Why I Turned Down $13,000/hr from McDonald’s

A few weeks ago, McDonald’s offered me $55,000 for a few hours worth of my time. It would’ve been about $13,000 an hour.

When I was a kid the big treat of the week was when my mom would take me to McDonald’s. My favorite meal. Mmm. Fries. A quarter pounder. A six-piece nuggets. A vanilla milkshake.

One time my grandparents took me to McDonald’s and then I got caught shoplifting at a toy store in the mall.

My grandpa had said to me at the McDonald’s, “We’ll get you anything you want.” But that wasn’t enough. I ate a quarter pounder and then robbed the Kay-Bee Toy & Hobby shop of baseball cards. I was 10. The police came.

My grandpa, who loved me, hit me.

—

McDonald’s was freedom. When I would skip school, first stop was always McDonald’s.

Once a month as a kid, my dad would take me out of school.

He’d take me to the dermatologist because my acne was so bad I needed special treatments.

The doctor would drill all of the pus out of the purple cysts that were forming all over my face.

I would hide in McDonald’s, all blotchy and purple, for the rest of the day while I read comic books. 56th and 8th Avenue. The McDonald’s is still there.

A few weeks ago McDonald’s started tweeting about me.

I lose about 100 twitter followers every time they tweet to their 3.5 million followers about me.

And people would hit “reply” to the tweets with all these graphic images about McDonalds. I won’t describe them. I don’t really care.

There are only so many fights you can have in your life. Guns? No guns? Climate change? Identity politics. McDonald’s… good or bad.

I don’t fight those fights. Life is hard enough. I raise a bunch of kids who I love. I help my friends. I have a bunch of employees. People depend on me. Or so I tell myself.

McDonald’s kills chickens. That’s someone else’s fight.

McDonald’s had a role in my life when I was young.

About once a month I’d visit my half-sister in the city and she’d take me to McDonald’s. That’s where we got to know each other.

She’d say, “I’d never eat here. But I’ll take you here.”

Is this an ode? Am I writing an “ode”?

—

McDonald’s offered me $55,000 a few weeks ago so I would let one of their employees shadow me for a day.

I turned down the money. I didn’t want it.

If I took the money I’d have to do what they say. I’m not very good with that, no matter what the price.

They didn’t understand. “But you agreed to do this!”

I said, “Yeah, I agreed to let a McDonald’s employee shadow me for a day. I don’t want the money. Just let him shadow me. Why do I have to sign a contract?”

So I let Billy follow me for a day.

I had meetings with several entrepreneur friends. Showed Billy the comedy club. He got to meet people who are paving their own way in life and creating their own paths.

Just like I hope Billy does. Just like I hope my own kids do.

I hope it was a fun day for him.

McDonald’s may or may not be a great place for kids to start off their careers. But it’s nice that they let him follow me around for a day.

One time with my mom, when I was a kid, I was eating a Big Mac and taking such a disgusting juicy bite that the woman next to us said to her daughter, “Just don’t look, honey, YOU DON’T HAVE TO LOOK” and my mom said to me, “You’re so disgusting” while ‘special sauce’ and tiny bits of meat oozed down my chin.

—

Billy, don’t be a a little tool in the machine. Have your fun, save some money, eat some shitty junk food.

Then start to piece together who you are.

If you aren’t the master of your life, then you are the slave of someone else’s.

Blah!

Are you crazy, turning down $55,000 for just a few hours work showing a kid around?

I don’t know. Maybe. What’s crazy?

McDonald’s, the largest restaurant chain in the world, is f***ing following me.

Full circle.

The post Why I Turned Down $13,000/hr from McDonald’s appeared first on James Altucher.

from James Altucher https://ift.tt/2ThE0o6 via website design phoenix