,,MAK+ ,,HAY
            0,K5NE? ,J]NIGAN

  ,Z A BL * GR[+ UP ON A F>M 9 ! HILLS (
,MI4LE ,T5;SEE 9 ! LATE #AIBJ'S & E>LY
#AICJ'S1 ,I DID A LOT ( ?9K+4 ,? IS N
SURPRIS+ S9CE "! WASN'T M* ELSE 6D4 ,WE
LIV$ 9 A F\R-ROOM H\SE ON A GRAVEL ROAD1
& ,I D\BT T AN AUTOMOBILE A WEEK PASS$
\R DOOR4 ,WE _H NO RADIO1 NO TELEPH"O1
NO NEWSPAP]1 NO MAGAZ9ES1 & NO BOOKS
EXCEPT ! ,BI# &! TEXTBOOKS MY BRO!R 7F\R
YE>S OLD] ?AN ,I7 BR"\ HOME F S*OOL4
  ,! _W (! LATE #'BJ'S & E>LY #'CJ'S 9
RURAL ,T5;SEE 0 A TOT,Y DI6]5T PLACE F
:AT WE "K TD4 ,NOBODY ?"\ AB ATOM BOMBS1
POLLU;N1 OR JET PLANES4 ,AB ! HOTTE/
TOPIC ,I HE>D 4CUSS$ 0MY ELD]S 0 :E!R X
0 A S9 =A WOMAN 6BOB H] HAIR & :AT !
LIKELIHOOD 0 T Y WD G 6HELL IF Y PLAY$
C>DS4 ,I _H BETT] EXPLA9 T LA/ REM>K4 ,I
AM N REF]R+ 6PLAY+ C>DS = M"OY1 J ORD9>Y
GAMES >.D ! FAMILY TA#4 ,& :ILE WE >E ON
! SUBJECT1 "! 0 NO "Q AT ALL AB :E!R Y
WD G 6HELL IF Y D.ED OR PLAY$ POOL4 ,Y
WD4
  ,! DI6];E 2T ! _W ( !N & "! &! "O ( "H
& N[ 0 N LIMIT$ 6! RURAL >1S4 ,LET ME
GIVE Y AN EXAMPLE4 ,:5 ,I W5T (F 6!
,T5;SEE ,S*OOL =! ,BL 9 ,NA%VILLE AT !
AGE ( SIX 7T WD H BE5 ,JANU>Y ( #AICC71
"O (! M *>M+ CU/OMS (! PLACE 0 A
,SATUR"D MORN+ RITUAL 9VOLV+ !
,SCRIPTURES4 ,%ORTLY AF BR1KFA/ ! SMALL
BOYS 7,I DON'T "K :AT HAPP5$ 6! GIRLS
S9CE "! 0 /RICT SEGREG,N7 7 PLOPP$ D[N
ON A B5* & GIV5 ! TASK ( MEMORIZ+ A
*APT] F ! ,BI#4 ,X DIDN'T D ANY GD
6PROTE/1 OBJECT1 OR TRY 6RESI/4 ,Y SAT
"! UNTIL Y MEMORIZ$ X1 AF : Y 7 FREE 6G
PLAY4
  ,"O'S RELIGION _H NO?+ 6D ) X1 NOR DID
"O'S 9T]E/ OR APTITUDE4 ,:5 Y GOT ! TASK
D"O1 Y CD 7)9 LIMITS7 G ": Y PL1S$ & D
:AT Y LIK$4 ,M1N:ILE Y CDN'T4 ,& :AT"E
"T Y SP5T TRY+ 6B1T ! SY/EM 0 J T M* (!
