The Andria Johnson Home Made Bread Company

We were stationed in Germany when Andria was seven years old.  She came to me and asked for $16 to buy some roller skates. I said ok but suggested she should find some way to earn the $16. She said, "But dad, I sold all my old toys at the last yard sale." We talked about it for a while and decided to start a business. We called it "The Andria Johnson Home Made Bread Company."  (I make great bread!) 

She was the owner and I was the employee. I was also the bank! Andria applied to the bank for a start up loan sufficient to cover ingredients and four loaf pans. (That was all the baker could fit into that tiny oven!) Andria was also the sales and delivery person. 

The "banker" explained to Andria how interest on loans worked, that banks make a profit based on the interest rate charged. She applied for a $20 loan with $1 finance charge for a repayment of $21. Her venture loan application was approved.  She also had to pay her baker 25 cents per loaf to work for the company. We went to the store and purchased ingredients and loaf pans out of the $20 loan money. She kept a detailed ledger of her expenditures. 

We lived in a military housing community called Cardwell, just off LamboystraSSe in Hanau. She went out and knocked on every door in Cardwell. She came back with orders for thirty two loaves at $1.50 for white and $2 for cinnamon. Most orders were cinnamon. (A LOT more work for the baker!) 

When I went to work the next day the first sergeant called me at my shop and asked me to report to his office.  I thought "Oh crap!! What have I done to piss off Top?!" He was laughing and said that he had ordered two loaves of bread from my daughter and he just wondered if it was for real. I told him about the skates. 

On Saturday morning I started baking bread about 6:00 a.m. and finished up late Saturday night. I had two batches going on first and second rise all day. I took the first loaves out of the oven and started to put dough in the pans for the next round. Andria stopped me and said "Dad!!! Wash the pans!"  I explained that the pans were washed before I started and that they were still clean, even though I had just taken the first batch out. Still she insisted. I said, "I am the baker! I know how to bake bread!" She said, "Well I own the company! That makes me the boss!" I washed my bread pans after each batch! Sheesh. That boss lady was mean!

The next morning I accompanied her to deliver the loaves and collect her money. Everyone paid. She paid off her loan ($21), paid the baker ($8), bought her skates ($16) and still had a pretty nice pile of cash left over! 

I must admit...It was fun. But she was a hard boss!

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