Hello, my name is Ms. Walker,
I’m going to try and explain how at an early age I started off with no one or nothing I should say.
The fact is at 17 I was always looking for a place to sleep or even a place to eat.
Thankfully, I filled out an application to a fast food restaurant, I must have done it a million times to many various places.
Fortunately, I had a phone that had only a few minutes on it a month.
In the month of June, I got a call from a fast food restaurant asking me if I wanted to work.
I tried to not get to excited although my hands were trembling.
In two days I would have my first interview.
I figured I would need some sleep, so I slept on the bus those two nights and got ready in the bus station bathroom each morning.
The day of my interview, a young lady named Becky who was so very kind to me, told me I could start work that week. Which was wonderful.
They said that I could pay for my uniform out of my first check which was even better.
I would have to find somewhere more stable to stay, so I could make it to work on time.
My first day at work went well. I was trying to be very quick to learn.
As I got on the bus to leave that’s when I noticed the empty, big yellow house boarded up.
Which I thought was beautiful and looked like it has lots of space.
Although, the grass was over grown, I saw a lot of potential in the house.
I’m sure a lot of other people wouldn’t agree with me, but I would disagree with their opinion.
I decided to go back to the house and with a candle I lit I walked through the house. It was perfect.
It still had all of its windows and none of them were broken and nothing was missing.
A nice paint job and some TLC it could be perfect, I was sure of it.
I started staying in the boarded-up house, so I could be close to work.
I worked very hard every day and I was never late, but always on time.
My first check I bought some food, you know food that wouldn’t go bad fast, bread, peanut butter, some jelly, and one blanket.
I decided every check after that I would put up and would not spend it unless I absolutely had to.
After the first months had went by. I would hide all the money under the floor board and behind a picture frame.
Maybe not the best idea, but it would have to do.
I did not have any television or anything like that, but I did go to the library and took out a book ever now and then.
With my candle burning, I would lay in the empty house and read my book.
I did a lot of cleaning to the house, I knew I probably shouldn’t have been there, but come on the house was probably as lonely as I was and there was plenty of room for me.
I would have to say my new boss Becky was so kind to me. She would always ask where my family was.
I never had the heart to tell her where my family was though.
She would always tell me I was beautiful, and she saw a lot of potential in me.
Although, she looked tired most of the time, she always did splendid work.
That first year, I saved almost every check I had made.
At 18, I was working double shifts and looking forward to a management position.
Yes, Unfortunately, I was still in the same house.
So, I decided to do something about it.
I counted all the money I had saved which was a whopping $18,000.
I couldn’t believe it.
I had to keep counting, I thought I was counting it wrong.
To my surprise I had $18,202.94.
I went to my local library and got on the computer to google my address to the big, empty yellow house I was staying in.
Much to my surprise, I almost fell out of my seat. I even think I was laughing out loud.
I even saw the librarian was even laughing at me, she looked at me with a big grin on her face.
The house was for sale for $21,000.
The librarian asked me what was so funny.
I told her a house I wanted and was interested in was for sale for $21,000 and told her how much that I had which was $18,202.94 and that I didn’t have quite enough.
The librarian smiled at me, I’m sure she saw me in here plenty of times, although I did not know her name.
She said, “would you like me to call them and ask if they would take a lower price, they do that sometimes you know.”
I answered back, “yes” without any hesitation.
She called the number and they directed her to a man named Dave from the real-estate company.
She asked me my name and pretended to be me.
I closed my eyes and covered my ears until she was finished.
When she sat the phone down I looked up at her.
She said, Dave said “yes.”
I let out a squeal.
She said he is on his way to meet you at the house.
I went to the bus stop and got on the bus.
It stopped halfway to the house, and I got off and ran the rest of the way home.
Before I knew it, I was a proud owner of a two-story home at just 18 years old.
It goes to show you; challenging work can really pay off.
No matter your age or your size.
I still own the large yellow house, which is now white.
I am also a freelance writer.
I have traveled to many places, but my first success in saving money was being homeless and buying the big yellow house.