--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the summer I mowed their lawns for…" description: "\"“In the summer I mowed their lawns for five dollars a week; in the winter I shovelled their walks for cups of hot chocolate; and in the fall I raked th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/dan-wells-2142_adventure_in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-fi_1517928.png" --- # In the summer I mowed their lawns for five dollars a week… ![“In the summer I mowed their lawns for five dollars a week; in the winter I shovelled their walks for cups of hot chocolate; and in the fall I raked their leaves for the pure thrill of watching them burn.” quote by Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/dan-wells-2142_adventure_in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-fi_1517928.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/dan-wells-2142_adventure_in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-fi_1517928.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/dan-wells-2142_adventure_in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-fi_1517928.png) > ““In the summer I mowed their lawns for five dollars a week; in the winter I shovelled their walks for cups of hot chocolate; and in the fall I raked their leaves for the pure thrill of watching them burn.”” [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes seasonal work with a dark, almost masochistic pleasure in watching others suffer. **In simple terms:** He enjoys doing odd jobs while watching others' misfortune. Key Takeaway Reflect on why you find pleasure in others' pain. Themes morality pleasure power dynamics Mood dark thoughtful Type literary reflective When to use this quote - service jobs - volunteer work Key Concepts sadism economic disparity seasonal labor Questions to Reflect On - What drives this thrill? - Can empathy replace this feeling? A Different Perspective May be hyperbolic or satirical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Hot chocolate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot-chocolate/) ## Related quotes > [I mowed yards with my grandpa at $10 a pop for awhile. I painted numbers on curbs. I cleaned swimming pools. 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I've mowed the front yard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-dickman/i-ve-hurt-you-i-ve-loved-you-i-ve-mowed-the-front-yard/) [Matthew Dickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-dickman/) > [As one by one I mowed them down, my superiority soon became apparent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-raul-capablanca/as-one-by-one-i-mowed-them-down-my-superiority-soon-became-apparent/) [Jose Raul Capablanca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-raul-capablanca/) > [You worked your paper route, mowed the lawn, then played golf all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-funk/you-worked-your-paper-route-mowed-the-lawn-then-played-golf-all-day/) [Fred Funk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-funk/) > [“The Frays had never been a religiously observant family, but Clary loved Fifth Avenue at Christmas time. 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This unusual phenomenon is called lactase persistence, and although a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rutherford/except-if-you-re-of-european-descent-your-lactase-continues-to-work/) [Adam Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rutherford/) > [“It wasn't until the show was almost over that I figured out what it was: the crack above my David Onica that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/it-wasn-t-until-the-show-was-almost-over-that-i-figured-out-what-it/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“Group hug!” Daisy announced, and before I knew it, I was buried in my friends’ arms. I inhaled their scents, feminine and hopeful, closing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-shen/group-hug-daisy-announced-and-before-i-knew-it-i-was-buried-in-my/) [L.J. Shen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-shen/) > [Milk chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate kisses, dark chocolate, caramel, chocolate nuts, chocolate fudge, hot chocolate. That's what's on my mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/milk-chocolate-white-chocolate-chocolate-kisses-dark-chocolate/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) ## More by Dan Wells > [“I’ve picked a side,” she said darkly. “And everyone’s on it. And that’s exactly who I’m going to save.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/i-ve-picked-a-side-she-said-darkly-and-everyone-s-on-it-and-that-s/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [“I had called Brooke 'it'. That was stupid. That was...horrifying. I was better than that... ...Calling human beings 'it' was a common trait of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/i-had-called-brooke-it-that-was-stupid-that-was-horrifying-i-was/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [“You're talking to me and I'm not scary." Said Kira. "Yes you are!" said Afa.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/you-re-talking-to-me-and-i-m-not-scary-said-kira-yes-you-are-said-afa/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [“Curing RM is in the realm of magical pixies and talking dogs that piss whiskey. It's impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/curing-rm-is-in-the-realm-of-magical-pixies-and-talking-dogs-that/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [“She thought no one could see her. I thought she was beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/she-thought-no-one-could-see-her-i-thought-she-was-beautiful/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [Facts are too busy being true to worry about how you feel about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/facts-are-too-busy-being-true-to-worry-about-how-you-feel-about-them/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [My wit is like your legs," said Xochi. " It would be selfish of me to keep it hidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/my-wit-is-like-your-legs-said-xochi-it-would-be-selfish-of-me-to-keep/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [“If you can’t know the truth,” said Isolde, “live the most awesome lie you can think of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/if-you-can-t-know-the-truth-said-isolde-live-the-most-awesome-lie-you/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [“Skousen remembered a world falling apart. Kira remembered a world pulling together to save itself. That was the difference. That was why Skousen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/skousen-remembered-a-world-falling-apart-kira-remembered-a-world/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [“Finally Marcus stepped forward. "If you insist on going through me to get him, it's your call. But I warn you, I will probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/finally-marcus-stepped-forward-if-you-insist-on-going-through-me-to/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [Fear is a ... it's a weird thing, when you think about it. People are only afraid of other things, they're never afraid of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/fear-is-a-it-s-a-weird-thing-when-you-think-about-it-people-are-only/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [“We're taking you to the hospital,' it said, 'you're going into shock. Can you tell us how you feel?' 'I feel ...' What do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/we-re-taking-you-to-the-hospital-it-said-you-re-going-into-shock-can/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [I stared at her closely, studying her face, her eyes, everything. This was the angel that tamed a demon; the soul that trapped him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/i-stared-at-her-closely-studying-her-face-her-eyes-everything-this/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [“So, your plan is to murder a superior enemy army," said Tovar, "and then outrun the wind. I'm glad it's so simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/so-your-plan-is-to-murder-a-superior-enemy-army-said-tovar-and-then/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [Love's not the point. We just do what we always do, and we get by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/love-s-not-the-point-we-just-do-what-we-always-do-and-we-get-by/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) [Explore all 175 Dan Wells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) ## More Adventure quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. 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I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/) Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/) Kevin McLeod > [“It always gave Wolf a peculiar thrill thus to tighten his grip upon his stick, thus to wrap himself more closely in his faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/it-always-gave-wolf-a-peculiar-thrill-thus-to-tighten-his-grip-upon/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [“It all had to be squeezed and squeezed again, to provide a thrill, to provide enjoyment. 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Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [I am not an adventurous person but I am gutsy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-am-not-an-adventurous-person-but-i-am-gutsy/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) [Browse all 7,690 Adventure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the summer I mowed their lawns for five dollars a week; in the winter I shovelled their walks for cups of hot chocolate; and in the fall I raked their leaves for the pure thrill of watching them burn.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dan Wells" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-five-dollars-a-week-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adventure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-five-dollars-a-week-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/dan-wells-2142_adventure_in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-fi_1517928.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/dan-wells-2142_adventure_in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-fi_1517928.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/dan-wells-2142_adventure_in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-fi_1517928.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the summer I mowed their lawns for five dollars a week; in the winter I shovelled their walks for cups of…” — Dan Wells", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dan Wells", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In the summer I mowed their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-five-dollars-a-week-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/in-the-summer-i-mowed-their-lawns-for-five-dollars-a-week-in-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```