Forrester, a fourth-grader, had already made his career choices.

 

"I want to ride around on the city trucks that pick up the garbage at people's homes," he told Felicia, his mother. "I plan to be a sanitation engineer."

 

"Why would you want to be a sanitation engineer?" asked Felicia.

 

"Well, for one thing if the city didn't send someone around to get all the garbage and take it to the landfill, before very long, the neighborhood would begin to have a very unpleasant odor," replied Forrester.

 

"I enjoy working with my hands, and the sanitation engineers I have seen always seem to be moving...you know...they stay physically fit, and I want to be in good shape."

 

"But how will you keep your hands clean?"

 

"Oh, I won't get any of the garbage on my hands," said Forrester. "I plan to wear gloves!"

 

"How much money can you earn annually as a sanitation engineer?" asked Felicia.

 

"Maybe $18,000 or $20,000 a year," Forrester replied. "But I only plan to work part time as a sanitation engineer. For my full-time job, I plan to work as a public speaker in conferences and seminars...that type of thing."

 

"What would you speak about?" asked his mother.

 

"I have a long list of possible topics," said Forrester. "Things like air pollution, good nutrition and the importance of getting enough exercise."

 

"What do you know about air pollution?" asked Felicia.

 

"I know there is way too much harmful stuff in the air that makes it hard for a kid like me to breathe," Forrester said.

 

"What do you know about getting the proper amount of exercise?" asked Felicia.

 

"I know just about all there is to know about exercise, Mom," said Forrester. "I play baseball, basketball and football all year long." "Well, what do you know about getting good nutrition?" asked Felicia.

 

"I know that I need several servings of fruits and vegetable every day to keep me healthy," said Forrester.

 

"How much do you think you can make as a speaker?" asked Felicia.

 

"About $10," answered Forrester.

 

"About $10?"

 

"That's $10 for each person who attends each of my speaking sessions," said Forrester. "I'm pretty good with math, and I figure if 10,000 persons attend my seminars each year that's $100,000."

 

"Not bad for a fourth-grader!" exclaimed his mom. "Not bad at all!"

 

"Not now, Mom!" laughed Forrester. "I'm talking about when I grow up!"