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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
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