I think from an early age I was already hustling. I think when I was about 7 or 8, my neighbor, and at the time best friend, Christa was making small little clay colored statues. Christa was an artist, and even at a young age, very skilled. I of course, had no artistic ability, but I did already had a love of money, and all the things it could buy. I convinced Christa that we could take her statues door to door, and sell them in the neighborhood, and in no time, we'd be rich. Naturally, my parents put the brakes on this plan before it got started, but they didn't, or couldn't, put the brakes on my inclination for chasing a profit.
I think if I asked my parents, they'd be able to give me a laundry list of stories about money making schemes I'd try on them, and others. Like a lot of parents, they'd pay me for getting good grades, doing chores around the house, and let me earn money from taking returnable bottles into the bottle depot. One memory that sticks out in my mind was my mom offering me 5 cents per, for each dandelion I picked from the yard. I don't think she realized how many dandelions were in the yard, because after an afternoon of picking, I had well over 2000 in my plastic grocery bags. Eagerly I ran into the house, holding up my bags of loot and eagerly spending my money, mentally.
Needless to say I did not get the $100 as promised, but I did make a few dollars for candy and toys.
