The Richest Poor Kid on my Block
A poor boy with three jobs at 10.36 total reviews
Comment from Tom Horonzy
Golly gee, I thought this was me you were writing of. I, too, had multiple jobs, including morning and evening paper deliveries, shoveling snow in winter, mowing lawns in summer, and then in college roaming the roadside for refundable bottles. We don't see that initiative in children any more.
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Golly gee, I thought this was me you were writing of. I, too, had multiple jobs, including morning and evening paper deliveries, shoveling snow in winter, mowing lawns in summer, and then in college roaming the roadside for refundable bottles. We don't see that initiative in children any more.
Comment Written 17-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Thank you sir for your kind reveiw. And yes, you are so right. We don't see that because kids are in the house blowing up stuff on WWII gaming boxes. We were outside riding bikes and playing basketball lol!
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
This is really good writing with a lot of heart. You proved your point that you were the richest poor kid on the block, and you made sure you really weren't poor. It's amazing how much energy you had to hold down three jobs. You are right about it seeming like kids were safe running around town, but that didn't last much longer. There were a few non-essential words that you will make more note of as you write and find a way to skip them. For example, you mention your age twice at the beginning of para. two. Keep up the good work of telling a good story.
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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This is really good writing with a lot of heart. You proved your point that you were the richest poor kid on the block, and you made sure you really weren't poor. It's amazing how much energy you had to hold down three jobs. You are right about it seeming like kids were safe running around town, but that didn't last much longer. There were a few non-essential words that you will make more note of as you write and find a way to skip them. For example, you mention your age twice at the beginning of para. two. Keep up the good work of telling a good story.
Comment Written 17-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Well, thank you so much Carol for your kind review. I really appreciate that! And thanks for catching my oops too!
Comment from samandlancelot
Hi Harry,
Times are different, that's for sure.
At first, this seemed like a children's story, with your ten-year-old protagonist, but then you got into adult issues of marijuana, war, and death, which might not be appropriate for children. If this were a memoir of when you were a child, it would still be an adult story unless it is written for children to read.)
Spell out the number ten. I used to follow the rule to spell out all numbers one through ten, but when I searched the internet, it showed to spell out one through one hundred.
doctors were bamboozled (a fun word for a children's story)
customer's porches. (customers' - plural)
Patricia
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Hi Harry,
Times are different, that's for sure.
At first, this seemed like a children's story, with your ten-year-old protagonist, but then you got into adult issues of marijuana, war, and death, which might not be appropriate for children. If this were a memoir of when you were a child, it would still be an adult story unless it is written for children to read.)
Spell out the number ten. I used to follow the rule to spell out all numbers one through ten, but when I searched the internet, it showed to spell out one through one hundred.
doctors were bamboozled (a fun word for a children's story)
customer's porches. (customers' - plural)
Patricia
Comment Written 16-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Well, thank you Patricia for you kind review. Yes, it is a story about what a ten year old boy saw during his childhood. Children today see much worse as their student peers are being shot in classrooms around America. So, my childhood is quite calm compared to today's children. The changing of our cruel world. I really feel for them today.
Comment from DonandVicki
Sometimes it takes a little adversity to give you the incentive to get ahead. It sounds like you have the incentive to do your best and get ahead. Well written.
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Sometimes it takes a little adversity to give you the incentive to get ahead. It sounds like you have the incentive to do your best and get ahead. Well written.
Comment Written 16-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Thank you so much Don and Vicki for your kind words. I really appreciate that!
Comment from Marilyn Hamilton
You are so right. Those days were special and the kids today will never understand the freedoms we had to just be children and to use our imagination. Everything wasn't all about having money and we appreciated less as if it was way more. Loved your story. thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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You are so right. Those days were special and the kids today will never understand the freedoms we had to just be children and to use our imagination. Everything wasn't all about having money and we appreciated less as if it was way more. Loved your story. thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 16-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Thank you so much Marilyn. I really appreciate your kind review!
Comment from Tim Margetts
This is an excellent piece of writing, Harry and I enjoyed experiencing your memories as you rode around town.
