Time to cut the grass

[Gabe Lackmann]

When I bought this house ten years ago, a 13 year old kid from down the street rang the door bell and said his name was Nicky and "I do lawns". He said he wanted to earn money for a new dirt bike. I always like seeing youngsters who are self-starters, so I agreed to the $15 per cut he was asking. He did a better job than most adults I'd hired in the past.

That kid is 23 now and owns his own landscaping business. He does maintenance on almost every lawn on this street ( 7 out of 8 houses), as well as all of the landscaping at our clubhouse, not to mention all of the private and business accounts around town. He's got a crew of a dozen guys who scoot around town in one of his three branded trucks, and is looking to build a new facility.

When I was 23 I was playing "Smiles" at Marilyn's Blow Heaven in Subic City while drinking San Miguel...

That's a smart kid.

Many of his classmates are mired in college debt.

As for Subic, never been...but I have been to some other places in the Phils...good times.

 

[Canon Shooter]

That's a smart kid.

Many of his classmates are mired in college debt.

You know, the kid was a lot like me. I didn't like school, and had absolutely no intention of going to college. Neither did Nick.

Nick's always been a hustler, which I admire. After hurricanes he would go around to area neighborhoods and offer to clean up branches, limbs, etc that had fallen due to the storm. His Dad, Mike, would take him around in his pick-up truck until Nick was old enough to drive. He was getting between $30 and $100 per yard, depending on how bad it was. The kid was making bank.

He take's care to make sure he's always turning a profit. If he didn't have his business I'd hire him as my CFO...

As for Subic, never been...but I have been to some other places in the Phils...good times.

Been to Subic City, Olongapo, Pagsanjan and Manila. If you've ever seen the beginning of the movie "An Officer And A Gentleman", there's a scene where Richard Gere is walking down Magsaysay Drive in Olongapo. He walks past a place (it's on the right as you watch the movie) called the Mariposa Lumpia Lounge. We used to go there and get a giant plate of lumpia and a San Miguel for 16 pesos.

We were getting 23 pesos to the dollar at the time (1984)...