For the Truths and a Lie Group, here's another three.
1) When I was 16 years old, I had my own business, Ron Hall Texaco. I charged $2.50 to fix a tire, and if it leaked again during the life of the tire, I'd redo it for free. Not counting the actual realestate, the business was set up for less than $1,000.
2) I worked my way though college delivering groceries, and after graduation I delayed looking for a job, because business was so good. I used the college computer to organize my routes, and they didn't kick me off until discovering my files and demanding I return my key - a year after I graduated.
3) In 1981 I had a taxable income of $1,100. That summer I played in a music review called Ouray Country Jamboree, and worked for my dad as a construction laborer ($4 per hour). But mostly I rode my bike, picked raspberries and caught lots of trout.
Which is the lie?
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Comments: 10
1) Pam, I was a miserable grease monkey and so were both of my older brothers. The station was built by my father, just an a-frame with no heat, a couple bathrooms, and some glass. Texaco provided the tanks, pumps, lights and sign. The oldest brother currently in or approaching college would pay $1000 in rent to the folks at the beginning of each season, and the next brother in line would work for cheap to help the older brother pay for school. I took over when I was 16, but being the youngest I had no little brother to help me out. Also, I lived alone for the last two years of high school and my parents provided only $5 per week for food - this was supposed to be a deal breaker but I said "yes" - so much of my gas station revenues went for putting myself through high school (but that's another story). In fact, I did have a lot of money as a teenager; I just spent it on food and partying, with little left over for college.
2) Darn you Carl and Mariana, you nailed me right off the bat. I did not finish college, though I did and do there's money to be made in delivering groceries. I did not pursue that, and instead went to work in the woods, from where I somehow gravitated into fundraising.
3) The Ouray Country Jamboree promised to pay $15 per show, but a flood chased away the tourists and by the 3rd week we were all working for a cut of the door, which came to as little as $15 a week. I only worked for my dad when I wanted too. Picking berries and catching fish were much higher priorities.
My clue was the "1981" in truth #3. If I put all three truths and/or the lie in a span of plus/minus 10 years, all are possible except #2. Computer useage and the Internet were not developed enough to support #2 until late 1990's. Also, I have a good idea what it costs to fix a tire, having done so many times. I worked at a gas station in my teens too.