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HOW DID WE MAKE  MONEY WHEN WE WERE KIDS...I REMEMBER RIDING OUR BIKES AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKING FOR  GLASS BOTTLES FROM SODA OR POP WHATEVER YOU CALL IT...WE WOULD COLLECT THE BOTTLES IN  A BAG ON OUR HANDLEBARS AND WHEN THEY GOT TOO HEAVY OR THE BAG WAS PRETTY FULL WE USED TO TURN THEM IN FOR A  BAGFUL OF PENNY CANDY AT A LITTLE CANDY STORE KIDDIE CORNER FROM THE PARK ACROSS THE STREET FROM US. sOME BOTTLES WERE WORTH A PENNY  OR TWO OR THREE CENTS MAYBE THE MOST WAS A NICKEL...I THINK SHE USED TO RIP US OFF CUZ WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY WERE WORTH AND WHY SOME WERE ONE OR TWO OR THREE CENTS....ANYWAY WE NEVER TOOK THE CASH ALWAYS THE CANDY...WE GOT TO PICK OUT THE CANDY WE WANTED FOR HER TO PUT IN THE BAG...FLYING SAUCERS, MARY JANES, BIT O  HONEY, RED LICORICE,THERE WERE MORE BUT THOSE COME TO MIND... SO THAT WAS ONE WAY  OF MAKING SOME MONEY WELL CANDY REALLY...I GOT A PAPER ROUTE WHEN I WAS NINE FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD PAPER  THE BELMONT CRAGIN...ONCE A WEEK I WOULD GET A BIG STACK OF PAPERS DELIVERED TO  MY DOOR WITH A BAG OF TINY RED RUBBERBANDS...HAD TO FOLD THEM AND RUBBER BAND THEM AND THEN DELIVER THEM. MY LITTLE BROTHER USED TO LIKE TO HELP ME FOLD AND RUBBER BAND AND DELIVER THEM...HE WAS FIVE....I THINK WE PUT  THE PAPERS IN A CART AND ONE OF US  PROBABLY ME WOULD WAK WITH THE CART AND THROW THE PAPERS UP ON THE FRONT PORCHES AND  I THINK MY BROTHER RODE HIS BIKE AND THREW THE PAPERS UP ON PORCHES. I THINK WE HAD TWO OR THREE BLOCKS BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET AND INTO THE NEXT BLOCK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I USED TO GET PAID A DOLLAR A DELIVERY MEANING  ONE DOLLAR FOR DELIVERING ALL OF THE PAPERS WEEKLY...LATER  I WAS TOLD YOU COULD MAKE SOME EXTRA MONEY IF YOU WENT DOOR TO DOOR COLLECTING FOR THE PAPERS. I THINK IT WAS A QUARTER FOR A MONTH WORTH OF PAPERS YOU HAD TO CHARGE. I DIDN'T LIKE THE COLLECTION PART. MOSTLY BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE SAID NO CUZ THEY NEVER ORDERED THE PAPER IN THE FIRST PLACE AND DIDN'T CARE IF THEY GOT IT OR NOT....I REMEMBER AN OLDER GIRL SCOUT LIVED IN ONE OF THE HOUSES AND COULD BE COUNTED ON TO GET THE MONEY FROM HER PARENTS BUT OTHER THAN THAT...WE DIDN'T MAKE MUCH DOING COLLECTIONS AND IT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO GO AROUND ASKING FOR MONEY. I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER GETTING PAID ANYMORE FROM DOING IT SINCE WE COLLECTED VERY LITTLE TO BEGIN WITH. I REMEMBER GETTING SOME KINDA COUPONS TO SPEND AT A STORE CALLED BLACKSTONE THE NEWSPAPER WAS SOMEHOW CONNECTED WITH...MAYBE THEY ADVERTISED IN THE PAPER OR SOMETHING...ANYWAY THE COLLECTION PART DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG...QUIT DOING THAT  AFTER A FEW UNCOMFORTABLE WEEKS IF THAT...I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS ELEVEN OR TWELVE BABYSITTING ONCE IN  AWHILE ON A WEEKEND NIGHT FOR SOME KIDS I KNEW A FEW BLOCKS AWAY...I THINK I BABYSAT FOR A COUPLE OF FAMILIES AT DIFFERENT TIMES JUST EVERY SO OFTEN ON A WEEKEND NIGHT. