Day 64: My First "Paid" Job.

While I was growing up, 

my mother always stressed to me the value of money.

and when I was around 13 or so, my mom would always ask me every other day, 

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I don't think she realized that not many people hire 13 year olds for work these days.

Eventually, I got a babysitting gig from a friend of a friend of a friend.

I guess they were pretty desperate.

Or maybe they thought that Asian kids are so well behaved that we're not going to do steal anything or whatever.

It was summer and I remember walking to their house from my parents store.

When I got there, the mother greeted me with a huge hug and introduced me to the two kids. 

Tyrone (8) and Sheena (7)

She explained to me all the rules of the house. Don't turn on the air conditioner. That they only use it when the whole family was home. To save money (It wasn't so hot that day anyway, just humid) . Don't let them have any cookies. Don't let them play too many video games and make sure they do their homework. (They were in summer school)

But she explained to me that they're extremely well behaved kids. 

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So I shouldn't have to worry too much...

right?

They watched their mother pull away from the driveway and then turned to me. Staring a bit.

All of a sudden, Tyrone said to me 

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When I said no, he started to sing "I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves" over and over again. I tried to ignore it, but he would be right next to me as he sang. Locking myself in the bathroom was out of the question because he would turn on the air conditioner anyway.

I was going to lose it though. It was humid...uncomfortable and here was this kid singing loudly in my ear. 

I gave in. 

It was all well and good, they played video games and I read.

After awhile, I turned off the air conditioner and told them that it was time to do homework.

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They just looked at me as if I was crazy. 


I tried to be tough and say that if they didn't do as they were told, i'd call their mother.


Tyrone just looked at me and said.


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I sat there on the couch, trying to figure out a way to persuade them to do their homework.


Then it hit me.


Treats.


I know that their mother said no cookies...but she didn't say no Skittles right?? I had some in my bag. Plus she wouldn't be able to find out if they had candy but she definitely would know if they didn't do their homework.


When I got up and told them that I'd give them Skittles if they finished their homework, they ran to their rooms to get their backpacks.


They finished it within an hour or so. I gave them each a handful of skittles. 


BIG MISTAKE.


I understood why she didn't want them to have cookies.


They were bouncing all over the place. 


They got bored of the PS2 and wanted to play a game. 


I thought we'd play Uno..


They wanted to play 'Hunter'


a game like tag, only they were hunters looking for prey..


me.


I was told to hide...but where could I hide in this small home? 


I went into their coat closet..



I could hear them say "We're going to eat her...yessss"


and sure enough, within seconds, they found me.


I tried to run, but I hit my toe against the table, slowing me down.


They tackled me to the ground and started pummeling me with their fists.


I struggled to get them off, but they clung on, laughing at my pathetic attempts.


Finally I pretended I was dead. They poked me. Called my name..I didn't respond.


Sheena started crying and Tyrone was pinching me. But to no avail.

Then he started crying...


I felt bad, but these kids needed to learn how to behave, 


So I pretended to cough.


Sure enough when they saw that I came back to life, They hugged me. 


and I told them that I was almost a goner, but I was still weak. So, if they misbehaved even more, I'd probably die again. 


So for the rest of the evening, they behaved. 


Just drawing and watching a movie.


When their mother came home, she was pleased to see that I hadn't destroyed the house and that her children were behaving. 


Later on I got a phone call from their mother, saying how disappointed she was because I had broken all her rules. The kids must have told her. 


After that I was never called again.