Making money in Fairmont as a kid

Fairmont was a fun place for a lot of reasons. I was free to do pretty much whatever I wanted and go wherever I wanted. I loved the lakes and I still love being around lakes and the water. Calms me but I don't know why.

Even when I'd go to Milwaukee to see a girlfriend or two when I wasn't with them or sleeping I'd go sit by Lake Michigan. I had a favorite spot and I'd watch the boats go by and the people skating, jogging or just walking.

Funny, all the girls I was dating at the time were black chicks and most were dancers. Bet you can't guess the first chick that I met sitting at the lake and what her occupation was. Yep, black chick and she was a dancer. Seems to be what I attract for some reason.

In Fairmont I used to fish a lot. In all of the chain of lakes but one. I caught enough fish that I would sell them to tourists or people who weren't catching any. I sold bullheads for a nickle and crappies and bluegills for ten cents. Wasn't a way to get rich but it was a way to make a little bit here and there.

I made friends with the guys that worked at the power plant because I fished by there frequently. There was an old Russian guy that used to fish there too but he fished for suckers and carp. Don't know why he fished for those but he did.

The power plant guys knew that I sold fish to tourists and other people so if I wasn't catching anything they would take me inside and then dip me out a limit from in front of the water intake.

The intake had a grate over it that was rods about 2 inches apart and if I fished through them now and then I could catch a lot of crappies and sunnies. Couldn't be to big tho or you couldn't get them to fit thru the grate.

I learned to fly fish in Fairmont and also to use real lures instead of just live bait.

I also got my first paper route and I hated it. Not fun at all and the money you made wasn't that great either. I was making money at it but it wasn't a job I'd recommend. I was to young to deliver papers but my stepfather knew someone so I ended up with the paper route.

Parents bought me a cheap used bike to deliver papers with. One of the few things they did buy me. naturally my sister had all the toys and all the new stuff. So I was a kid and I was making money. Forgot this but I also made knick knacks and figurines out of plaster of paris and rubber molds. Painted them myself and then sold them door to door.

I also bought myself a potholder making frame and made potholders and sold them door to door too. Both of those things were just hobbies tho. Something I could do by myself and away from other people. It was just a happy accident when I discovered there was a market for them

So I was a kid and I was using my brain to be making money and doing things I liked at the same time, except for the damn paper route. I'd still rather make money with my brain than do manual labor or any other kind of labor for that matter.

Perhaps that's why I love the net so much. Freedom and no hard labor. Lol, not that I make any money from this blog tho.