Local resident John Ervin reports that a matchbook job opportunity pursued by him in 1974 “did not work out” as planned.“I took the matchbook advice – I ordered the materials and learned Basic computer programming at home,” he reports, “But despite the lure of the big money I failed to pursue a career in it. It's my own damn fault."
“I was young and foolish back then” the Circuit City large applicance installer adds. "I even looked like the guy on the matches."
Ervin sadly recounts that as a 21-year-old that year he instead went to work as a plumber’s helper, earning $2.75 an hour, despite spending almost $30 on his failed computer career that could have paid, according to the cover, anywhere from $7,000 to $12,000 per year.
“I guess if I went into computers back then I might be really good at them today,” he recounts, wondering at what might have been. “I’m pretty good now with some things – I’m good at downloading photos and short movies off the internet. And I can find web sites fairly easily. Plus I win spider solitaire almost every time. But put me in front of Powerpoint and I freeze up."
Ervin says that matchbook jobs today are scarce. “This Bush economy sucks.” He admits, “Matchbooks today advertise cigarettes and gas stations, or the grocery store where they were bought, not career opportunities. I can’t believe I let that go – man, what was I thinking?”
