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Stephen Fichter
Professor Jeni Tetamore
English 121
10 October 2021

The Freedom of Self Employment

I found myself working 10-14 hours a day, 6 days a week and my body became
unable to continue at the pace of my youthful self. I asked myself how, did I get here.
Unsure, of what I was going to do for retirement. I lay back on my bed for a brief night’s
rest and began imagining.
As a young kid, I was constantly fascinated by what other people were doing and
had a need to understand how to do it. I am a thinker, no matter what it was I wanted to
try it and do it. Sometimes I had been able to help them change the way they do their
work to be more efficient and productive. I remember feeling that call for adventure to
understand where people travelled in the “9 to 5.”
My best friend John lived with his Grandparents. His Grandma Hazel gave me my
initial insight into the aspects of operating a business. She would be the Guardian of
money to me. She Reupholstered furniture. On the weekends I would spend the night at
their house, and she would give us each $5.00 to pull out staples and tacks. In 1974 at
five years old $5.00 was a lot of money. I was rich and oh boy did I get a lot of candy. I
can even remember the taste of the Lemon Heads. This was my first insight running a
business. This was my first meaningful moment leading to my path to adulthood. She
made sure we, did a good job before we could go and play. I can still remember her
telling us No, do it this way! Sometimes she would show me the best way by example. I
was always brought up to respect my elders so, I went along with it.
This was a great gig for about 4-5 years until my mom decided it was time to take
on a sootier or in my eyes the destroyer of life. Chris was his name, and my life was over.
In a matter of two days, I became a stranger in a foreign nation. Uprooted from the life I
knew and moved across town to a new school, house, and miles away from the life I
knew. It’s not fair. I don’t want to move. My life was over.
As time went by, I felt isolated with no one to talk to and destined to be lonely the
rest of my life. When I was walking home from school there was a flash as I stood at the
streetlight of the busy street. Kaboom, a woman appeared out of no ware. She had a
certain present about her. I said to myself “where did she come from”. I began to look
around to see if there was any sign of her origin.
When she talked, I recognized her to be my saving grace. She was the one, the
one to pull me upward, out of my misery. As she talked, she possessed the voice of good
witch in the Wizard of Oz, Esmerelda and her voice was enchanting. She became the
Gate Keeper of Opportunity to me, and her name was Sandy.
Sandy: “Excuse me," " I was hoping you could help me?”
Sandy: “Do you know anyone that would like a job?”
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Stephen: “Doing what?”

Sandy: “I am the district manager of the Denver south region for the Rocky Mountain
News. and I was hoping that you might like to work for me delivering papers.”
Stephen: “I don’t know how.”
Sandy: “I’ll show you, and it’s not very hard. You’ll have to ask your parents.”
Sandy: “Do you think this is something you would like to do?”
Stephen: “Well,” “Yea.”
Sandy: “All right, here take my card and telephone me after you talk to them.”
Stephen: “Ok!”
She vanished as fast as she appeared. I found my first job.
Beep clock says 4:00AM, three hours before school. I get up and put some clothes
on. Out the back door I went. The smell of my mom’s fresh flowers in the air was
enchanting. I felt powerful and energized by being the only person up at that time. It was
stone silent other than the sound of the occasional passing car on a nearby Street. Mixed
with the prancing of my dog Blick’s feet on the stone pathway leading to the alleyway. I
had to tell her down girl as she jumped up on my legs looking for attention. As I walked
around the Queens silver Capri there they were, two big bundles of the Denver’s Rocky
Mountain News.
Upon counting them there was 274 to be exact. That’s right, I got the paper route
and not a little one either. At times I would have over 300 papers to deliver. I did this job
7 days a week for about 3 years and I enjoyed it because I made all the decisions. I chose
the way I would fold the newspaper and the direction I delivered the papers on the route.
I had five customers that requested to receive their papers on the porch. When I would
perform my monthly collection, those were the customers that would tip me well. It was
well enough that I made sure their paper was in the same place every day.
Having moved from across town from Lakewood, Co. to Denver a year before I
had very few kids I considered as friends (Side Kicks). When we would go out, I was the
one who always had the money to do things. So, I watched a movie with one Side Kick
and would go play games with another. It didn’t take long for Eric, to start asking
question about where the money came from. I told him about the paper route. Eric was
very interested.
Eric: “Is it hard?”
Stephen: “No, it’s getting up in the morning before the chickens crow takes a little getting
used to.”
Eric: “Can I spend the night and help you tomorrow?”
Stephen: “Sure, are you going to be able to wake up?”
Eric: “Yea!”
Stephen: Ok, does Saturday sound good?
Eric: “Yes let’s do it.”
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I have never had anyone help me before, but I knew how to do my job well and if
he didn’t help much it will be alright. There was still a 6 AM delivery deadline set by the
Rocky Mountain News. My mom the queen also thought it would be alright if I had a
sidekick along for the trip and so did I.
On that Friday night I ordered us a pizza from the local bake shop. When it
arrived the smell of pepperoni and cheese was inviting. My sidekick of course, was still
full of questions. I eventually had to tell him it's easier to show you at sunrise I will
demonstrate. Let’s take in a play in the courtyard and turn in early because the morning
comes real early.
Stephen: Hey, it’s time to get up! To my surprise, he woke up with little to no trouble. Away we
went to the alley and as usual there were two tight wrapped bundles with a few loose
ones between. I picked up one bundle and gestured to the side kick to grab the other.
Stephen: “ok, I have attempted to fold them the long way and it works good for the bigger news
issues such as Sunday. You can't throw them very far. By folding them the short way
allows me the benefit of both distance and accuracy.”
Eric: “What do you mean?”
Stephen: “It will be easier to show you. Come on, let’s get these folded so, we can get done
today.
Stephen: “Today it will be easier to show you how to do this with the shopping cart rather than
the bike. The shopping cart is easier to deliver the larger newspapers like on Sundays.
Usually there are more advertisements and inserts.”
Eric: “Oh”
As the morning went on, I continued to explain the importance of placement. I must
consider myself as the king within each castle and think if I lived here where would I like to find
my paper. In the shrubs or along the path to the house. Additionally, by throwing the papers
closer to the house leaves less risk of them being stolen. If they don’t get their paper by 6AM,
some customers will call and complain. Everything went great that morning. Eric helped me the
next Saturday as well.
Shortly thereafter the Gate Keeper of Opportunity asks me if I knew of anyone that
wanted to take on a route of 175 papers. I told her about my friend Eric.
Sandy: "ask him."
I did, and he accepted. It was not long after two other friends asked for a job as well. My
supervisor loved me, and she told me that I would make a great businessman. With all the prior
wisdom she offered, this became a defining moment in my life. It became a gateway into a
universe of creative solutions. I don’t have to work under people.
Fast forward 40 years. I awoke with a sudden jerk as I jumped up startled. I had been
catching some Z's. It was 2:30 AM. “That’s it,” I said to myself “I’m dying to begin my own
business.” Later that morning as if the universe was trying to tell me something. On the T.V.
news, they were talking about how people loved to come to Colorado and experience the great
outdoors. There was one company that offers guided tours on UTV Razors in the summertime
and on Snowmobiles in the wintertime. As a teenage kid, I had a minibike and went everywhere,
and I enjoyed going to the cabin and riding on Uncle Tom’s snowmobile.” That’s it!” “I’ll rent
Motorcycles, UTV’s, and Snowmobiles.”
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Moving along, I began taking business school at age 52. In the morning of my first day, I
was very uneasy and full of doubt, but, that first day came and past. There were so many
resources available to me at Red Rocks Community College.