12/09/2024
NEIGHBOR ASKED MY SON TO SHOVEL SNOW FOR $10 A DAY BUT REFUSED TO PAY—SO I TAUGHT HIM A LESSON ON HOW TO DO BUSINESS
My neighbor, Mr. Dickinson, loves flaunting his wealth, always bragging about his business ventures and luxury toys. So when he offered my 12-year-old son, Ben, $10 to clear his driveway each time it snowed, Ben was over the moon. He talked endlessly about the gifts he’d buy for the family with his earnings, his little face lit up with excitement.
Ben worked hard through the first few snowfalls, waking early to shovel before school, cheeks flushed from the cold. Each evening, he’d proudly tally his earnings, his eyes shining with joy.
But two days before Christmas, Ben came home in tears. He wouldn’t talk at first, but after some coaxing, the story spilled out.
“Mr. Dickinson says HE’S NOT PAYING ME A SINGLE CENT,” Ben choked out, his voice trembling. “He said I should take this as a lesson—to never accept a job without a contract.”
Anger surged through me. What kind of man cheats a child to teach “business lessons”? Ben had poured his heart into this job, and Dickinson dismissed it like a joke. I hugged my son tightly. “Don’t worry, sweetheart,” I said, my voice steady. “I’ll handle this.”
That evening, I grabbed my coat and marched to Mr. Dickinson’s door.⬇️