Naturally, as I read, in my head I was singing
Oh, when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Yeah, I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life
Tim
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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This is an excellent piece of writing, Harry and I enjoyed experiencing your memories as you rode around town.
Naturally, as I read, in my head I was singing
Oh, when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Yeah, I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life
Tim
Comment Written 16-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Well, thank you so much Tim. I truly agree they were the best days of my life as well. I appreciate you Tim!
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Back in '69 I was 7 and swinging on ropes over rivers, scrumping apples and getting into all sorts of trouble.
As long as I was back as the streetlights came on then I was fine.
Tim
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Lol!. Yes, that is what my mother said too. Be back by the time the street lights came on...
Comment from Gayla putnam
Wow, did that story bring back memories? I think my sisters and I were also the richest poor kids in Montana. We always had a side hustle, and we rode our horses in the mountains, never thinking about getting lost or assaulted. It was well written and fun to read. gayla
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Wow, did that story bring back memories? I think my sisters and I were also the richest poor kids in Montana. We always had a side hustle, and we rode our horses in the mountains, never thinking about getting lost or assaulted. It was well written and fun to read. gayla
Comment Written 16-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 17-Jan-2025
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Well, thank you so much Gayla. I really appreciate your kind review and your memories as well. That sounds like it was a lot of fun too!
Comment from Iza Deleanu
It's amazing when a kid has ambitious goals and wants to be on his feet from a young age. I really enjoyed your story it was a breath of reality and wisdom.
reply by the author on 16-Jan-2025
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It's amazing when a kid has ambitious goals and wants to be on his feet from a young age. I really enjoyed your story it was a breath of reality and wisdom.
Comment Written 16-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 16-Jan-2025
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Well, thank you so much Iza for your kind words. I truly appreciate that! I was always very independent that way.
Comment from lancellot
This is interesting. Nice way to give us a glimpse into life in a small town for a kid back then.
When I was born doctors thought I would die within two weeks. However, the angels knew better. After three weeks it looked like I was going to make it in life and the doctors were bamboozled as to why.
- Show, how you know all of this.
I came from a poor family, but I didn't know it.
- I would reconsider this, as you understood you needed a job.
I had no brakes so I would take my tennis shoe and put it between the forks to stop my bike.
-not on the ground?
took my wire cutters and cut the wire then I put rubber bands around all the newspapers and put them in my paper bag and wrapped it around the handlebars of my bike.
-rewrite this sentence.
reply by the author on 16-Jan-2025
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This is interesting. Nice way to give us a glimpse into life in a small town for a kid back then.
When I was born doctors thought I would die within two weeks. However, the angels knew better. After three weeks it looked like I was going to make it in life and the doctors were bamboozled as to why.
- Show, how you know all of this.
I came from a poor family, but I didn't know it.
- I would reconsider this, as you understood you needed a job.
I had no brakes so I would take my tennis shoe and put it between the forks to stop my bike.
-not on the ground?
took my wire cutters and cut the wire then I put rubber bands around all the newspapers and put them in my paper bag and wrapped it around the handlebars of my bike.
-rewrite this sentence.
Comment Written 11-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 16-Jan-2025
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Oh, you caught an oops. Thank you so much Lancelot for catching that. I really appreciate your words!
Comment from Rene Tyo
A wonderful self-reflective story. Your writing style is very straightforward and spells out the scenes and the time period you grew up in very well. There are a few points where words are repeated within a sentence or sentences. This is a minor quibble, overall I really like your writing and at fifty-eight years of age I can certainly relate. Keep up the good work.
reply by the author on 16-Jan-2025
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A wonderful self-reflective story. Your writing style is very straightforward and spells out the scenes and the time period you grew up in very well. There are a few points where words are repeated within a sentence or sentences. This is a minor quibble, overall I really like your writing and at fifty-eight years of age I can certainly relate. Keep up the good work.
Comment Written 11-Jan-2025
reply by the author on 16-Jan-2025
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Thank you so much Rene for your kind review. I truly appreciate that!
