MY VERY FIRST JOB -THE PASADENA STAR NEWS

I had my very first job when I was in the 6th grade. I think that would make me about 12 years old. Now I don't know if there were any child labor laws at that time but all I can tell you is there should have been! What was this job you ask? Why I was delivering newspapers for the Pasadena Star News on my Stingray bicycle.
I'm not sure how I got into this job but it was either because my older brother started doing it and I thought I would make some money or it was because my Mom worked at the Orange Julius right in front of the newspaper drop off spot. Either way, it was a job that was definitely no fun at all!
Nowadays your paper is delivered by people in cars and you get a bill in the mail. Back when I delivered the paper you had to do the following:

1. Stuff the newspaper with any advertisements
2. Fold the newspapers and secure with rubber bands
3. Load up the newspapers on the handlebars of your bike
4. And off you went.........pedaling away on your route to deliver all of your papers to your customers.

You may ask that this job doesn't seem so bad. What is SAXOMAN complaining about? Well I can tell you that the Sunday paper was pretty thick and heavy and trying to carry all of that on your handlebars was a real challenge. I remember tipping over and all my papers falling out. No fun at all! Occasionally it would rain as well and there I was pedaling my bicycle in the rain. I remember throwing a heavy Sunday paper to an upstairs apartment only to see the rubber band break in mid-flight and the paper flying everywhere. I remember throwing the paper on someones porch and hearing the breaking of glass milk bottles or throwing the paper only to see it land on the roof of the house but wait, there's more!

Collecting? There was no mailing of bills back then! We had to knock on the doors and do the collecting as well. Several people would tell you that they didn't have the money or come back on Friday or any number of excuses. If you didn't collect the money from them (which happened several times!) our boss would deduct what they owed from our pay! What? Are you kidding me? Could he do that? Well all I can tell you that this is what he did. I don't know how long I stuck it out and did this horrible job but I can guarantee you I made absolutely no money doing this job! So there you go, the story of my very first job.