The lesson begin

Mike and I met with his dad that morning at eight o’clock. He

was already busy, having been at work for more than an hour. His

construction supervisor was just leaving in his pickup truck as I walked

up to his simple, small, and tidy home. Mike met me at the door.

“Dad’s on the phone, and he said to wait on the back porch,”

Mike said as he opened the door.

The old wooden floor creaked as I stepped across the threshold of

the aging house. There was a cheap mat just inside the door. The mat

was there to hide the years of wear from countless footsteps that the

floor had supported. Although clean, it needed to be replaced.

I felt claustrophobic as I entered the narrow living room that

was filled with old musty overstuffed furniture that today would be

collectors’ items. Sitting on the couch were two women, both a little older than my mom. Across from the women sat a man in workman’s

clothes. He wore khaki slacks and a khaki shirt, neatly pressed but

without starch, and polished work boots. He was about 10 years older

than my dad. They smiled as Mike and I walked past them toward the

back porch. I smiled back shyly.

“Who are those people?” I asked.

“Oh, they work for my dad. The older man runs his warehouses,

and the women are the managers of the restaurants. And as you

arrived, you saw the construction supervisor who is working on a

road project about 50 miles from here. His other supervisor, who is

building a track of houses, left before you got here.”

“Does this go on all the time?” I asked.

“Not always, but quite often,” said Mike, smiling as he pulled up

a chair to sit down next to me.

“I asked my dad if he would teach us to make money,” Mike said.

“Oh, and what did he say to that?” I asked with cautious curiosity.

“Well, he had a funny look on his face at first, and then he said he

would make us an offer.”

“Oh,” I said, rocking my chair back against the wall. I sat there

perched on two rear legs of the chair.

Mike did the same thing.

“Do you know what the offer is?” I asked.

“No, but we’ll soon find out.”

Suddenly, Mike’s dad burst through the rickety screen door and

onto the porch. Mike and I jumped to our feet, not out of respect,

but because we were startled.

“Ready, boys?” he asked as he pulled up a chair to sit down with us.

We nodded our heads as we pulled our chairs away from the wall

to sit in front of him.

He was a big man, about six feet tall and 200 pounds. My dad was

taller, about the same weight, and five years older than Mike’s dad. They

sort of looked alike, though not of the same ethnic makeup. Maybe their

energy was similar.Mike says you want to learn to make money? Is that correct, Robert?”

I nodded my head quickly, but with a little trepidation. He had

a lot of power behind his words and smile.

“Okay, here’s my offer. I’ll teach you, but I won’t do it classroom￾style. You work for me, I’ll teach you. You don’t work for me, I won’t

teach you. I can teach you faster if you work, and I’m wasting my time if

you just want to sit and listen like you do in school. That’s my offer. Take

it or leave it.”

“Ah, may I ask a question first?” I asked.

“No. Take it or leave it. I’ve got too much work to do to waste

my time. If you can’t make up your mind decisively, then you’ll never

learn to make money anyway. Opportunities come and go. Being able

to know when to make quick decisions is an important skill. You have

the opportunity that you asked for. School is beginning, or it’s over in

10 seconds,” Mike’s dad said with a teasing smile.

“Take it,” I said.

“Take it,” said Mike.

“Good,” said Mike’s dad. “Mrs. Martin will be by in 10 minutes.

After I’m through with her, you’ll ride with her to my superette and

you can begin working. I’ll pay you 10 cents an hour, and you’ll work

three hours every Saturday.”

“But I have a softball game today,” I said.

Mike’s dad lowered his voice to a stern tone. “Take it, or leave it,”

he said.

“I’ll take it,” I replied, choosing to work and learn instead of playing

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