Early TT

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Angmar
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Early TT

Post by Angmar » Sun Dec 22, 2019 7:45 pm

This photo comes from the same family member as the earlier post and shows her grandfather in the TT in 1941. The information we have is that he was delivering ice in the truck at age 9 or 10. He later drove over the road for a very long time in addition to do other work over the years.
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Kate C gpt.jpg
Still crankin old iron


tdump
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Re: Early TT

Post by tdump » Sun Dec 22, 2019 8:52 pm

Amazing.9 years old and working a job! Driving a motor truck. Wow.
If you can't help em, don't hinder em'


Burger in Spokane
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Re: Early TT

Post by Burger in Spokane » Sun Dec 22, 2019 11:20 pm

Anyone else here follow guys like Mike Rowe and Adam Corolla ? They have
quite a bit to say about what has become of our American work ethic. As an
employer, I deal with it every day !

When I was 4, my mother put me in the pumpkin business, growing them up
and selling them door-to-door around Halloween. I planted them, weeded the
plot, and come October, towed a wagon behind my tricycle with a sign that read

- 5¢ -

By the time I was 8, I had a paper route, mowed lawns, and worked in the
orchards, pruning and hauling off the cuttings. And I helped put up hay. Cut
a lot of firewood and split it too. Did most of these things and more as I got
older and could lift more weight/take on more.

Chances are, this kid grew up to be a pretty go-to, responsible guy, who knew
how to solve problems and looked adversity straight in the eye. I was at Costco
today and there was a 10-year-old kid there, who required "mommy" to tie his
shoelaces ! We are doomed.

I only WISH that I could have had a TT as part of my work plan when I was a kid !!!
More people are doing it today than ever before !


tdump
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Re: Early TT

Post by tdump » Mon Dec 23, 2019 9:11 am

Look at how many more pumpkins you coulda hauled! :D
If you can't help em, don't hinder em'


HPetrino
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Re: Early TT

Post by HPetrino » Mon Dec 23, 2019 9:13 am

I started working when I was 8, and it included a TT (the same one I have now). I wanted to earn money for a BB gun (God forbid in modern times), so I went to my grandfathers ranch. He took me out to the orchard in the TT, handed me a 32 quart fruit bucket, pointed to over-ripe fruit that had fallen from the trees to the ground, and told me to put the "ground fruit" in the bucket. When the bucket was full, empty it into a box. When done with this tree, go to the next. I worked my way to near the end of the row, saying to myself, "Only 3 trees left in the row", "Only 2 trees left in the row", "AH HA!! The last tree in the row!" Then I realized there was a next row. It was a lesson I have never forgotten.

At the end of that apricot season (1955) he paid me a total of $15.00 for my season's work. It was all the money in the world. On the way home I made my dad stop at the gun shop and bought the BB gun I wanted and spent the rest of the $15.00 on BB's. I was a VERY happy 8 year old. In subsequent seasons I was given more responsible jobs and worked there every year until I was 15, when he retired and sold the ranch.

Where I lived they (The San Jose Mercury-News) wouldn't let yo have a paper route until you were 12. About 2 weeks after my 12th birthday (I know, 2 weeks wasted) I got a paper route which I kept through school. During those years I was pretty much the only kid in school who always had $10 in his pocket, another important life lesson.

Times have changed. The adults who allowed us to do these things would be looked at as abusive today, but we learned from our experiences. I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything! Thanks for posting this Mark. It brought back some fond memories


Mark Osterman
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Re: Early TT

Post by Mark Osterman » Mon Dec 23, 2019 10:06 am

On the farm where I worked as a boy the farmer had a “route” that included the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. He drove a 1932 Ford produce truck (he bought new) there twice a week. Working in the fields early in the morning I picked corn that we dumped into a wooden skid sled pulled by a draft horse. It would know where to stop on it’s own when we approached the end of the row with an armful of corn. In the summer it was all bailing hay and straw. I went with the bailing outfit to every farm. My job was pulling the bail from the bailer and stacking on the wagon.

I did this work until I was 17, then I figured out it was much more profitable to play banjo on the nearby tourist steam train for tips. Later I married into a fair farm family ... and returned to farm work when they needed me.


