Growing up in the time that I did the thought process was that you graduate from High School, go to college, get a degree and get a good job with good pay and excellent benefits.

Excellent benefits…had to have the benefits to be successful.

And I followed that plan. Got the degree. Got a stable job…if you can call retail stable… and the good benefits.

And that was the path for 33 years.

And then I had had enough. I walked away from it all. And that is when I found what I call the “Shadow Economy”. People that work behind the scenes to keep the service economy that we now have in the United States running.

The people who work 2nd, and 3rd shift jobs. Some of them on the payroll, and some just for cash.

Cleaners, maintenance people, repairmen. All the so-called non-skilled laborers along with the skilled.

Construction workers, writers, editors….you name it. While all the 9-5 workers are at home living the dream, there is a vast army of people out there working to keep that dream going.

Some do it for convenience. Some do it for necessity.

Without these people the economy would crumble.

And I never gave it that much of a thought when I was doing what I was supposed to do…..

Living the dream….

Right.