The Flyers of 1982

     Page Thirty.
     On page twenty-nine, I referenced some flyers I put out in '82. Let's chat about those today.
     I'd been living with the Van Myms for a few months. and was still quite new at Salon: Alpha-Omega, having just started there in July of '81. I had no money. Let's repeat that. I HAD NO MONEY. One more time with vigor... BROKE!!! And I was twenty years old.
     What are all the things that a twenty year old can do to earn money? Just for fun, let's list, comprehensively:
1) prostitution
2) drug sales
3) steal
4) beg
5) become pope
6) become a major movie actor
7) become president
8) landscape
9) child-care
10) paint
11) clean
12) odd jobs
13) sell shoes
     That's it. Nothing else. I researched thoroughly. There were no other things. Now, let's go down this list, shall we? Numbers 1-4, seemed unsavory, just not my style; 5-7, I was certainly qualified for these positions but upper management didn't think so, else I would've gotten the jobs; 8, well... I hate doing yard work; 9, I was a live-in nanny so I didn't think more kids would be kind to my soul; 10, 11 and 12, I could do; 13, not interested.
      So... how does one go about getting jobs painting, cleaning and doing odd jobs? The Van Myms told me I should make up a flyer advertising myself, then she would make copies at work. I could then put them in neighbors' front doors and wait for the phone to ring. So I did, then she did, then I did, then it did. She printed up four hundred flyers, of which I put out about three hundred seventy five. I still have the remainders. It's really a lousy flyer - very amateurish - but not too many neighbors seemed to care, apparently. Honestly, I didn't get that many responses, but the ones I did get really made a difference in my life.
     As previously mentioned, Dr. Hanson's wife responded and inquired about elder-care. I also got a few responses for cleaning and painting, (I've been told that I'm a good cleaner and painter). I received a few unexpected phone calls for party help!?!? Gee, where would that lead? As these things went out in July, there were the phone calls for yard work. I didn't want them but accepted them. I also got a number of calls for child care. The child care I absolutely said no to. After I explained why, most people understood; that is, all did except for one lady named Lena. That's a separate story. Brother, is that a story!
     I'd employ the flyer concept again, later in life. Sometimes you just have to let people know you exist.