers name was Mike. He was a big, intimidating kind of guy; not mean, just big. He told me, "No matter what they say or do, never forget that the customer is always right. If you forget that, they go away unhappy. Maybe they won't come back, and you won't have a job." So I learned an important lesson on how to get by in the world of business.

Later, I worked as a civil servant for twenty-two years. I found myself in many, many life or death situations in which I had to make quick, and correct decisions that would affect the people for whom I worked as well as myself. In all those years, I received one heart-felt 'Thank You' from a lady after saving her life.

After I retired from my first career, I started up a local lawn service. My two teenage sons worked for me. The business was small, but I worked very, very hard. My boys made pretty good money. I made almost nothing, but I stayed fit and tan.

My next adventure came when I applied for a job writing technical reports for appraisals. I've been doing that for twenty years now, and it seems that no matter how hard I work, I just get by, and no one ever thanks me. Sometimes they call to complain about my work, but that's just part of the job.

Recently, I turned 65. I went to the Social Security office downtown, and applied for Medicare. The lady at the window said I was entitled to begin receiving my monthly benefit check, but I told her I would rather not. I don't want the government putting a limit on how much I can make, so I'll just wait awhile. I thanked her when she was finished, and I went to work.