Creating Opportunities

Creating Opportunities

I’ve had relatives tell me how lucky I am, because my life has been very stable, and in fact when it comes to finances and taking care of my family, I have been very blessed.  To those relatives I always respond with, yes I am, and the funny thing is the more I prepare and the harder I work the luckier I get. Throughout my adult life I have always been fortunate to have pursued a career, while working a family business alongside of that career.  My family has always had all their needs, and many of their wants growing up.  The following is an excerpt from a book that I am writing (working title: East Lincoln):

• Seems that most of my life I've had a special ability to find opportunity where no one else seems to see one, and then make the most of it. A fine example is when at eleven years old, I walked into a new barber shop to get my hair cut. I noticed that the shoe shine stand was unmanned. I asked the barber that was cutting my hair, "Your shoe shine boy didn't show for work today?" He answered no, he is my son and went away to college. I asked if he had someone to replace him with. He in turn asked me if I was interested in the job. He said I could use the supplies that were in place, but would have to replace them as they ran out. In exchange for the opportunity I was to maintain the floor swept. I accepted the job without checking with my mother, but she was very happy for me.

As usual I did the very best job I could do. My customers liked my work so much that they would regularly drop off their dress shoes so I could shine them while they were at work and they would pick them up on the way back from work. I guess I invented the first ever drive-in shoe shine. The barber shop was mid-range as quality went, and I was told to charge 25 cents for a shoe shine and the men would tip between 15 and 25 cents. I was making more money than some adults who worked by the hour.

My new job kept me in spending money and I was able to contribute to the home budget. My mother couldn't believe how much money I was contributing. Waitress pay at the time was $28 dollars per 40 hour week plus tips. I was able to contribute regularly $10 to $14 dollars per week, and more in the summer time during school vacation. As I mentioned before my mother worked two jobs in order to make ends meet. We didn't enjoy any luxuries but we had all the essentials and a few treats now and then.

Throughout my life, I’ve lived with a sense of loyalty to people that treat me right, or extend opportunities that I might not otherwise have a shot at.  In competition, I believe in being fair and up front, whether it be in sports or business.  I once passed up a chance at second place finish in a motorcycle race because I stopped to help a rider that had taken a spill and broke his leg.  I guess I am driven by my conscience, after all I have to live with myself.  The best is yet to come…