The Richest Poor Kid on my Block
A poor boy with three jobs at 10.53 total reviews
Comment from Gunner Lil
Sentence structure needs revision. Sensory description isn't bad but could use more detail.
Why did the doctors give you only two weeks to live?
Why didn't you know you were from a poor family?
Was anyone else hurt in the traumatic accident you were in? How did it happen?
How long did you deliver the newspapers? Another year or more.
Who taught who to cheat the coke machine? Do you still cheat?
This was a good outline but not worthy of 6 stars.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
   |
Sentence structure needs revision. Sensory description isn't bad but could use more detail.
Why did the doctors give you only two weeks to live?
Why didn't you know you were from a poor family?
Was anyone else hurt in the traumatic accident you were in? How did it happen?
How long did you deliver the newspapers? Another year or more.
Who taught who to cheat the coke machine? Do you still cheat?
This was a good outline but not worthy of 6 stars.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 09-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
I know you are jealous, but keep trying...
Comment from marilyn quillen
great story, i was born the year before you, so everything is just as I remember too, great times made for a great story and you wrote it excellently, I don't see anything that needs improved, fantastic job. oops now that makes 4 jobs!
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
|
great story, i was born the year before you, so everything is just as I remember too, great times made for a great story and you wrote it excellently, I don't see anything that needs improved, fantastic job. oops now that makes 4 jobs!
Comment Written 08-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
Well, thank you so much Marilyn for your kind review. I truly appreciate that!
Comment from Michele Harber
I reiterate everything I said in the last review. You are a very talented writer! It truly sounds as though you had a wonderful life, but the nicest part is that you recognized it. George Bailey needed an angel to convince him of what a wonderful life he had, but all you needed was a rickety bicycle and a pocket full of money.
I love the innocence and peace of the Norman Rockwell picture you paint of your childhood. Sadly, you're correct that the things that made that time so special to you could not take place today. I'm happy for you that you have such wonderful memories to look back on, and for FanStory that we get to relive them with you through your excellent writing.
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
|
I reiterate everything I said in the last review. You are a very talented writer! It truly sounds as though you had a wonderful life, but the nicest part is that you recognized it. George Bailey needed an angel to convince him of what a wonderful life he had, but all you needed was a rickety bicycle and a pocket full of money.
I love the innocence and peace of the Norman Rockwell picture you paint of your childhood. Sadly, you're correct that the things that made that time so special to you could not take place today. I'm happy for you that you have such wonderful memories to look back on, and for FanStory that we get to relive them with you through your excellent writing.
Comment Written 08-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
Thank you so much Michele for your kind review! I really appreciate that! Yes, if I could I would use my magic wand and take us all back to the summer of 1969!!!
-
You're very welcome.
If you did wave your magic wand and take us all back to 1969, I'd be thrilled. My dad passed in 2018, and I miss him terribly. My memory of 1969 is him sitting on a chair in front of the TV, my sister on one knee, me on the other, as we watched the Mets play in (and win!) the World Series, while my dad explained the game to us. I'd give anything to be able to relive that moment.
-
Roger that!
-
Roger that!
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Your doing just fine (writing). Good work.
You're right, kids couldn't get jobs like that these days. Adults have paper routes delivering from their cars - til papers like the AR Democrat gave everyone a tablet and they now get them electronically.
Best wishes.
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
|
Your doing just fine (writing). Good work.
You're right, kids couldn't get jobs like that these days. Adults have paper routes delivering from their cars - til papers like the AR Democrat gave everyone a tablet and they now get them electronically.
Best wishes.
Comment Written 08-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
LOL! Yes Wayne. You are so right. Everything has gone electronically today. You can't even talk with a real person on the phone most of the time. I truly appreciate your review! Thank you!
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
I think I might have heard part of this story before, Harry, but it's certainly a great one. You were obviously a very enterprising young lad and I think it's truly very admirable that you managed to hold down three jobs a day and cycle all over Evansville. You experienced freedom, excitement and the sheer buzz of earning cash which made you feel so rich. That was a shocking thing to learn about your cousin, especially when he was obviously a bit of a hero-figure to you. But you've conveyed here a childhood that taught you so much. After a difficult start, you were determined to make your life as full as possible and you succeeded. Well done, Harry. Debbie
At noon I rode my (bike)...
