I'll Never Be Broke

Over the past week, we have finally gotten closer to buying a new house. After lots of trouble starting out, we got an offer accepted at the beginning of last week. Tomorrow will be the inspections and as long as there are no surprises there, we will be closing in the next two weeks. It is pretty exciting for us.

I have been going through and getting some initial packing done. Between this and packing up some of the stuff I had at my parent's house, I have had quite a trip down memory lane over the past month. I'm a bit of a pack rat. I save all sorts of things. I have a trunk full of old memories that I keep adding things to. Old newspapers, old pictures, ticket stubs, receipts. I can pull that trunk out and trace nearly every significant event (and some not so significant ones) in my life over the past 15 years.

As I was digging through my desk drawer trying to separate trash from sentimental trash that needs to go in the trunk from stuff I need to save, I came across an old wallet. I hadn't used this wallet in a long time, but I still decided to dig through it. I remembered that I'd probably left something in there. Sure enough, in one of the pockets, there was a two dollar bill. The story behind that two dollar bill is similar to lot of stories of me growing up. It came out of kindness and time invested in a young kid by someone who cared enough to spend some time and money.

It was given to me by an old guy I knew named Andy Anderson. Mr. Andy was man that went to the church I attended until I left for college. Once me and my friends got into high school, Mr. Andy would ask us to help him out with various projects he needed done around his house or around the church. Even though he was in his late 70s, he was always around changing light bulbs or painting parking lot lines or whatever else needed to be done. One day along with the payment he gave us, which usually involved lunch at somewhere like KFC, he gave each one of us a two dollar bill. In giving it to us, he said "Keep this with you, and you'll never be broke." That was easily ten years ago, and I have never been broke since.

Like I said, there are tons of stories I could tell of men like Mr. Andy. Cliff, Harry, Mike, Butch.... the list could go on for a long time. In addition to my dad (whose influence would need a lot more words than I can write to explain), there have been tons of men in my life who have set amazing examples for me. I am thankful for those men and their lessons, and as I move in towards another big milestone, it was good to find another reminder. I need to get that two dollar bill back into my wallet.

Recent Playlist:
The National - Boxer
The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
Trespassers William - Having
Suffering and the Hideous Thieves - Rats in Heaven
The New Year - The End is Near
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Nocturama
Northern Room - Last Embrace EP
Morrissey - Ringleader of the Tormentors
Hem - Eveningland
Radiohead - Hail to the Thief
Portugal, the Man - Waiter: "You Vultures!"
New Ruins - The Sound They Make
Menomena - Friend and Foe
Blonde Redhead - 23
Pela - Anytown Graffiti
Bill Mallonee - Permafrost