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I GOT PAID FOR BABYSITTING....NOT MUCH BUT USED TO BE ABLE TO ORDER A PIZXZA WHICH WAS NICE...WHEN I WAS FOURTEEN OR FIFTEEN I WAS A SHAMPOO GIRL IN A BEAUTY SHOP ON THE CORNER LA COIFFURE. I USED TO WASH THE LADIES HAIR AND DRY IT WITH A TOWEL AND SWEEP UP THE CUT HAIR OFF THE FLOOR FROM THE BEAUTICIANS...THAT WAS A DOLLAR FIFTY AN HOUR PLUS TIPS....MOST LADIES TIPPED A QUARTER...I REMEMBER MY HANDS USED TO PEEL FROM SOAKING IN THAT SHAMPOO ALL DAY SOME PINK STUFF...THEY WERE ALLOWED TO SMOKE IN THERE SO I WOULD COME HOME SMELLING LIKE SHAMPOO AND CIGARETTES...NOT VERY PLEASANT...SOMETIMES THEY HAD ME COME IN ON A WEEKNIGHT FOR A FEW HOURS AFTER SCHOOL...I REMEMBER A LADY WHO CAME THERE TO GET HER HAIR DONE ALL THE TIME WAS IN SOME KIND OF CLUB AND TRIED TO TALK ME INTO DOING AN INTERNSHIP IN WASHINGTON D.C. HER GROUP USED TO SPONSOR A KID TO BE AN INTERN AND LEARN  ABOUT HELPING OUT IN  GOVERNMENT.  IT SOUNDED INTERESTING AND I TOLD MY PARENTS ABOUT IT. THEY LIKE PAID ROOM AND BOARD OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEY AGREED TO  LET ME GO BUT AS IT GOT CLOSER TO TIME FOR IT TO HAPPEN I CHICKENED OUT. I WASN'T READY TO BE SO FAR AWAY FROM HOME ALL ALONE SO I PASSED ON IT. OH YA, WHEN WE WERE IN GRAMMAR SCHOOL WE USED TO DRAW PICTURES AND DISPLAY THEM ON THE COUCH ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR MY MOM TO LOOK AT AND WE CHARGED LIKE A PENNY A PIECE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT...SHE WOULD BUY SOME OF THEM FROM US...HA HA... OH YA, WHEN I HAD THE PAPER ROUTE I GOT A BANK ACCOUNT. I THINK IT WAS A SAVINGS AND LOAN...REMEMBER THOSE...NOT SURE IF THEY EVEN HAVE THEM ANYMORE...I THINK IT WAS A SAVINGS AND LOAN NOT FOR SURE...ANYWAY I REMEMBER AT ONE TIME HAVING A GRAND TOTAL OF TEN DOLLARS IN THE BANK AND I USED TO GET TEN PERCENT INTEREST ON THAT...THOSE WERE THE DAYS....NOWADAYS SOME BANKS CHARGE YOU IF YOUR BALANCE IS LOWER THAN A CERTAIN AMOUNT AND SOME DON'T GIVE ANY INTEREST AT ALL...GREEDY BASTARDS...ANYWAY...THAT IS ALL FOR THE WORKING MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD....OH YA, I REMEMBER THIS GAME MY MOM USED TO PLAY WITH US WITH COINS...SHE WOULD TRADE US COINS FOR OTHER COINS TO TRY TO TEACH US HOW MUCH THEY WERE WORTH LIKE I WILL TRADE YOU TWO DIMES AND A NICKEL FOR A QUARTER BUT SOMETIMES SHE WOULD TRADE LESS OR MORE TO KEEP YOU THINKING  IF YOU WERE GETTING A FAIR DEAL OR NOT...I REMEMBER FOR SOME REASON I LIKED QUARTERS BEST SO EVEN IF SHE SAID  YOU GIVE ME THREE DIMES AND I WILL GIVE YOU ONE QUARTER I WOULD DO IT CUZ I LIKED QUARTERS EVEN THO I KNEW THREE DIMES WAS WORTH MORE...OK...THAT IS ALL FOR NOW.... OH YA, DON'T REMEMBER AT WHAT AGE WE STARTED TO GET AN ALLOWANCE. WE USED TO HAVE CHORES TO DO LIKE TAKING TURNS WASHING AND DRYING DISHES AND PUTTING THEM AWAY AND THEN ONCE A WEEK WE WOULD GET A ROOM TO CLEAN LIKE THE BATHROOM OR FRONT ROOM OR LIVING ROOM OR KITCHEN LIKE SWEEPING FLOORS,, VACUUMING RUGS, DUSTING,STUFF LIKE THAT...I THINK OUR FIRST ALLOWANCE WAS A NICKEL A WEEK THAT WENT UP TO A DIME THEN A QUARTER OVER YEARS...DON'T REMEMBER IT EVER GETTING HIGHER THAN A QUARTER A WEEK...OK THAT IS REALLY ALL FOR THE OLD MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD I THINK....OK ONE MORE THING...IN GIRL SCOUTS WE WERE ALWAYS RAISING MONEY FOR TRIPS AND CAMPING AND STUFF LIKE THAT...YES WE SOLD GIRL SCOUT COOKIES ONCE A YEAR...BUT WE ALSO DID PAPER DRIVES AND CAR