Rich to Rags

Papers poured out of dusty desk drawers from over twenty years ago just waiting to see the light of day again. Old files and receipts litter the floor exposing transactions between the family’s interests, overindulgence in comfort foods at grocery stores, and random purchases over the years. Records jammed in boxes line the perimeter of his home office. Saving every document seemed like a novel idea at the time. Now, it’s become a monumental chore to organize it into a manageable organized mess. Rich sighed. Much like his life working as an untouchable CEO for a tech company, it’s become a thing of a long distant past. Rich thumbed through the nostalgic documents around the room as if he was archiving artifacts of a great leader from a bygone era. This was my life, he thought. Several hours slip away unnoticed, and mental fatigue crept. Rich took a seat in his chair like he always has, intertwined his fingers in his ashy hair, then closed his weary eyes. On cue, intrusive thoughts invaded his brain. How can a CEO fall so far to being near homeless? Life has been vicious to him in his late years. One day he was on top of the world, the next he was withdrawing funds from his retirement to provide for his family. Change became like a car crash: unexpected and unfair. Yet, seeing unfortunate people line up for their meals made for the month made him feel guilty. The same system that he adapted well into was the same that stole everything from him, and now he stands in shame among those that barely survive. He’s a father and a husband, desperate times require desperate measures to defend them from the barbaric street life. Why did it have to happen to him? Reluctantly Rich opened his eyes. He flipped open his seven hundred dollars, HP, laptop hoping there to be an answer to his problems in his emails. Zero response from the numerous hiring representatives demanding a need to fill a position within their management team. Of course, they’d not even give him the decency to say why he’s not a good fit. He permitted himself to sink into the wallowing thoughts of failure. Maybe HR tossed his application realizing he’s overqualified? That he would pose a menace to their job security, but why couldn’t they stick him in a dead-end job so he can pay his dues? It would be nice, anything would be nice right now. He had a dark thought seep into his mind. Unspeakable. Tears welled in his eyes. Not my time. 

“Dinner’s ready!” The voice of his lady reverberated through the house. Rich announced his interest in a decent home-cooked meal with the hefty flops of footsteps on ceramic tile that crescendo as he went. He saw his wife stationed over a steaming pot of her specialty, chili. Despite not having much money to eat out, Rich felt eternally grateful for her impressive culinary skills. She can make a delicious dinner, when she felt up to it, compared to his cold-cut creations. Then his eyes shifted to the accumulation of envelopes on the island counter. Their presence unsettled him like a burglar committing a home invasion. It reminded him of the pending consequences of his failures. Bills. Rich vexed sorting them, while his wife, Kandi prepared his plate. Bankruptcy, foreclosure, overdrafts, nothing unusual. It’s been a year and a half since he’s last worked to fend off the threats. His retirement spared him from an early takeover from the mortgage company, but that well is all dried up. “Well..it’s time to refinance the house.” A clink of the steel serving spoon was as piercing as the moment of silence that trailed in its wake. Kandi’s face flushed to a rose pink. They both knew, no matter how optimistic they pretended to be, it is time to make a new deal. This was his castle, he’ll be damned if it’s taken too.

Several months have gone by. Rich had declared bankruptcy, followed by filing a suit for Chapter 13. It was a wild card to refinance his home and a variety of essential bills. He and Kandi appeared before a judge the week after and received an appointed trustee. She was a wicked woman. She and Kandi would get heated, now and then, explaining the finances to each other. Whatever was unnecessarily spent must get cut—and line her pockets—as Rich tried persuading her, and the judge, otherwise. Not only was she mindless, but she was also to remain their trustee for the next five years. Coming home from the hearing downright exhausted and peeved them both, the gravity of what they’d just done became an unbearable weight on him. Kandi was almost in tears from rage, and the whole family felt her potential wrath. Doubts of whether they can keep this system working to protect their house from foreclosure, meanwhile having to rely on charity from the church or food banks, or family occasionally sending money to help continued to haunt them in guilt. Rich, usually prided himself in his work and being a provider, but this was the bottom of a pit he doesn’t know if he’ll crawl out of, he thought. He knew after today the whole family—his son and eldest daughter, Kandi, and himself—all kept the same thought in the back of their heads. Was it worth it to struggle more over a damn house? The ever-present uncertainty of hopelessness would normally gnaw away his self-worth as a husband, father, and man. Instead, it lit a fire he didn’t have before in this sinking ship-like scenario. Rich immediately stormed into his office with purpose and opened his laptop again coincidentally finding responses from a handful of employers, without hesitation, he took them on their offers. 

