1/15 As a person who runs a business I completely get this, but a little reminiscing & lamenting in thread. I subscribe to 4 newspapers all electronic & none in print (no print since 2007), so clearly I'm the type of news consumer that led to this. @sltrib https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/10/26/salt-lake-tribune-will/

2/15 I was nine when I first got a paper route and then we had the responsibility of delivering and collecting for subscriptions. I also got heavily involved in sales (yes as a nine-year-old). I was delivering the @DeseretNews and also selling the @sltrib.

3/15 Being a newspaper carrier formed my work ethic & taught me a lot about the world. It prepared me for my first job when I was 13 (I passed the route to my younger brother). M-F right after school I'd rush home & if the papers weren't delayed would get to folding & delivery.

4/15 On Saturday and Sunday it was early in the morning. Most Sundays the first year or two my dad would help because the papers were too heavy and he would either carry my bag while I ran the papers or he would drive the route on very rare occasion.

5/15 If papers were late, the complaints would come in quick. These were my first deadlines & customer service experiences. Eventually, subscribers would call my home directly, early on they would call the Newspaper Agency which would set off what seemed at the time to be chaos.

6/15 Usually, if papers were late it had nothing to do with us carriers but would screw things up for us. Printing, weather, traffic delays were usually the cause for getting us the papers late. They would typically be dropped at our houses early PM, but at times into the night.

7/15 We had to buy our carrier bags, our rubber bands, the plastic bags we would put the papers in when raining or snowing. As a result, we only used these things when we needed to and only replaced the bags when completely worn. Lessons. I could throw a paper and land it well!

8/15 As mentioned we had to collect. Most subscribers would pay without much hassle but when they didn't it was our problem and we had to eat it. I learned that some people were real jerks about paying their bills, even to 9-year-olds over small balances. I observed people.

9/15 Thinking back I spent an insane amount of time with strangers out selling papers for a 9-13 year-old but I excelled at it and made a lot of $ and won some big prizes. Multiple months I sold more subscriptions than anyone else in the system. Unique lessons for my age.

10/15 I won a trip to Disneyland. Was recognized on the ice at a Golden Eagles pro hockey game. I met tons of people; good and bad. I learned to hustle.

11/15 The most important lessons from being a "paperboy" came from all of the people I got to know. I knew EVERY old man on my route (customer or not). They taught me about the world, their world. I knew who was sick, who was out of work, who was moving, etc. We chatted a lot.

12/15 I knew all of the widows and widowers. I knew when they gained that status. I knew who was out of town. I knew all the cars. I really knew the neighborhood. I gained other work from my customers and could make as much money as I wanted as a kid, and I made a lot.

13/15 I stopped at a @WinchellsDonut shop on my route most days and knew all the regular customers. I knew the staff. I was welcomed in the back. I was part of that place. I doubt I ever paid for donuts. It was where I warmed up on the cold winter days.

14/15 AND I knew the news. I would get quizzed by old men on the route so I would study the first page of each section if I had time & be ready to discuss topics. I was up to date most of the time. The "Metro" section was my favorite and I spent a lot of time in classifieds.

15/15 So, I don't mind print papers going away - the ink bothered my skin. But I wish I could transfer opportunities I had to kids nowadays. It was unique then & impossible now. I'm grateful for NAC, @sltrib, & the @DeseretNews for training me, rewarding me, & opening my eyes.