WASHES TO EARN MONEY TOWARD GETTING TO GO ON THOSE CAMPING TRIPS AND OTHER TRIPS....LIKE ONE YEAR WE DID A BUS TRIP TO NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA...WE DIDN'T NEED A PASSPORT BACK THEN. A BUS LOAD OF GIRL SCOUTS WAS NO PROBLEM GETTING THROUGH TO CANADA...I REMEMBER HOW CLEAN IT WAS THERE. IT WAS MUCH CLEANER THAN OUR SIDE OF THE BORDER THAT WAS FILTHY FULL OF GARBAGE FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE...THAT WAS WHAT I REMEMBERD ABOUT CANADA THE MOST...HOW CLEAN IT WAS. NIAGARA FALLS WAS BEAUTIFUL EVEN WHEN IT WAS MISTY AND THE WIND WAS BLOWING TOWARD YOU SO YOU GOT  WET FROM THE MIST...IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I ALSO REMEMBER THE CANADIAN SIDE OF THE FALLS BEING REALLY BEAUTIFUL AND THE AMERICAN SIDE LOOKED LIKE A LITTLE TRICKLE COMPARED TO THE HORSESHOE FALLS...I REMEMBER GOING TO BATTLECREEK MICHIGAN AND VISITING THE KELLOGGS FACTORY AND THEY GAVE YOU A FREE SAMPLE PACK OF BREAKFAST CEREALS....HOLLAND MICHIGAN THE TULIPS AND WOODEN SHOES.... ST LOUIS MISSOURI THE ARCH....KINGS ISLAND OHIO AMUSEMENT PARK...MILWAUKEE BREWERY WHERE THEY MADE BEER... WE WENT ON A BUNCH OF TRIPS TO NEIGHBORING STATES OVER THE YEARS... OUR FAMILY VACATION WAS ALMOST ALWAYS TO WISCONSIN DELLS JUST ABOUT EVERY YEAR...FORT DELLS, PAUL BUNYAN RESTAURANT, TOMMY BARTLETT WATER SHOW, THE AQUA DUCKS THAT DROVE ON LAND AND THEN WENT INTO THE WATER LIKE A BOAT...SOMEWHERE A DOG JUMPED FROM ONE CLIFF TO ANOTHER...THERE WERE SOME INDIAN PLACES. I WAS NEVER MUCH INTO JEWELRY OR STUFF LIKE THAT BUT I REMEMBER I GOT AN INDIAN NECKLACE BEADED THAT WAS LONG LIKE IT HUNG PRETTY LOW A BLUE BEADED NECKLACE WITH A BIG BIRD ON IT I USED TO WEAR ALL THE TIME RUNNING AROUND PLAYING AND ONE DAY IT BROKE AND THE BEADS WENT FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE. I REMEMBER BEING UPSET THAT IT BROKE AND COULDN'T BE FIXED. I NEVER GOT ANOTHER ONE BUT I WORE IT A LONG TIME BEFORE IT BROKE....GI ALWAYS LIKED MOCASSINS TOO... I WAS ALWAYS VERY SURE FOOTED AND USED TO THINK I MAY HAVE BEEN AN INDIAN IN A PAST LIFE. I HAD DREAMS ABOUT BEING WITH INDIANS AND I REMEMBER IN SCHOOL IT REALLY HIT ME HARD ABOUT THE PILGRIMS STEALING THE INDIANS LAND. I REMEMBER HAVING A NIGHTMARE THAT INDIANS CAME TO OUR HOUSE AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND SAID WE HAD TO LEAVE CUZ THEY WERE TAKING IT OVER. THAT WAS HOW STRONGLY I EMPATHISED WITH HOW THEY WERE TREATED BY WHITE MEN....IT IS REALLY SAD THEIR LAND WAS STOLEN FROM THEM. THEY MAKE MUCH BETTER EARTH KEEPERS THAN MOST  PEOPLE IN THIS THROWAWAY SOCIETY FILLING OUR AIR AND WATER AND LAND WITH TOXIC STUFF...IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER OFF IN THE HANDS OF THE INDIANS THAT RESPECT THE LAND AND ANIMALS AND CARE FOR THE EARTH AND HAVE NATURAL REMEDIES AND STUFF. IT IS SAD WHEN INDIANS ARE DEPICTED AS SAVAGES IN WESTERNS AND STUFF WHEN THE PILGRIMS WERE THE REAL SAVAGES BRUTALLY STEALING THE INDIANS LAND...GOTTA WONDER ABOUT THE ONE SIDEDNESS OF HISTORY...WHO IS TELLING THE STORY AND WHOSE POINT OF VIEW IS IT FROM...NOT THEIRS...OK USUALLY MEMORIES LEAD TO OTHER MEMORIES AND ON AND ON WITH THE NEVER ENDING STORY SO I BETTER REALLY STOP HERE NOW...THIS IS UNEDITED AND UNABRIDGED JUST MEMORIES AS THEY HAPPEN TO POP INTO MY MIND AS I WRITE...IN CASE YOU CAN'T TELL...HA HA