Baby Blues by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott for December 28, 2023

Hammie you may think twice about that. When winter sets in.

Imagine his response to irate customers.

“And when that dream is fulfilled I will see what my next dream will be.”

Let him dream because I’m sure that he’ll change his mind eventually.

Maybe he ought to interview a fast food worker for a school project. If the worker is honest Hammie will give up this goal very quickly.

Get him an outfit, some protective earwear, and see how he feels about mowing lawns.

And make minimum wage.

You’ve got 11 years of school left.

Join the army, Hammie, that way you are given a cool uniform, a full gearset and not only you get to work outdoor, but outcountry.

Watch out for kissy appreciative dogs.

Any job you love isn’t work.

Part of your face, maybe. And one arm.

Come on, Hammie. You can do better than that! You like construction equipment, right?

At least that’s a dream he can live when he’s still very young. That’ll give him plenty of time to decide if it’s his ultimate goal.

Meh – it’s a job, at least.

Hate to break it to you kid, but when you’re working the drive-thru window, that’s not ALL you do at that place. At certain times of the day, the drive-thru slows down and then you have to do other things like clean the breakfast equipment, mop floors, take out trash. I know this from serving my four-year sentence at McDonald’s.

I worked at a burger place in the 60’s. New employees were quizzed by the owner on math and making change. Cash registers of that era only kept Total Sales. If you passed, you worked at the counter, taking orders, dealing with cash (no credit cards), and filling orders. If you didn’t pass, you got to grill the burgers, build the sandwich with buns & condiments.

At the end of the day, inventory consisted of counting meat patties, drink cups, fry containers, etc.

Oh yeah, a single was 19 cents.

Hammie will change his mind many times before settling down to one in high school. I was an exception I think having only four career desires. My first was to be a fighter pilot in the air force like my father until I had to get glasses adn found out that disqualified me. In high school i first wantined to be an Electrical Engineer but my interest in mechanical things, especially engine, moved me to Mechanical Engineering. My military bug was still there and Army ROTC was at teh college I went to so being an Engineer Office was my choice.

I see Hammie joining the service, and learning how to blow things up

I do see more places that have a worker out IN the drive through area when things get busy to help with the morning rush.

Goals.

Uniform! Cool headset! Work outdoors! - Join the Marines!(sounds like a future campaign slogan to me)

It’s a great first job. Let him dream!

And don’t forget the best part Hammie, when you talk it will be totally non-understandable when your voice comes out of the speaker.

At least you don’t have to spend a fortune on his College tuition.

I know in the past, someone sold an officially licensed McDonald’s kitchen toy, so kids could pretend to work there. Also as an employee I got a plush of Garfield wearing a McDonald’s uniform. I gave that to my younger brother.

At least he wants to work when he grows up.

In his defense: he start at his full, lifetime job at 16! Way to go, Hammie!

How about being a mailman? A union, better pay, benefits, and retirement.

Hammie wants a career in giving to the needy.

Come on, kids his age always zero in on superficialities like that and think they’re awesome. He’ll get over it long before it’s time to make an actual commitment to a career path.

Fast food had just started existing when I was in college. One time we went to a McD that numbered something like 250.

And you get to talk in a garbled voice through a giant clown head

I really wanted to be a cart wrangler for a grocery store

Haha! (＾▽＾) IDK if ppl who work at fast food joints get free food, but that’d also be a perk for him!