MORN+ G"O4 ,I SUPPOSE ,I NE$ N TELL Y T
,I QKLY 3CLUD$ 6LE>N MY *APT] ) M9IMUM
DELAY1 : ,I RELIGI\SLY 7NO PLAY ON ^WS
9T5D$7 DID4 ,Z A RESULT1 ,I H BE5 A
DEV\T ,BI# QUOT] "E S9CE8& M*1 ,I MI<T
ADD1 6MY B5EFIT & L;G-RANGE SATISFAC;N4
,AH1 WELL1 *N >E N ALW 9 ! BE/ POSI;N
6"K :AT W /& !M 9 GD /1D4
  ,I DON'T WANT 6L1VE Y )! IMPRES.N T
"EY?+ 9 T ,T5;SEE _W (! #'BJ'S & #'CJ'S
3C]N$ ! ,BI# OR RELIGI\S MATT]S4 ,X
DIDN'T4 ,WE POPP$ CORN 9 A PAN ( BACON
GR1SE ON ! WOOD /OVE 9 ! KIT*5 OR 9 A
L;G-H&L$ POPP] AT ! FIREPLACE 9 "O OR !
O!R (! TWO B$ROOMS4 7,! H\SE _H A KIT*51
A D9+ ROOM1 & TWO B$ROOMS47 ,WE VISIT$
\R NEI<BORS & RELATIVES1 EI WALK+ OR 7IF
! 4T.E 0 TOO F>7 RID+ 9 A WAGON DRAWN
0TWO MULES2 WE GA!R$ HICKORY NUTS &
WALNUTS2 & N[ & AG ! FAMILY SANG S;GS OR
LI/5$ 6A NEI<BOR PLAY A BANJO4 ,AT
,*RI/MAS "T "! 0 A GRT D1L ( COOK+1 B NO
3V5I;E FOODS1 ( C\RSE1 & Z LL Z POSSI#
B"\ F ! /ORE4 ,= 9/.E1 WE DIDN'T MAKE
FRUITCAKE4 ,T WD H CO/ TOO M*4 ,9/1D1 WE
MADE JAM CAKE4 ,! BLACK WALNUTS1 !
HOMEMADE BLACKB]RY JAM1 & MO/ (! O!R
9GR$I5TS CAME F \R F>M & REQUIR$ NO
\TLAY ( CA%4
  ,Z 6MY P]SONAL SITU,N1 X 0 7IF Y WANT
6BE HI<-TON$ AB X7 :AT Y MI<T CALL
ANOMAL\S4 ,NOBODY 9 ! NEI<BORHOOD _H "E
"KN A BL P]SON1 S "! 0 NO "O 6GIVE
ADVICE4 ,MY P>5TS LOV$ ME1 B !Y DIDN'T
"K :AT 6D4 ,? L$ 6"S /RANGE
9CONSI/5CIES4 ,= 9/.E1 MY "M & DAD
DIDN'T WANT ME 6C>RY WOOD =! FIREPLACE
OR /OVE OR WAT] F ! SPR+1 : 0 ONLY A FEW
FEET F ! H\SE4 ,!Y DIDN'T WANT ME 6PLAY
9 ! Y>D OR G ANY F>!R ?AN ! POR*4 ,!Y 7
AFRAID ,I MI<T GET HURT4 ,YET1 !Y _H NO
OBJEC;N AT ALL 6MY %OOT+ FIRECRACK]S AT
,*RI/MAS "T4
  ,X 0 REG>D$ Z A NATURAL ?+ = BOYS 9 T
"P (! C.TRY 6%OOT FIRECRACK]S1 & ,I
SUPPOSE MY P>5TS J N"E ?"\ AB X4 ,"O (
MY E>LIE/ MEMORIES IS ( ME /&+ ON !
FRONT POR* )A MAT* &A FIRECRACK] 9 MY H&
&( MY "F1 SAY+ Z HE W5T PA/ ME 96! H\SE1
8,Y'D BETT] 2 C>E;L1 OR Y'LL BL[ YR H&
(F ) T ?+40 ,"Y Z ,I WAS1 ,I KNEW T HE 0
"R & T NOBODY WD /OP ME IF ,I 0 C>E.S8S
,I WASN'T C>E.S4 ,I DEVELOP$ A TE*NIQUE
( HOLD+ ! MAT* J 2L ! H1D & PRESS+ !
