Quite often when I’m walking home from work, I pass children selling various treats. Usually kool-aid. Occasionally pop. If I have change, I buy something, but not often. One of the things I notice is that all the neighbor kids are out there trying to mooch from these entrepreneurs. Pouting little girls, beggars, and on one occasion two older girls telling their brothers they were going to cream them if they didn’t get a handout. None of these salesmen told those juvenile panhandlers to stick-it.

During summer-break between fifth and sixth grade, my best friend, Ming Yang, and I decided we were going to sell lemonade. If it weren’t for Ming, I would’ve caved, but he was hard-nosed and made everyone pay including his parents. We made a couple of bucks and spent it on rulers and circle-templates (we were drafting-nerds).

Eventually, he would get part-time jobs so he could buy more stuff. I moved two years later and I have no idea what happened to him.

This strip is part one of four looking into the editorials Jack Klugmann and the SLTrib have run for during the last two weeks regarding deficit-spending as a solution to the oncoming depression. Both are smart and I respect their opinions, but I don’t buy it. This week, I am going to tell a story. I guess if you were going to be technical, this would be act 1 of three. I like telling stories and so, I hope this works out.