Jon turns 13 today.
I remember the day I turned 13. I started it with my first day as a paper boy. I began delivering the Rocky Mountain News before school that day.
My friend Bobby (now Bob) found out about routes and they guy that got him signed up asked him if he knew anyone else that might be interested. Bobby said I might, and that’s how I got the small side of our neighborhood.
I did that route for 3 years, never missing a morning. I had to collect the money, too, which was my least favorite part. I would procrastinate as much as possible, telling my dad that nobody was home. You would have thought that since the last of the money collected was my pay, I would have collected better, but I did not.
After 3 years, I was let go when the new area manager said I was too late in collecting the money.
That job afforded me a lot of things over the years, but it never taught me how to manage my money or how to save for the big things. I spent most of that money within a week of receiving it, but never really ended up with much to show for it. Definately set up a pattern for the rest of my life…
I delivered the Denver Post with my Dad for a long time, too. That was no fun. Lots more work, but no collecting! :-)
We are still delivering papers to this day, the inserts for The Kansas City Star.
I’m sure my kids hate papers just as much as I did way back then.