Hardest dollar I ever earned

When I was about 12 my friend and I decided to create a lawn-mowing business. We called the business Diamond Fields. I have no idea why we thought that was a good name for a lawn-mowing business or what it has to do with lawns or mowing or anything. Essentially, I think it was because it made for an easy logo. I do not know how much business cards cost back then, but it certainly was more than we had. We created our business cards on the back of my Dad's legal cards. The theory went that people won't stiff the son of an attorney. I am glad to say that we were never stiffed, but we didn't know how to negotiate back then either. I will never forget what may have been our first job. We didn't know what we were worth and a guy paid us $7 to cut his yard which was more jungle than lawn. The grass was taller than I was which wasn't such a huge problem, but the mower would conk out on me every few feet. All of the downed grass kept clogging the blades. We finished in just under 4 hours. Our efforts were worth less than a dollar an hour.
Yesterday, Lee and I received our first rent check. I sat at the counter staring at the check, all the while wishing that I was mowing yards again. It seemed more profitable.

-JohnMark