I’m recording this for myself, and my sons – and any interested party
Born to a dad from Jersey, and a mom from the Magnificent State of Maine. They met in college in Washington DC. I’m one of 6 kids, raised in Metro DC (Maryland). Every summer was a memorable drive to Maine. Howard Johnson’s and Rest Areas along I-95 … deep memories
Before Jr. High School I begged a neighbor to give up the Paper Route – which eventually happened, The route stayed in our family for many year. Waking up early, managing the route, rainy days, troublesome customers that never had money ready when I knocked on the door once a month . . . a wonderful experience.
By High School I was insanely interested in digging, planting, and designing gardens for others. I was super eager, I wanted to work at a Garden Center . . . I hornswoggled two people in order to make it happen: 1) a jovial school-bus driver who agreed to drop me off after her last stop, 2) my dad, who worked long hours, picked me up on his way home from his office in DC. I was so eager to learn the difference in two varieties of azalea – I still remember (what I believe are important) Latin names of specific plants.
My manager left to work at his good friend’s landscaping business, he soon pulled me away from the Garden Center. I can’t recall how I crammed it all in, but in the 10th & 11th grades my mom was also helping load her station wagon with plants, mulch and railroad ties – and dropping me off at someone’s home. Picking me up after dark (yes, I worked in the dark – eyes adjust)
It was a Saturday morning when my dad grabbed the Classified Ads and said: ‘we gotta do something about all this stuff ruining your mom’s car. We drove nearly an hour to the Arlington County Motor Pool, and for $250 bucks I was the proud owner of a school bus yellow Chevy pickup (3-on-the-tree!). I spray painted the truck brown and build plywood tool-boxes in the bed. I bought a stereo that cost more than the truck. I later painted it green, and painted a sign: “Good-Lookin’ Lawns (I still have a T-shirt at my parents home).
After my first year of college in the Shanendoah Valley (well-described in – and a constant memory relived – in John Denver’s song) … I couldn’t wait to get back to my truck and working with a wide array of landscapes
While working a job, the wife came out and said: we’re having a party tonight – would you consider being a bartender? I jumped on it – went home and showered and struggled thru the night with a smile and ______ curiosity. Unlike most of my friends, I knew little about how drinks were made (still not much of a drinker). On the way back to the party I called my friend Kevin ‘The Crow’ who knew a lot about libations – he gave me a few tips on my way to the event. From this even, another business was born. Bartender’s, etc.
It wasn’t enough to get people’s landscapes looking good for the weekend or a holiday – I jumped into the holiday. I worked at beautiful homes for very nice people. You’re wondering where the ‘ETC’ came from, right? My second party was for the same people. but the lady said: can you find a lovely girl to help in the kitchen serve hors d’oeuvres? I said ‘sure’ then I asked my mom to suggest one of our family friend’s daughters – that went smooth. At a later party that had a very long circular drive, the man asked for valet drivers – found 3 guys with ease.
Finally, made it to the summer after my first year of college.
So I continued to _____ my parents – by saying I want to keep working, taking off the Fall of my second year. I’m sure it didn’t go over easy – seeing that I was setting the example for the 4 sibs that followed me. I went back, a car accident in the Spring changed my trajectory. I didn’t finish that semester – I went back to Maryland and continued with my business,
I’m not sure what connected me to plants, design, working with my hands – but I’ve got a case of the shakes – because I’ve not used my hands purposefully for way too long.
I was curious about Japan, then China, a classmate at Ohio State urged me to go to his hometown: Taipei, Taiwan. After going back to school, and graduating at 29, I was on a plane, without a plan. “I’ll figure it out when I get there mom” In those days it was complex even talking to my parents. I had to go to a phone center, pay in advance, then be directed to a booth with a phone. After my ‘hey, hey’ there was always a gasp of relief. My sister decided to get married, so my wonderful time in Taiwan was less than 5 months.
My original plan was China, so less than 3 years later I was on a plane back to Taiwan – then to Hong Kong (you could not fly directly to China from Taiwan in those days). I took a train to the border – walked into China. 1983 was the year – and it was weird as I look back. I missed the train to Guangzhou from the border town of LoWu. There was no place to sleep – locals would not help out of fear of befriending a foreigner. I took an eerie bus ride and got off near a university – found an Aussie (Simon I think). Who had to do hard negotiating, and pay, to let me stay in his mosquito infested room
Four times in the nineties – I was renovating houses in the USA
I designed a renovated a house in China – cultural stress was immense, but I was so happy to be buying tools, designing and renovating. I cannot think of one person that I know with such interests (though I’d hear stories of: my dad was a carpenter). The news spread, as I was the only foreigner shopping on Hardware Boulevard in a small town.