There's something about shoveling a sidewalk and then standing back to look at it. It's an art form, does something to the soul. I had eight customers, they were good tippers and often threw in hot chocolate and cookies. What a grand day.

The newspaper job started when I was 11, delivering the Downtown Shopping News with my wagon. Jimmy Caraher was the "captain" and we had to go to his garage to pick up the papers and then deliver a hundred or so, one to every house and one each for every apartment. It was an entry-level position that could lead to a job delivering the Chicago American, since Jimmy had connections.

The next year my agent (Jimmy) landed me a job delivering the American with my bicycle. If you've ever delivered newspapers you know the great satisfaction that comes with making a tight roll-a newspaper rolled so tight that you can throw it up on a porch, hit the door and the paper will still stay rolled.

After they're rolled, the papers go into the canvas bag you sling over the handlebars of your bike. Now you're ready to move out. Throwing a newspaper on a porch while you're riding your bike takes concentration and experience. At first I'd miss the porch, throw the paper into the bushes and have to retrieve it. But eventually I was able to do the entire route without ever getting off my bike. Well, almost, since there was one grouchy customer who insisted I lay an unfolded paper at his doorstep. Guys like that ruin the fun.

Come winter, there were days when I'd have to walk the route, and when it snowed, it was off to the shoveling job. Even in those days you needed two jobs to make ends meet. But what fun it was.

When Frank isn't rolling newspapers, he can be reached at fburge@cmp.com.