FIRECRACK] FUSE AG/ X4 ,MAT* & FUSE 7
HELD 2T MY ?UMB & 9DEX F+]1 S "! 0 NO
POSSIBIL;Y (! FIRECRACK]'S EXPLOD+ 9 MY
H& S9CE MY F+]S 7 2T X &! FLAME4 ,N"E
ONCE DID ,I GET HURT1 & ,I ?9K ! EXP]I;E
HELP$ ME LE>N "S?+ AB RISK TAK+ & PROP]
CAU;N4
  ,Z ,I H ALR SD1 ,I DID A LOT ( ?9K+ Z
,I 0 GR[+ UP4 ,I AL DID A LOT ( PLANN+1
= ,I DIDN'T WANT 6SP5D ! RE/ ( MY LIFE 9
CLOSE 3F9E;T 9 T F\R-ROOM H\SE ON ! F>M4
,Z ,I R1SON$ X1 ,I NE$$ 6R1D ALL ! BOOKS
,I CD1 & ,I NE$$ 6G 6COLLEGE4 ,"!=E1 Z
,BRL & RECORD$ BOOKS 2CAME AVAILA# 6ME
"? ! BOOKS =! BL PROGRAM (! ,LIBR>Y (
,3GRESS1 ,I FOLL[$ "? ON ! MATT] &
CRAMM$ MY H1D Z FULL ( BOOK LE>N+ Z ,I
CD4 ,LAT] ,I W5T 6COLLEGE & PUT ! LIMIT$
5VIRON;T (! F>M 2H ME4
  ,M1N:ILE1 ,I WANT$ 6D PRODUCTIVE "W &
MAKE "S M"OY4 ,? WASN'T EASY S9CE MY
FAMILY 7?\< LOV+ ME7 ?"\ ,I 0 VIRTU,Y
HELP.S4 ,MY F/ EF=T 7CAN+ *AIRS AT !
,S*OOL =! ,BL7 BR"\ M LABOR ?AN CA%1 B
,I _H 6/>T ": ,I CD4 ,AL1 WE _H C[S ON !
F>M1 & WE SOLD _! MILK 6A NE>BY *EESE
FACTORY4 ,DUR+ SUMM] VAC,NS ,I MILK$ C[S
NI<T & MORN+ & GOT T5 C5TS A WEEK = X4
,AT ! "T ,I 0 PROBABLY ELEV5 OR TWELVE4
  ,DUR+ ! F/ "P (! ,SECOND ,_W ,W> 7,I
WD H BE5 F\RTE5 OR FIFTE571 ,I MADE A LL
M"OY COLLECT+ P1* SE$S4 ,I SOLD !M 6A
MAN :O CAME 0TWICE A WEEK 9 A TRUCK4 ,I
0 TOLD T ! K]NELS 7 US$ = FILT]S 9 GAS
MASKS1 B ,I DON'T "K :E!R T 0 TRUE OR N4
,:AT ,I D "K IS T ,I GOT A P5NY A P.D =
!M & T "! 7 A TREM5D\S NUMB] ( P1*ES
EAT5 9 ! NEI<BORHOOD4
  ,!N1 "! 0 ! ,,NYA 7! ,N,NAL ,Y\?
,ADM9I/R,N71 "O ( ,FRANKL9 ,ROOSEVELT'S
,NEW ,D1L PROGRAMS4 ,2G9N+ 9 #AIDC ,I
WA%$ W9D[S1 SCRU2$ FLOORS1 %9$ ! SMALL
BOYS' %OES1 & DID O!R *ORES AT ! ,S*OOL
=! ,BL = ?REE DOLL>S A MON?8FIFTE5 H\RS
AT TW5TY C5TS AN H\R4 ,I ?"\ ,I 0 RI*4
  ,& "! 0 EV5 AN EXTRA DIVID5D4 ,I 0 N !
ONLY BOY AT ! ,S*OOL =! ,BL :O GOT ?REE
DOLL>S A MON? = "W+ =! ,,NYA4 ,"! 7 Q A
NUMB]1 : M1NT T WE N[ _H A CA% ECONOMY1
) M M"OY 9 CIRCUL,N ?AN ! BOYS AT !
