LESSONS FROM THE COTTON PATCH

**** YOU KNOW I STUDIED ECONOMICS AT MIT { MEDINA INDUSTRIAL TRADE SCHOOL }BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS I LEARNED IN THE COTTON PATCH .

THE FIRST LESSON LEARNED WAS I DID NOT WANT TO BE IN THE COTTON PATCH . WE ARE TALKING HARD WORK HERE . I SUFFERED AN AVERSION TO SUCH AS THAT .

 THIS COTTON PATCH THING STARTED AT DAYLIGHT & ENDED AT DARK . THE WORK DAY WAS AT LEAST 12 HOURS .

 YOU WERE NOT PAID BY THE HOUR BUT BY THE POUND . HOW MUCH YOU PICKED DETERMINED HOW MUCH YOU WERE PAID .

 THREE CENTS A POUND WAS THE GOING RATE . A GREAT PICKER COULD DO 300 POUNDS A DAY . I SELDOM REACHED THE 100 POUND MARK .

 LET US DO THE MATH HERE,
A 300 POUND KICKER  MADE NINE DOLLARS FOR THE 12 - HOUR DAY . IN MEDINA MATH THAT IS 75 CENTS AN HOUR .

 A PICKER LIKE ME WAS KNOCKING DOWN 3 DOLLARS A DAY , ABOUT 25 CENTS AN HOUR.

 IN TODAY'S TERMS THAT 300LB PICKER WOULD TAKE HOME 63.50 WHILE THE 100LB PICKERS LIKE ME WOULD BE KNOCKING DOWN 22.50 FOR A 12 HOUR DAY OF HARD WORK . 

 I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST EXAMPLES OF DEFICIT SPENDING . I DIDN'T MAKE ENOUGH PICKING COTTON TO PAY FOR MY LUNCH .

LESSON NUMBER TWO ,

 I COULD MAKE A BUNCH MORE  GOING FROM PATCH TO PATCH SELLING COKES, SANDWICHS ,TATER CHIPS, & CANDY BARS  THAT I GOT FROM THE PICK & PAY GROCERY STORE IN MEDINA .

  I COULD MAKE A COUPLE DOLLARS MORE THAN THE 300LB PICKER WITHOUT WORKING NEAR AS HARD OR LONG .

 JUST RIDE FROM PATCH TO PATCH, LISTEN TO THE RADIO , & FLIRT WITH THOSE DIRTY FACED GIRLS JUST SELLING THOSE GOODIES AT EVERY STOP.  

 LESSON THREE, 

 THE REAL BONANZA WAS THAT AFTER A HARD DAY OR WEEK THOSE FIELD WORKERS LOVED TO PLAY CARDS OR DOMINOES . 

 I FELT IT WAS MY DUTY TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY .   MY DOMINO MONEY SOON EXCEEDED MY SALES REVENUE .   

 I SPENT MOST OF MY DOMINO MONEY FOR A GOOD CAUSE . I LEARNED THOSE DIRTY FACED GIRLS CLEANED UP REAL GOOD AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE COTTON PATCH .

MOST OF 'EM WERE READY FOR A BIG NIGHT OUT AND A LITTLE SNUGGLING UP AFTER THAT TIME IN THE COTTON PATCH . 

ONCE AGAIN TO DO MY CIVIC DUTY & MAKE MY COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE , I WAS PROUD TO SERVE . 

COTTON PATCH LESSONS !!!!

THANKS FOR READING !!