Thanks Dad!

     Not again, another message from another lawyer regarding my recently deceased father. Great. I've had about fifteen different letters so far, all talking about how my dad had left me something. None of them were worth much. But this one was a little different and looked a little fancier than the rest. So I went on ahead and opened it. It wasn't about my dad, it was about another relative. The letter was for the estate of my great-uncle Xavier Gonzalez. According to the letter he passed away shortly after my dad passed away. The letter stated that I had 1.38 billion dollars waiting for me to claim at my earliest convenience. 

   Well hell, for that much money, my earliest convenience was now. I jumped in the shower, shaved, picked out a nice suit, and googled the address on the envelope. It was a 300-hundred mile drive, but that was fine. I had been unemployed for about seventeen weeks now. I had been trying to find a job that fit me, but most of the jobs that I found expected too much of my resume, so I didn't waste my time applying. The jobs that fit my resume were crap jobs that did not pay enough. Luckily for me, the letter said that the lawyer would pay for my gas and my hotel stay at a 'modest hotel'. So off I went.

     Imagine my shock when I heard that lawyer say, "Yes, the money is yours, but you first, you have to meet one condition, without any assistance from others that you may already know." Well apparently, my great-uncle kept in contact with my dad. I was instructed to get a permanent job drawing or doing art type stuff, which I always had claimed to love. I then had to hold the job for at least six weeks, at which point the lawyer was instructed to process the paperwork. To ensure that I had no help, I had to get the job here in El Paso, Texas. My family was pretty sure that I didn't know anyone here, which was very true.

     The lawyer gave me 24 hours to consider the offer. Hell for that much money, I didn't need 24 seconds! Of course I said yes! So, then I just had to come up with a plan of attack. 

     I bought all of the local papers and combed through each of the want ads to find any and all jobs that fit the description. I started to mark out the ones that I was pretty sure that I would not qualify for and then something hit me. For that much money, I could afford to get a few doors slammed in my face. I began applying to all of the jobs having to do with art. 

     Most of the applications were online, but a few still requested paper applications to be mailed in. I took the opportunity to run home and get my computer, my art supplies, my art portfolio, and some more clothes. Then, back to El Paso I ran. Most of my friends and family thought I was crazy, but I really wanted that money.

     Over the next three weeks, I received plenty of denial letters. Just to make sure that I was not exaggerating, karma also had a few doors literally slammed in my face. I was not amused, but it was expected.  After making my way through the want ads, I still had no job. I could wait a week and start all over again, but all that money was not doing me any good in that lawyer's bank account. So, I decided to start cold calling companies having to do with art type employment. 

     Cold calling was simply contacting companies that had no job requirements out on the market at the time. Most of the time, this does not work.  But, after nine or ten calls, I got hold of Mark's Markings. It was a label designer and graphic arts firm. Although they did not have any posted openings for employment, the owner, Mr. Mark Joy, was looking to hire three more employees. I set up an interview for the next day and arrived 15 minutes early. Finally, I might be able to start counting down on my six weeks.  

     At the interview, I was told that the position opened with minimum wage and the work would start out as intern style work. I didn’t really care because the agreement said nothing about starting pay or work completed. It was simply a job related to art and that job met the requirement. Now I just had to make it through six weeks of work.

     The first week was filled with coffee and sandwich runs for the staff. My second job was taking out the trash and restocking art supplies. I don't know how much you know about artists, but they can be very moody and spoiled. I got yelled at for not getting the right shade of magenta. I got yelled at for not getting the markers at the right store. I got yelled at for not properly cleaning up someone's work station for them. And, probably the most insulting complaint that I got in the first week was that I let the morning coffee get cold at one in the afternoon. I tell you, no sane person would ever put up with this. But, alas, I was not driven by sanity, but by my own personal goal.

     My second week was filled with the same type work, but with two minor differences. The first was that I received an additional complaint that my cologne was bothering someone in the office. It was not too strong. The smell just reminded one of the ladies of an old boyfriend and she was having too difficult a time trying to concentrate. So, I was asked to stop wearing cologne or change brands. The second change was the first of the six employees hired to fill the three open positions, chose not to show up to work anymore. That left five of us to fill three slots. 