Work became sporadic. One day, he’d rush off to the nine-to-five scene decked out in the company’s polo, only to realize his desperation was exploited to pay him meager amounts for his skills. “You’re doing so well. You’re top tier in this department. I’d like you to begin training the newbies.” his boss would say beaming in praise, not lifting a finger to draft a new contract for a management position. Of course, Rich was delighted at first working, at the time, at a call center where he and another are recognized, but once he walked up to his own home, the air grew thick. It wasn’t enough. It didn’t take long for him to sit down at the kitchen table with his eldest daughter, who’s able-bodied and eager for a prosperous career, to begin asking for financial help. She looked at him like she looked at herself. Dad is exhausted but still fighting for all of us, and he too, has dreams. Kandi saw the two like peas in a pod. Both of them share more than just their light brown eyes and dark features. They are like a couple of wolves leading a pack with unmatched intelligence in their line of work. Odds always against them, for her being one of the few women in a man’s world of automotive mechanics, nonetheless, they both stood in their convictions against the world. Despite their insatiable aspiring nature, they never were conniving in their business practices, rather they always matched customers and coworkers alike with a compassionate heart. At home, his daughter never asked for much at all. Anything she needed she preferred to acquire it herself—just like her dad—so when one of them swallowed their pride to ask for anything, it was necessary. Of course, she agreed. 

Kandi turned her natural fixation with houses into her main expertise. She had earned an income on the side in reality, with a realtor friend talking about property values, to working at a hardware store primarily used for home improvement; She’s done everything in between. After a hard shift, she found an insurance company with outstanding benefits and earnings posting the need for more agents on social media. Instantly she applied, and Kandi aced her interview. When her new employer gave her educational courses to do, she studied them all day, every day, until she eventually attained her official license as an insurance agent. It was only a quarter after six, Rich barged through the garage door. He took a worn-out stride down the hall into the half office-half laundry room where Kandi worked. He made a couple of glances over her shoulder discovering the topics to be something he’s learned before as a former CEO. “What’s all this about?” as he became more apparent about his prying, just like Kandi knew it would attract his attention. “I’m getting my license as an insurance agent!” She gleamed, “You should apply! They have benefits for the whole family, great pay, and it’s remote. I can clock in without wearing pants!” Rich was taken aback by her excitement about no pants, but he looked over her courses to reassure himself how legit this was. Satisfied, he walked away wondering about his current job. Back into his “green room”--his office as the family has gotten to know it-- Rich fell into his worn leather chair, hands together in prayer, and rested his chin on his fingertips. Where am I going with this? He asked as if someone would answer him in his head, maybe God would speak to him like He’s done for the disciples. Maybe the way would be revealed. Maybe or not yet. The pressure of the entire household laid itself on his shoulders again. He noticed his hands beginning to tremor like an impending earthquake. Dark thoughts swirled around his vulnerable self dragging him down in a defeated spiral, until he cried out, “I’m not done yet!” All he knows is that he put a hundred twenty percent of his effort into his work which granted him more responsibility without an official title. No momentous improvements there; Suddenly, it all clicked in his mind. He swiftly opened his laptop and applied to become a professional insurance agent.  

It was a miracle of God that the employer snatched him up viewing him as an extraordinary asset, so they told him over the phone interview. Rich passed the courses and tests with flying colors, then began his new profession within a week and a half. He became the new lead agent in this new niche, of course, along with his wife because he reminded her of her previous training by expressing what he’s learned thus far. The weight of the world lifted. No more worries about the future. The house that stood as an achievement of his former corporate job remained with him, and it overlooked the vast hills of beautiful America. Rich proudly leaned against the double window frame. Finally, I made it. 

It’s been a whole year since he last took charitable contributions to help his family. Life was good. But something struck him like a freight train. Where has my life gone? Rich had forfeited so much of his time that he has forgotten who he was and what he liked to do, even before his reign as a “bigwig”, he had never done anything besides work. His job became him, without it he felt as if he got sucked into a black abyss. Realizing this, Rich decided to plan family trips across the country or fishing excursions. Both of which brought him back to his roots as a child again. Adulting is hard and draining, as he’s heard perpetually from the younger generation of Millennials. Kandi also noticed how she’s stopped living and wanted to fulfill a dream of hers too. She snuck across town and took in an English Spaniel puppy, at first Rich reacted like a typical man of the house, “We’re not keeping it.” However, five minutes later, Kandi saw the pair on the couch cuddled up while he looked up more information about her breed on his smartphone. The puppy named Cookie became “daddy’s little girl” in a heartbeat. Rich would work evening shifts, but during the daytime, even though he previously detested pools, he would be caught in the deep end with his favorite little friend. He looked at his happy companion under the summer sun and said in full confidence, “Life is good.”