The Beginning of a Hustler’s Mentality

How did I land my first professional job? Well, let’s begin by saying this—I have a knack for making things happen when I need something. If there’s a goal in my heart, I problem-solve and persevere until I achieve it.

Let’s get one thing straight—if my adopted father wanted to spoil us siblings, he absolutely could have. He had a great job. But I guess his mindset was simple: by adopting us and bringing us to the U.S., he had already given us a better life. The essentials—food, shelter, clothes—were covered, but anything extra? That was on us.

No hard feelings, though. I was always grateful for what he had done for us. I truly am. But let me tell you about the time my brother Froilan and I asked for Tony Hawk skateboards for Christmas.

We knew exactly what we wanted—those Steve Caballero-style boards, built for serious shredding. We spotted our wrapped presents, convinced our dream had come true… until we tore open the paper.

Plastic. Smaller. Definitely not Tony Hawks.

Already disappointed, but hey—you gotta show appreciation, right? 😂 At least he got us skateboards, even if they weren’t quite the ones we wanted.

And believe it or not, those plastic boards were sturdy sons of a gun! We still owned them, rolling through the neighborhood like seasoned pros—in our minds, anyway.

Matter of fact, one day I got a little too confident and took mine down a steep hill. Big mistake. I tumbled like an Olympic gymnast—Simone Biles comes to mind. Meanwhile, my buddy Chuck? Laughing his butt off.

But did I give up? Nah. I climbed back up, went down again, and owned it. Mission accomplished.

The Urgency for Quick Cash

So what lit the fire in me to earn some fast money that summer? Super Mario, Pac-Man, Galaga, Space Invaders, Kung Fu Fighters.

The culprits were all those arcade games we played at the Family Fun Center, about ten miles away.

I was tired of riding my BMX bike or walking to get there. And let’s be real—between my brother and me, we burned through a ton of quarters just to play. Some days, we couldn’t even go because we were flat broke.

So what’s the solution?
Get a job.

That summer of ‘87, I asked my mother—who was an extraordinary, lovable waitress at Golden Star Chinese-American Restaurant—if she could help me land a job.

Of course, she said, “Ask my boss.”
And just like that, I was hired as a dishwasher!

(Never mind the fact that I was underage, getting paid under the table. 😂)

But let me tell you—I owned that job like no one was gonna take it from me. I worked my butt off—because let’s be real, I wasn’t about to give my mom a bad name. She’d spank me if I messed up. (Joking! …Sort of. 😂)

The First Paycheck & My Prize

I worked weekends, sometimes covered weekdays, but don’t feel sorry for me—I still had plenty of time for family, friends, and good times.

But the real victory? I had money that summer!
I was rollin’ like a villain, chillin’ like a grasshopper (story for another time—LOL).

Then came the moment. My first paycheck, handed to me by the restaurant’s owner, Howard (bless his soul).

I swear you could see my big ol’ smile from ear to ear when I held that check. Cashed it immediately and ran straight to K-Mart to purchase my prize—

🔥 Super Nintendo. First edition. 🔥

Set it up in our shared bedroom and played it like there was no tomorrow. Invited friends. Celebrated. And just like that—we didn’t even need to go to the arcade anymore.

Mission accomplished.

And the best part? My brother was just as grateful as I was. I didn’t just do this for me—I did it for us.

Bonus Moment: The Steak & Lobster Incident

Oh—before I forget. One of the perks of working at the restaurant? Free lunch.

One day, feeling mighty confident, I ordered steak and lobster with potatoes for myself. The cook just looked at me, cracked a smile, and said:

“Go back and wash them dishes.”

Anything but steak, crazy kid! 😂

Final Thoughts

So that was my first professional job—Dishwasher. The beginning of my journey into adulthood.

That summer taught me a simple truth:
🔥 If you dream it, you can achieve it.🔥

It wasn’t about the money—it was about the lesson, the hustle, the determination to make things happen.

And hey—Super Nintendo was just the start. 😆🚀🔥

---