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
|
I think I might have heard part of this story before, Harry, but it's certainly a great one. You were obviously a very enterprising young lad and I think it's truly very admirable that you managed to hold down three jobs a day and cycle all over Evansville. You experienced freedom, excitement and the sheer buzz of earning cash which made you feel so rich. That was a shocking thing to learn about your cousin, especially when he was obviously a bit of a hero-figure to you. But you've conveyed here a childhood that taught you so much. After a difficult start, you were determined to make your life as full as possible and you succeeded. Well done, Harry. Debbie
At noon I rode my (bike)...
Comment Written 08-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
Thank you so much Debbie for your kind review. I truly appreciate that! And thanks for catching my oops. Yes it was a different time back then. And I joined two military branches and retired after more than 27 years of service to our country. I tried to honor my cousin the best that I could. It is tragic to lose your life at 18...
Comment from Thesis
Harry, this story brought me back to my childhood. I too had a paper route and always made money somehow. My parents were poor too, so I can relate to this story. thanks for the flashback to a world that was kinder, had morals, and made us all feel a lot safer.
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
 |
Harry, this story brought me back to my childhood. I too had a paper route and always made money somehow. My parents were poor too, so I can relate to this story. thanks for the flashback to a world that was kinder, had morals, and made us all feel a lot safer.
Comment Written 08-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
You are so right Thesis. If I could use my magic wand. I would take us all back to the summer of 1969...
Comment from LJbutterfly
I'm tired and out of breath just reading about all the jobs you had during that summer. Today's kids at age ten, would want the money, but would not want to do all of that work, not when there were video games to be played. This is and enjoyable and entertaining story.
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
|
I'm tired and out of breath just reading about all the jobs you had during that summer. Today's kids at age ten, would want the money, but would not want to do all of that work, not when there were video games to be played. This is and enjoyable and entertaining story.
Comment Written 08-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
Thank you so much LJbutterfly for your kind review. I truly appreciate that! Yes, we did not have video games. We had basketball, swimming and football. Kids today could not even get jobs like that. When I think back about it - I guess I did quite a bit for a 10-year-old...
Comment from mermaids
Wow! You were quite the kid and so motivated to work. My brother had a paper route as well at a young age. I enjoyed reading your memoir. Your writing is excellent and holds the reader's interest. You definitely were unique with having three jobs at such a young age.
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
|
Wow! You were quite the kid and so motivated to work. My brother had a paper route as well at a young age. I enjoyed reading your memoir. Your writing is excellent and holds the reader's interest. You definitely were unique with having three jobs at such a young age.
Comment Written 08-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
Well, thank you so much mermaids for your kind review. I truly appreciate that! Yes, things were different then and kids could do that. I don' t think they could do that today...
Comment from Rick Gardner
A life well lived, a life of simple joy and accomplishments. One I can relate to as I had similar experiences. My mother had me walk down streets with my lawnmower and hand held clippers, For 5 dollars a month, mowed, clipped, raked leaves. Then shoveled driveways during the winter. Made me what I am today.
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
|
A life well lived, a life of simple joy and accomplishments. One I can relate to as I had similar experiences. My mother had me walk down streets with my lawnmower and hand held clippers, For 5 dollars a month, mowed, clipped, raked leaves. Then shoveled driveways during the winter. Made me what I am today.
Comment Written 08-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
So true Rick. I remember seeing kids in my neighborhood doing that same thing. They would come around with a lawn mower and ask if you wanted your lawn mowed. They don't do that today...
-
Sad but true, Gave me a direction for the rest of my life.
-
Yes Sir! Roger that!
Comment from jmdg1954
In 1969 I was 15 and had been working in a deli for two years.
I'd work after school, 4-7, saturdsys 9-7 and Sundays 9-2. In the summer I'd worked 9-7 six days a week. Got paid in cash.
Greatest days of my life. Before I knew it, I had a few thousand dollars in the e bank. Oh, back then, I earned $1.70 per hour.
Thanks for sharing your story...
John
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
|
In 1969 I was 15 and had been working in a deli for two years.
I'd work after school, 4-7, saturdsys 9-7 and Sundays 9-2. In the summer I'd worked 9-7 six days a week. Got paid in cash.
Greatest days of my life. Before I knew it, I had a few thousand dollars in the e bank. Oh, back then, I earned $1.70 per hour.
Thanks for sharing your story...
John
Comment Written 08-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 10-Jan-2025
-
Thank you so much John! I truly appreciate that!
