NATCHEZ — In his late 40s, Ricky Brown decided to go back to school and it has led to both career satisfaction and a recent purchase.

When The Dart landed on Ratcliff Place Friday, Brown was leaning against a ladder cleaning the gutters out of his new house.

“It was the closest one I could find to the golf course,” Brown said, laughing. “I can walk to the course and get some extra exercise.

“It has a pool in the backyard, and it’s a quiet and shady neighborhood.”

In addition to cleaning the gutters, Brown was also waiting on concrete to arrive so he could pour a slab in the backyard in order to convert an old garage into a woodworking shop.

For 20 years, Brown delivered mail for the U.S. Postal Service, but he had always wanted to go back to school. At age 48, he did.

“I felt the calling, and I did it,” Brown said.

Brown decided to pursue a career as a registered nurse, starting at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and transferring to Alcorn State University. For the last 10 years, Brown has been working in the medical field.

“I like helping people,” Brown said. “It is really rewarding and beats putting mail in a mailbox every day.”

Brown said he never worried about finding a job in the field once he graduated, but he did worry about passing as an older student.

“You don’t have the opportunity to fail when you get to be my age,” Brown said. “You have to turn the TV off and study. The teachers were really helpful.”

Now working for Core Civic running the pharmacy at the company’s prison in Adams County, Brown said he is enjoying life in the medical field.

“I enjoy helping out friends and patients, and helping them get better,” he said. “Of course you are going to lose people, and it’s tough but you can’t blame yourself.”

As a nurse, one is rarely off duty, but Brown said he enjoys that as well.

“You always have friends wanting medical advice,” Brown said. “And if you go into Walmart in your scrubs, people will come up to you.

“It’s always good to give back.”