     My third week was a bit of a change though. My boss called all of the interns in and told us that at the end of the next two weeks one more person would be let go. He reminded us of the fact that only three permanent positions were open and that there were still five of us. That brief explanation did take some of the sting out of it. It reminded us that in business, there was always competition, especially when it came to art.

     Roger was let go after the third week. I found out later, it was because he lost his temper with Suzy about taking out the trash.  Suzy's premodanna senses were overwhelmed at two in the afternoon by someone's tuna fish remains in the lunch trash. She could not stand to have those remains in the trashcan in the office anymore. She ordered Roger to take out the trash immediately. He refused and she had to put up with it for the rest of the day. But she complained about it to Mr. Joy. As he let Roger go, he reminded us that the customer does not have to always make sense. As the customer, they could afford to be finicky. At the time, the office personnel were our customers.

     At the end of the fifth week, Sheryl was let go for being late for the third time since we started working for Mr. Joy. He reminded us that in advertising and in the art world being on time to meet deadlines was essential to stay in business. He also reminded us that we were company representatives at all times while at work.

     Finally, during our sixth week, we all thought we were safe. Everything was fairly quiet at the office. But at home, I got a call from another potential employer. The competition offered me a raise of 25 cents per hour.  The catch was that since I had limited credentials, I would not be allowed any creative license for the first three years. I would only be reproducing other employees' work. I explained that to an artist, that was a slap in the face. I thanked her for her offer and told her that in spite of the pay increase, I could not accept the offer. Besides, I was almost done with the six-week requirement for the money. In addition to that, I started to like working with most of the people in the office, except maybe Suzy.

     The next day was Friday the 13th. It was the end of my official six weeks. I arrived a little earlier than usual, giddy for the day to get started. Although I started this job to get my inherited money, I found that I came to really enjoy working here. I also found that I was learning quite a bit just by listening to those around me. I was very interested in collecting my money, but I might just make this a permanent thing. I was surrounded by the job that I had dreamt of doing. 

     At about two that afternoon, the three interns were called into Mr. Joy's office. I was kind of surprised to find only two of us in there. It turned out that Steve, the third intern, got the same phone offer as Christine and I did to go work for more money. Only Steve accepted the offer and ran.  Mr. Joy had informed us of all of this with a smirk on his face. Then he explained that the other company was notorious for hiring seasoned interns away from good companies. The only catch was, they fired just as fast as they hired. Christine and I looked at each other in astonishment. 

     Later on, in the break room, Christine mentioned how she could not believe that someone would do something like that over money.  She told me, in her opinion, happiness was worth much more than money. Those words kind of stuck with me.  

     Saturday morning I contacted the lawyer. He told me that I met the qualifications and I just had to show up on Monday with the signed documents from my boss. I called up Mr. Joy and he told me that it would be fine to take Monday and Tuesday off.

     On Monday, Mr. Sanchez, the lawyer finished up my paperwork. He explained how much would be taken out for taxes and his legal fees. That still left me with a great sum of money. As I got ready to get up and walk out, he handed me one more envelope. He told me that it was a letter passed off to my great-uncle from my dad. In the letter, my father explained how the money had been his savings given to my great-uncle to be given to me later with specific requirements. Then my great-uncle passed away prematurely. My father then closed the letter with these words, "So now I hope you realize that you can accomplish anything with the right motivation. From now on, don't let money be your motivation. Let the love in your heart, whether for God, your work, or for your family, be a strong enough motivation for you to accomplish the impossible. Love Dad."  I closed the letter with tears rolling down my cheeks and shook the lawyer's hand.

     I decided to make my job in El Paso a permanent thing. In the end, I ended up marrying Christine and having three wonderful kids. The third was just as hard headed as I was growing up. I give praise to God every morning and every night for allowing me the opportunity to have a life where I can love Him, my family and my work all at the same time. THANKS DAD FOR SHOWING ME HOW TO DO THAT!