,S*OOL =! ,BL _H "E "KN4 ,X /IMULAT$
BUSI;S4 ,I 0 "O ( ^? :O PR(IT$4 ,I
E/ABLI%$ A REL,N%IP )A LOCAL :OLESALE
H\SE & WALK$ "! ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK
6C>RY L>GE BOXES ( C&Y & *EW+ GUM BACK
6! ,S*OOL4 ,I B"\ ! C&Y = ?REE C5TS A B>
& SOLD X =A NICKEL4 ,GO+ =! C&Y 0 N ONLY
GD EX]CISE B AL GD PR(IT4 ,MY ROOMMATE &
,I DID A ?RIV+ BUSI;S4 ,X HELP$ ME GET
"S (! M"OY 6/>T 6COLLEGE4
  ,"! 0 AL MY BROOM-MAK+ PROJECT4 ,A
NEI<BOR 9 ! C.TRY RAIS$ BROOM CORN1 & ,I
TOOK X ) ME 6! ,S*OOL =! ,BL & MADE X
96BROOMS4 7,ALL BL BOYS 9 ^? "DS 7 TAU<T
*AIR CAN+ & BROOM MAK+ REG>D.S ( _!
APTITUDES OR WI%ES1 & ,I ?9K ,I CD / D A
CR$ITA# JOB AT EI TASK47 ,MY NEI<BOR
SUPPLI$ ! BROOM CORN1 & ,I MADE & SOLD !
BROOMS4 ,WE SPLIT ! PR(ITS4
  ,DUR+ ! LATT] "P (! ,SECOND ,_W ,W>
70? "T ,I 0 SIXTE5 OR SEV5TE57 ,I GOT A
*.E DUR+ ! S*OOL YE> 6MAKE "S M"OY
0SORT+ AIRCRAFT RIVETS4 ,! ,VULTEE
,AIRCRAFT ,-PANY E/ABLI%$ A PLANT NE>
,NA%VILLE 6MAKE DIVE BOMB]S1 & "! 7 _M
?\S&S ( RIVETS 9 EA* PLANE4 ,! "W]S WD
DROP RIVETS ON ! FLOOR2 & :5 ! DIRT1
CIG>ETTE /UBS1 & O!R L1V+S 7 SWEPT UP1 !
ASSORT$ MIXTURE 0 BR"\ 6! /UD5TS AT !
,S*OOL =! ,BL = SORT+4 ,WE SEP>AT$ !
RIVETS F ! TRA%1 SORT$ !M 96SIZES &
TYPES1 4C>D$ ANY ) R\< SPOTS ON !M1 &
S5T !M BACK 6! AIRCRAFT PLANT4 ,X 0 A
MESSY JOB1 B X 0 A WAY 6MAKE "S M"OY4 ,I
?9K ,I GOT TWO &A HALF C5TS A P.D = X4
  ,B ALL ( ^! V>I\S JOBS 7 PRELIM9>Y 6MY
F/ TRULY BIG OPPORTUN;Y4 ,X HAPP5$ L ?3
,9 ! SUMM] ( #AIDD 7,I 0 SEV5TE57 ,I
WANT$ 6EXP& MY HORIZONS4 ,F>M LABOR]S 9
\R NEI<BORHOOD MADE 4#A.BE P] "D1 "W+ F
SUNRISE 6SUNSET1 & ,I WANT$ 6JO9 _!
