Delivering Phonebooks

I saw an add in the local newspaper looking to pay people to deliver phonebooks. I got a little misty eyed as I reminisced about Katie, Tim and I doing the exact same thing when we lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. Katie was prob. 13 and Tim 11. We started w/one route between the three of us. I had a van back then so we came up w/the clever idea that I would drive slowly through the neighborhoods while Katie and Tim would jump out, run up to the door and place the phonebooks on the doorsteps. Sounds like a great plan right? O.K., it was, however, the temp. was in 90's. I'm not sure how many we had to deliver, but the back end of my van was completely full of phonebooks in yellow bags. Some of them had more then one kind, depending on what the customer needed. Those were especially heavy. When we began our adventure it was in the cool of the morning and we were thinking that when we finished the first route we would take on another one and make even more money. I could see visions floating around Kate and Tim's heads on how they were going to spend their piece of the pie. I was just in it to try and teach them the value of working hard to earn a buck. Keep in mind, I was the driver.....they did the grunt work. As the day wore on what started as fun and entrepreneurial turned rigorous and just wanting it to end, be over, finished. At first they would hop out of the van, skip off the each doorstep, place the bag by the door, turn around, give a big smile @ the boss (me), and hop back in the car. By the end, they were sweating, barely able to hop out of the van, it was more like a crawl, and w/each phonebook, their final destination got closer and closer to the curb of the street. Forget the doorsteps. When they did turn around to crawl back into the van, their smiles had turned into looks that could kill. I was weak...my operation and team were falling apart fast and all I could think of was the discipline of finishing what we had started. Forget doing the job right (my dad would have been so displeased), I needed to get these guys home and hydrated. I'm thinking it was about 3 in the afternoon or so before we delivered the last one and went back to pick up our paycheck. We waited our turn, all the time I was thinking "someone on our route has called and complained that their phonebook was not on their doorstep but teetering on the curb by the road." After all, if you've read my previous blog you know that I NEVER get away w/anything. Well.....this was one time I did. I'm sure it was because I had the king of 'getaway' on my team.....TIM. His luck rubbed off on me and we walked away with somewhere around $100.00, give or take a dollar. As we were climbing back into the van dividing up the loot Tim looks at me and says "Why don't we do it again." "ARE YOU KIDDING ME????" Katie and Tim, if you are reading this blog I'm sure you are smiling as you remember that day. Hey Tim.......you need a job right? No doubt they have phonebooks that need delivered in Wichita Falls. Katie could be the 'boss man' (she has always been good @ that when it comes to you) and drive the truck as you sit in the back w/the phonebooks. All that time you spend @ the gym will pay off as you will be able to leap 'like a gazelle' out of the truck, sprint up to each doorstep and drop the bag. I believe the temp. is comparable as well. I think it's a great idea. Whatcha say??