SHORELINE — Daniel Lydin was inspired to get his first real job by something that is not real at all — a movie.
The 12-year-old winner of The Enterprise’s annual Carrier of the Year contest said the Disney movie “Paper Brigade” compelled him to become a professional newspaper boy, at least for 45 minutes a week.
“In that movie they take the papers and throw them and they land perfectly at the door,” Lydin said about his moment of inspiration.
Lydin, however, does not employ his throwing arm on his route. He hand-delivers the newspapers to the front door.
A seventh grader at Einstein Middle School, Lydin has been delivering The Enterprise for almost a year. In that time he’s developed quite a fan club, including a black cat that follows him along his route and several of his clients.
“He always brings the paper up to the door. He’s a very nice kid,” said one Enterprise reader.
“No one could be better qualified for this honor,” said another. “Dan is conscientious, courteous and dedicated to doing his job. He’s a delight and greets with a ready smile.”
His fans rave for good reason. The person carrying precious cargo — their newspaper — often adds “a little something special” to his route.
During the holidays, Lydin sported a Santa hat and handed out candy canes with the newspapers. Bonding with the people he delivers newspapers to is what Lydin likes most about his job.
“I get to meet people and this might sound selfish, but I get paid for it,” Lydin said about why he enjoys his job.
Lydin takes his job very seriously has learned exactly what a first job is supposed to teach.
“It has taught me more about responsibility, to put time and effort into something,” Lydin said.
Lydin’s mother, Beth, (who has been known to get behind the wheel and drive her son along his route on rainy days) seconds this notion of responsibility. She said her son is very dedicated to the needs of his clients, and that while the majority of his clients are nice to him, he has learned that some people may not be as agreeable as others.
The relationships Lydin has built with his clients have become quite handy and in one instance helped his family recover lost property.
During the Christmas season, when reindeer lawn decorations were stolen from the front of Lydin’s home, he ended up telling a man who was on his route that he was looking for missing reindeer. The man, his client, eventually ended up finding the reindeer in the parking lot of a nearby church and notified Lydin.
“There was a relationship that had built, a tie to his newspaper route,” Beth Lydin said.
Although it may seem that Lydin’s life revolves around his newspaper job, it really only does on Fridays — the day he delivers. The rest of the week, he is busy with an array of activities, including playing the alto saxophone, soccer, baseball, and being a junior teacher at Sunday school classes at Calvary Fellowship Church.
When asked if he will be delivering papers for quite some time, he said “I am hoping so.”
His clients are likely hoping so as well.
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