re: Jobs You Had as a Kid

Cut neighbors grass during summer as a kid(12-15). Cleaned a theatre for a while, bathrooms, aisles up on the balcony and below. Perk, free cokes. Took a couple of hours, think I got paid 40 for two weeks. Then fill up with Billups, small gas chain around south La. Changed tires, checked oil, pump gas, cleaned windshields and the like. 12h hour shift. One week nights, then a week doing days. My brother and 1st cousin were banging the owners daughters and worked there during hs . Sadly there were no more daughter. Next up was working for an electric contractor who was doin work for BECU. Laborer on a bucket or pole truck, digging holes, we didn’t have an auger. fricking post hole digger was 10’ long, and you had to bury it. Putting up service all over Beauregard and Allen parish and clearing right of ways to enlarge Hwy 10. Underpaid is an understatement. Then my sr year bagged a job at the local liquor store but not until I turned 18. So went to school half day, and worked nights stocking booze, beer, paper bags, bagging ice, checking fuel level, packing liquor from the bosses house and back, cashier, stocking cigarette dispenser. Sucked working weekends, but got 10% of cigs.

Paper route, mowed lawns, grocery store stocker, worked up to assistant manager, night crew, waiter, front desk at a hotel etc….best job was at the hotel front desk and waiter saw how the upper crust lived, private planes, helicopters, multiple coastal homes, 5 star dining and accommodations…. Caused a whole trajectory and changes in habits and outcomes for the BETTER! Be nice to everybody but never lose sight of your goal! Stay focused, wrote those goals down and achieve them!

I worked on a neighbor’s farm from the age of about 10 to 14 doing everything from feeding chickens, cows, and hogs to plowing fields and bailing hay.

Cut the neighbor's grass for 3 dollars. Had to get down on my knees and trim along the driveway with lawn scissors.
Fast food hamburger stand, Long John Silvers "seafood shoppe" where the oil would splash on my hands and arms when I dropped the fish in. After awhile i just ignored the burning of the hot oil.
Busboy at upscale restaurant.

Throwing hay bales
Working on a garbage route
Mucking horse stalls
Butchering chickens (no pay)
Splitting wood for sale (for my dad / no pay)
Correcting papers for a teacher
Picking and then selling corn on the cob door to door
Cutting our own grass (no pay)
Burger / fry cook at A&W

Definitely mowed my fair share of yards. When I was of age to work I worked in construction, fast food, catering, bussing tables. Finally got out of the manual labor grind but sometimes I miss that type of work. I'd rather clean tables than sit in on a stupid teams BIM coordination meeting any day of the week.

Cut grass
Paper route
Busboy
Bagged groceries
Christmas tree lot
Grocery Cashier
Oyster Shucker
McDonald’s
Wendy’s

Before I was able to "legally" work, I helped my dad with one of his side gigs of waxing/buffing floors after hours at grocery stores and malls. Also helped stock and unload trucks at one of those groceries. They were family friends.

Baled hay. Cut a couple yards on my street with our pushmower.

First real job I had was on the paint crew at the local Parks and Rec. Later moved on to landscaping the next summer. Landed a gig at the local Dillard's watching the security cameras after that summer was over. I've waited tables at a pizza restaurant, drove forklifts in a shipping warehouse, ran a cash register at a drugstore.

I did a little of everything when I was younger.

Grass cutting
A&P bag boy