Dave Sullivan
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (July 20/01) - When Tammie Cazon couldn't find work, she decided to do something about it.

At 19 she started her own chip wagon, and it's doing well. For years the wagon has been a familiar sight in town, but under someone else's ownership. She forged a rent-to-purchase deal with owner Duncan Canvin, and figures it will be paid off by the end of summer.

"Not many kids can get jobs in town. Everywhere I went they said they weren't hiring. I got fed up and started my own job."

The idea was actually her mother's, who realized Tammie had been cooking most of her life, and was good at it.

"Milkshakes are the biggest seller," she said while serving three customers thick vanilla, chocolate and strawberry shakes.

Cazon has no regrets despite some ups and downs, although she's beginning to grow weary of the sight of hamburgers.

"I've been cooking too many burgers," she said near a large fan in the wagon that strains to cut through the summer heat.

Coping with sweltering temperatures made worse by the heat from cooking equipment has been the biggest challenge so far.

She's found the mobile food business is either too busy or too slow - there doesn't seem to be a happy medium.

The biggest weekend so far was a recent softball tournament that brought in teams from across the territory.

Cazon plans to stay open until mid-October, but will be taking some time off Aug. 1 for her wedding.

Always thinking of business, she muses "maybe we should have the wagon at the wedding."