When I was 19, I worked for a seafood restaurant as a prep cook, but most of the time, I hand-peeled thousands of individual shrimp 12 - 14 hours a day, six days a week.
We were classic American teenagers1one 15-year-old Korean kid who peeled shrimp with us. We nicknamed him "Flounder" (一种鱼). He was a good kid and we all liked him. Everyone knew Founder's parents, they owned the flower shop and the liquor store at a nearby mall.
So, one day, about eight of us were sitting around the table, when I said, "Flounder, why are you doing such a job? I mean, your parents own two 2. They must be very rich. You don't need the money, do you?"
Founder replied, "No, I don't need the money. I don't want this job. I hate it here. My dad makes me do it. He said he wanted me to know what my life would be like if I didn't get3."
It was silent. Flounder didn't realize what he had said to us. We all knew his dad was right. We'd all been schooled, 4 we weren't educated. We didn't even know what it meant.
Mark Twin once said, "Never let your schooling get in the way of your education." Flounder's dad knew that we learn in every moment in our lives, so he gave his son the best education he could by 5 him to peel shrimps.
At the time, I didn't view peeling shrimp as an education, I viewed it as a way to make money. But it was a 6 of my education, and a valuable one I am grateful to have had.
