Can you imagine? Irene, my mom, had this crazy expectation that her four children should have jobs shortly after we learned to walk.
I was in sixth grade. One early morning, Irene dropped me off at a golf driving range in Ames, Iowa. It was still dark. A redheaded old guy named Marvin said, “Follow me.” I did. Marvin handed me a bucket. He pointed to a large field and claimed there were hundreds of golf balls out there. “Fill your bucket three times before eight.” I did. And more. Four buckets.
Old Marvin smiled and gave me a dollar.
Irene gave me a big hug.
Life lesson: If I do a bucket more than expected, I get a buck and a big hug.
70 years later: I’m a lucky man. I learned my life lesson, made a buck and earned many big hugs.