death of losing his little job, and the modicum of pseudo-security it gives him. That this situation will someday end, and that soon, I believe and hope, but right now the average American is using little effort to get himself off the horrible treadmill he is running upon.
So! Let them talk. Let them sneer, if sneer they will. They'd like to be doing just what you're doing—escaping from the rat-race— but they haven't the guts.
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CASE HISTORY No. 1. Some of the case histories that you'll find in this book are admittedly on the exotic side, and not suited to a good many of us, so lets look into a few that are more down to earth. I have before me a letter from a friend and will copy it word for word.
Dear Bob:
Your idea for a book on how to retire while still young sounds good to me. I look forward to reading it, although, as you know, I am already "retired" for all practical purposes. You ask for "case histories." How about this one?
My cousin, Clinton, now 21 years old and in his fourth year at college intends to spend at least six years there. He "can't afford" to leave. He ceased to be a burden on his parents after the second year and now employs anywhere from three to four of his fellow college students. He used to fish around for spare-time jobs, dishwashing in cafes at night, trimming hedges, mowing lawns, etc. He received $5.00 to $7.50 an hour which still is a going rate for labor in his college town (Durant, Oklahoma). He made $150 to $200 a week working himself pretty hard, but which was enough to get by on.
But during the summer of the first year, after the 2nd semester, he went to work for an old man helping him mow lawns at from $25 to $40 per lawn, depending on size. He got only $6.50 an hour as usual and was disgusted to be paid only $10.00 on a job the old man got $40 for. So he quit, trotted home to Papa, borrowed $250 for a lawn mower, some fertilizing and seeding equipment and solicited business on his own. He didn't get too