The Florida of My Youth - Work

The Florida of My Youth – Work By Franklin Price 10/11/2019 Was not born with silver spoon, that dangled from my lips Had enough to eat and drink, but not for extra sips Could not get a real job, until fourteen years or more With some imagination, I would earn some bucks before Collected empty bottles from the grass beside the road Cashed them in, for two cents each, a dollar was a load Picked guavas, growing in the wild, and took the gathered lot, To the Factory, on the Island, for the jelly in the pot. Sold salve, I found in comic books, by going door to door Was not the Fuller Brush man or would have earned a little more Headed shrimp at Port Canveral, from the many shrimp boats there, Should have been a little older, but the boss man didn't care It was another time and place, when you helped out if you might, To earn a little money, for the exras, seemed so right Gave me a good work ethic, and it made me feel real good To contribute to my wants, not needs, in any way I could When old enough to have a job, I got my SSN Did not get at your birth, in those days of old, back then Got a job at SS Kresge, cleaning tables, washing floors And dishes at the counter, long ago it closed its doors Had my driver's liscense so I drove myself to work Earned a dollar for an hour, it was really quite a perk Gas twenty cents a gallon and burgers but a dime Used a Georgia Credit card, didn't see it as a crime When I got to High School, I worked at a different store Was at WT Grant, where I earned a little more A dollar and a quarter, for an hour, I was rich Could now afford new tires, that would keep me from the ditch Learned about the business, stocked and priced the items there Designed and decorated diplays, in the windows, with great care Watched out for shop lifters, even caught me one or two Everything that I was told to, was everything that I would do When I graduated High School, I went on to BCC Found that college education was not the thing for me In March of 1965, I enlisted in the Force Not the Army or the Navy but the good old Air of course