The Bell That Won't Ring

As I write, my Stoop, like every other Stoop in Brooklyn, is covered in snow, as NYC just got hit with a major storm. And I am wondering: When is my bell gonna ring? Where are the young kids going door to door ringing bills trying to make some cash by shoveling snow?

I ain't holding my breath. I don't think it will happen. I think Al Gore should put these kids on the endangered species list, there are so few of them.

From my early teens until my early 20's, me and my pal TG would work every snow storm. We would ring every bell from 7th Street to Carroll street, between 8th avenue & the Park in Park Slope. I would take one side of the street, TG would take another. If we made the sale, we would yell to the other guy to come over and we would begin shoveling. We wouldn't even count the money until we were done, when we would go to a local bar, empty our pockets of cash on a table in the back, and throw back a few (or more than a few) cold ones.

We weren't the only kids doing it, there were lots of them hitting the pavement.

Its inconceivable to me that 5 days before Christmas in this rotten economy there are no young kids that need some extra money in their pockets.

I look out my window and see although there is a foot of snow, there are men on bicycles delivering Chinese food. And young kids can't go shoveling?

Memo to the young ones: Put down the video game and pick up a shovel. Go door to door. Its a good workout, plus you learn a valuable lesson: you have to work to get money in America.