RANKS4 ,! PIVOTAL EV5T O3URR$ :5 !Y 2GAN
MAK+ HAY4 ,WE _H NO P[] MA*9]Y4 ,"! 0 A
MULE-DRAWN M[]1 & AF ! HAY 0 CUT1 "! 0 A
MULE-DRAWN RAKE4 ,! M5 WD FOLL[ ! RAKE )
PIT*=KS1 PUTT+ ! HAY 96%OCKS & !N TOSS+
X 96! MULE-DRAWN WAGON4 ,!N X WD 2 TAK5
6! B>N & PUT 96! L(T4
  ,I TRI$ 6GET MY DAD &! O!R DECI.N
MAK]S 6LET ME TRY MY H& AT MAK+ HAY4 ,!Y
7 N ONLY UNWILL+ B DIDN'T EV5 WANT 6TALK
AB X4 ,9 FACT :5 ,I 9SI/$1 !Y 9DICAT$
6ME T !Y 7 BUSY & _H "W 6D & T ,I %D /OP
BO!R+ !M4
  ,S9CE ,I 0 UNWILL+ 6SP5D ! SUMM] DO+
NO?+1 ,I LOOK$ >.D = O!R OPPORTUNITIES4
,X O3URR$ 6ME T ,I MI<T TRY MY H& AT
MAK+ FURNITURE4 ,LUMB] 0 *1P 9 ^? "DS1 &
,I AL _H ! IDEA ( US+ SPOOLS4 ,AT T "T
?R1D 0 W.D ON WOOD5 SPOOLS1 PLA/IC N YET
HAV+ -E 96USE1 & ALM "EYBODY SEW$4
,SPOOLS 7 ?R[-AWAYS1 & ,I GOT ALL MY
RELATIVES1 PLUS DE"P;T /ORES 9 SURR.D+
T[NS1 6SAVE !M = ME4 ,I GOT !M 9 E
3CEIVA# SIZE & !N SORT$ !M & /RUNG !M ON
IRON RODS 6MAKE TA# LEGS4
  ,! DESIGN 0 SIMPLE1 B ! PRODUCT 0 BO?
DURA# & GRACE;L4 ,I CD MAKE A TA# 9 A "D
& CD SELL X = 4#AJ4 ,X CO/ ME 4#A.GE 9
MAT]IALS1 S ,I _H A PR(IT ( 4#H.BE4 ,MY
REJEC;N 2CAME A TRIUMPH4 ,:ILE ! M5 DID
BACK-BR1K+ LABOR 9 ! HAY FIELDS = 4#A.BE
A "D1 ,I /AY$ 9 MY "W%OP1 LI/5$ 6RECORD$
BOOKS1 & PRODUC$ TA#S =A PR(IT ( 4#H.BE4
,NO MATT] H[ FA/ ,I MADE !M1 ,I CD N"E
KEEP UP ) DEM&4 ,X 0 Z REGUL> Z CLOCK
"W84#H.BE NET PR(IT "D AF "D1 N ! 4#A.BE
,I WD H MADE 9 ! HAY FIELD4
  ,I AL DESIGN$ & MADE FLOOR LAMPS F
SPOOLS4 ,! LAMP _H AN OLD /E]+ :EEL =A
BASE )A PIPE RUNN+ UP ! C5T]1 SURR.D$
0F\R COLUMNS ( SPOOLS1 )A FIXTURE & %ADE
ON TOP4 ,I CD MAKE X 9 A "D1 & ,I SOLD X
= 4#BE1 )A CO/ = MAT]IALS (A LL OV] 4#H4
,? 0 TWICE Z M* PR(IT Z ,I MADE F A TA#4
,! TR\# 0 T ! LAMPS 7 H>D] 6SELL1 S ,I
GOT RELATIVELY FEW ORD]S4
  ,0! 5D (! SUMM] ,I _H M M"OY ?AN ,I _H
"E SE51 & ,I DID X AG ! FOLL[+ YE>4 ,I
W5T 6COLLEGE 9 #AIDE & N"E RETURN$ 6!
FURNITURE BUSI;S1 B X TAU<T ME A VALUA#
LESSON1 Z DID ! O!R JOBS ,I H DESCRIB$4
,"! >E _M WAYS 6MAKE HAY1 & IF Y LOSE
4#A.BE1 Y MAY MAKE 4#H.BE IF Y PUT YR
M9D 6X4 ,Z ,I H ALR SD1 ! _W ( FIFTY
YE>S AGO 0 A DI6]5T PLACE F ! _W ( TD8B
_M (! LESSONS / HOLD4 ,!Y PROBABLY ALW
W1 & "O ( !M IS T MAK+ HAY IS A LIFEL;G
PROCESS4