Money, money, money money. Mon-ney. (Somehow it doesn't have the same affect as when the O'Jays sing that line)
I worked all four years in high school. Each summer I worked with the city crew. We cut grass a lot (and I do mean a lot), or we rode around on trucks picking up rubbish, or on the trash truck, or heaven forbid, the limb chipper. We even helped pave roads. I helped pave the road that runs up along side the high school. All of it was just plain ol' hard work?
During the school year I was on the crew that helped Clyde Wagner and Frog Williams clean the school. Every day for an hour or so after school and on most Saturdays for at least half a day.
Later I got on at Maremont. It was a little more money and at least it was inside. :)
Why did I work all that time? Like the O'Jays said:
Money, money, money money. Mon-ney.
Some people got to have it
Some people really need it
High school was damned expensive. Clothes and games and dates and cruising and stopping off at the A&W all took money. How much? Don't ask. If you've never done it, go on the Social Security website and sign up for a Social Security Statement. Each year they'll send you an updated breakdown of what you've paid in and what your benefits might be when you retire. Anyway, included in that statement is a listing of your annual Social Security earnings. It's a little less than what you actually made, but it puts you in the ball park, and you can see just how little you made back then. It's enough to make you cry. :)
Want to hear a funny "small world" story? When I worked at Maremont on the muffler line, my supervisor's name (I think) was Jim Ford. The Ford part I'm positive about. Anyway, he was a nice enough guy, although he did stress a lot. When I joined the Air Force in November of 70 they sent me to Texas for basic training. During basic training, as those who've been in the military will remember, they try their damndest to break you down. They yell and threaten and keep you on the go 16 hours a day. For the first few days you are so scared and tired that you don't know your right from your left and wouldn't say boo to anybody. Anyway, after I was there a couple of weeks we were sitting around one day talking with our Drill Sergeant. He was asking us where we were from and when I told him Tennessee he said he had a brother who lived outsife of Maryville that worked in an automotive plant or something near there. For the first time it dawned on me the sergeant's name was Ford, and after another question or two I realized his brother was my old supervisor.
3 comments:
When I was a junior and senior I baby-set(sat)anyway I took care of younguns, for $10.00 a week. It took me 2 weeks to make enough for a new outfit from the 5 to 5 store. With hopefully a few dollars coming from Mom or saving lunch money. Today, you can buy Bobbie Brooks at the Dollar General for about what we paid for it in 1969-70 when we bought it from Birdie or Jenny or one of the Brewers.
The good ol' 5 to 5. I forgot about that place. I bought my first suit there when I was in high school.
Remember the National 5 & 10 next to Tic Toc's? I worked there during the summer and during Christmas, I think in 1968. My pay was 0.75/hr and then I got a raise to $1.00/hr so I made $40.00 for a 40 hour week. I thought I was rich! I really wanted to spend some of that money at the 5 to 5 store but we had the same store hours and they were closed the same time we were. I finally rode the bus to Lenior City one Wednesday and bought some clothes.
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