Bud Delong
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Re: Early TT

Post by Bud Delong » Mon Dec 23, 2019 10:50 am

One of my first jobs was driving the C-Allis on the big rope to haul loose hay into the mow.Later when we had a bailer come i think that was more work throwing bails up into the hay mow.Mowing,raking,cultivating,picking stones.In the fall while Dad picked corn i shoveled it all into the crib,and in the spring when the hay and corn [processed] was spread we had a loader named bud.In the fall and winter i shoveled snow and buzzed wood for us first than other farms.We never had a store bought milker but we had two 3 leg stools and i was glad to see the cows go and the saddle horses come!Butcher in the winter and at first there was a meat locker in town but later we got a freezer.I remember going to visit to see tv as others had it before we did,and i remember the big people listing to the radio. When Kate Smith sang/bellowed she scared me! :D Bud.


Dallas Landers
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Re: Early TT

Post by Dallas Landers » Mon Dec 23, 2019 6:53 pm

I started working away from home at 11 for farmers. Everything from spraying weeds by hand in cotton fields, irrigation, bailing hay, welding typical farm work. Held two jobs all through high school. Drove a POS car or truck that always needed fixing.
As for home, work was part of living. If nothing else needed done there was always wood to cut, split ,stack and carry in. Shoot I was in 2nd grade before I realized my name was Dallas and not GO GET WOOD! I think work ethic is learned young. If not it turns to resentment for having to work. Oh dont get me wrong we always had time to play but also had a time to work. I never had alot of money and drove beaters but I started buying my 1st house when I was a Jr. In high school. I had to wait along time before I bought an old junky car that always needed fixing because I wanted to. :D

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Duey_C
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Re: Early TT

Post by Duey_C » Tue Dec 24, 2019 1:24 am

11. Construction. Pole buildings, houses and barns. Dad and brother were/are wood craftsmen. I smelled steel/iron instead of pine.
Can fix almost anything other than a broken heart. Still like the smell of wood. Everything I build of wood is out of square.
Super cool photo of that very young man Mark! He'd later come to know trucks with "more than one" shift levers!
Thank god for people like us. Different as we may be.
:)
Since I lost my mind mind, I feel more liberated


Burger in Spokane
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Re: Early TT

Post by Burger in Spokane » Tue Dec 24, 2019 1:29 am

I was 8 when my parents "bought the farm", and I suddenly found myself in
a world of fields and woods and barns and all that fun rural stuff. It did not
take long for Widdo Bwudder and me (and friends) to explore the surrounding
few miles, where I discovered the TT truck like the one I have today in Mrs.
Miller's barn. I REALLY wish I had a photo of that truck today, as it was a big
part of the inspiration that was the "carrot on a stick" for the work ethic I came
to have. Want cool things ? You gotta work and earn money to buy them ! The
TT was WAY out of my league at that age, but I knew I wanted one !

At that age, I wanted a nice axe, I wanted a nice bicycle, I wanted other cool
old things I saw in junk stores and antique shops. The die was cast, and it's been
a life wasted, chasing old junk ever since ! Up every morning and get to work.
When something cool presents itself, I have the green to toss at the problem !
It's 2200hrs and I just came in from the shop. Been ripping down cedar fents
for a client's gate that I will install tomorrow. Still working at 2200 ? Sure, why
not ? What else would I do, .... sit on the couch and watch TV ? Watching TV
won't put cabbage in my petty cash drawer ! Here it is 50 years on and nothing
has changed. Except now I have that TT that I wanted back then. :D
More people are doing it today than ever before !

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Topic author
Angmar
Posts: 341
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:11 pm
First Name: Mark
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Re: Early TT

Post by Angmar » Tue Dec 24, 2019 6:01 pm

Thanks for the stories guys, I will pass them along. Yes the young man lived a long life and always had work.
Still crankin old iron


Gordon C
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Re: Early TT

Post by Gordon C » Wed Dec 25, 2019 10:46 am

As a teenager , we had an old Oliver 70 tricycle. The rear wheels were about five foot high.
My brother and I used to hand crank that monster. Good thing it never kicked back. I'm
sure it would have done some real damage.


Burger in Spokane
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Re: Early TT

Post by Burger in Spokane » Wed Dec 25, 2019 2:29 pm

What kind of men did cranking that Oliver make you ?

In 30 years, old guys will be waxing on about video games they played as
kids and an Oliver will be something they never bothered even reading about.

Alex, ... I'll take "Cranking the Oliver" for $500 ..... :lol:
More people are doing it today than ever before !

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