a my father was a foreman of a sugar-cane plantation in rio piedras, puerto rico. my first job was to drive the oxen that ploughed the cane fields. i would walk behind an ox, guiding him with a broomstick. for $ 1 a day, i worked eight hours straight, with no food breaks. it was very tedious work, but it prepared me for life and taught me many lasting lessons. because the plantation owners were always watching us, i had to be on time every day and work as hard as i could. i’ve never been late for any job since. i also learned about being respectful and faithful to the people you work for.