It was like dismantling a big erector set with yourself inside it. “Turn loose of that scaffolding and take off that pipe,” he said, “and tie it on this rope.” The wind was blowing and we were so high up I could see ships way out in the harbor. Well, I climbed out on the scaffolding, which was very shaky, and was hanging on for dear life. “One of these pieces is apt to fall on him.” He was so far down he looked like he was barely an inch tall. Down there was the black guy, who was supposed to fetch it, untie it from the rope and put it on the truck. I didn’t know what he was talking about, but he stepped out on the scaffolding and undid a piece of scaffold pipe, tied it on the rope, and began to lower it to the ground, eight stories below. We climbed some stairs to the roof and he went over on the side to where there was some scaffolding and said, “This belongs to us. Then we got inside an elevator and went to the top of the building - eight stories. He took a great big coil of rope out of the back of his truck and slung it over his shoulder. He drove us to a building in downtown Mobile and told the black guy to wait outside in a parking lot. “He is,” and pointed to a black guy sitting in the corner. I didn’t know, because I’d never been really high up, so I said no. First day I walked into the office and this guy said, “Are you scared of heights?” My next job was as a summer construction worker at age sixteen. From this I learned I did not like to get up early in the morning. My first job was a newspaper boy at age twelve. I think I learned something from all of them. ![]() I had a bunch of jobs before I discovered you could make money writing books and not actually have to work for a living. LANGUAGE ADVISORY: This excerpt contains language some might find offensive. Don't Quit Your Day Job: Acclaimed Authors and the Day Jobs They Quit
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