My grandson only called when he needed money. When he didn’t answer my message but came right over when he heard about the “inheritance,” I knew it was time to teach him a lesson he would never forget.
What an Inheritance
Since my daughter-in-law moved to the city seven years ago, I had been living by myself. After my son died, the house was too quiet. When the wind shook the old windows, I could still hear him laughing.
He was a good man who worked hard and was honest. I hoped the same thing would happen to his son.
After my son died, the house was too quiet.
But I failed that part. I fixed engines until I was seventy, saved all my money, and helped my son’s mother raise him. I paid for all of his schooling, college, and even his first car. He was going to have a better start than I did.
Still, I raised a boy who thought everyone owed him something.
Ethan was charming, and he knew how to smile to get what he wanted. But as soon as I told him no, he was gone. He told me he needed money to “start a business” the last time I saw him. Of course, I gave it to him. In a month, he said he would pay me back.
Ethan was charming, and he knew how to smile to get what he wanted.
It’s been five years.
It’s been on my mind a lot lately what kind of man he’d become. His college was kicked out, and he quit every job after a few weeks. He still blamed “bad luck.” I was aware that it was really just laziness dressed up as an excuse.
There was a morning when I called my wife Linda.
“Would you text Ethan for me?” Tell him that the old man isn’t feeling well. He might pay us a visit.
It’s been on my mind a lot lately what kind of man he’d become.
She wasn’t sure. “Dad, you know how he is.” He has a lot to do.
“What are you busy with?” What’s wrong? I moaned. “Honey, just send the message.”
Yes, she did. Nothing for three days. Not a call. Not even a message. I chose to try something else.
On the fourth day, I told him, “Tell him that I left him something valuable.” Something I’d like him to have.
Oh, Linda sighed. “Dad, you’re awful.” “You’re luring him in.”
“Honey, just send the message.”
“Perhaps.” I’ll at least know what kind of fish I caught.
***
I heard tires screeching on the dirt in the morning. I looked through the curtain. Ethan was getting out of a shiny borrowed car wearing expensive sunglasses and a loud jacket.
He did not even look at the house. Just yelled,
“Mom!” Where is it? What did my grandfather leave me?
Linda’s face showed shame.
He did not even look at the house.
I hid behind the shed. My hands were still dirty from fixing up the old Chevy that I had spent half my life working on. The car was in the garage with a blanket over it, waiting.
I put my cap back on straight and used a rag to clean my hands before Ethan stomped toward it.
“Young man, can I help you?”
He didn’t even look at me. “Nope, I’m just here to get my grant.”
“Nope, I’m just here to get my grant.”
I smiled to myself. He had no idea who I was. He hadn’t seen the “old man” for five years. He was only three feet away.
To point to the garage, I said, “Ah.” “I guess that’s in there.” He meant for you to have it.
Ethan laughed. “Facts.” Most likely some old, dirty junk. The man picked up trash like it was gold.
I didn’t want to smile, so I bit the inside of my cheek. “Could surprise you.”
He had no idea who I was.
He pulled the tarp off the car like a magician telling you his secret. It was my old Chevy Bel Air. It has some rust spots and faded blue paint, but I still think it’s beautiful.
“You’re not kidding me.” Ethan looked at me and almost laughed. “This?” Do you want to receive this? “This piece of… old metal?”
I told him it was “classic.” “She’s been with the family longer than you.”
“This?” Do you want to receive this?
“This piece of… old metal?”
“Okay, she can stay there.” “I’m not going to drive that coffin on wheels.” He smirked and walked around the car, hitting the hood with his phone. “Perhaps I’ll sell it for parts.” This kind of trash is great for scrap yards.
That one hurt a bit. That machine was fixed up with my son before he was even born. I put my arms together.
“Are you sure your grandfather would want that?”
“Is he gone now?” He probably won’t care.
“Perhaps I’ll sell it for parts.”
This kind of trash is great for scrap yards.
I forgot to breathe for a second. My grandson thought I was dead and didn’t even ask if I was still living. Don’t ask “how did he die?” or “was it sudden?” Just tell me where my stuff is.
I took a long time to look at Ethan.
“People amaze you,” I said in a low voice. “They’re close more often than you think.”
He laughed. “All right, Confucius. I’ll haul it tomorrow. “Tell my family I said hello.”
My grandson thought I was dead and didn’t even ask if I was still living.
He waved over his shoulder and turned to leave. I saw him drive off, and dust rose behind his car like smoke from a fire. Linda wiped her hands on a towel as she came out from the porch.
I told him, “He didn’t recognize me.”
She opened her mouth wide. “You’re not serious.”
“Nope.” They didn’t even ask if I was still living.
She shook her head and was quiet and sad. I smiled a little.
“Well, he’ll find out tomorrow that this “junk” still has some lessons to teach.”
The lesson starts.
After three days, Ethan came back, just as the afternoon sun was making the air sparkle. When I heard his car screech to a stop, I was cutting back the bushes. He jumped out with a drink in one hand and a shopping bag in the other.
He said, out of breath, “There you are.” “I need to talk to you.”
“Well, he’ll find out tomorrow that this “junk” still has some lessons to teach.”
I used a rag to wipe my hands together and pretended to be shocked.
“Oh?” Finally found your grandfather?”
A anxious laugh came out of him. “Yes, yes, Mom told me that was funny.” Take a look at that car. It was sold.
I gave them a raised look. “What did you do?”
He scratched his neck. “But you didn’t say not to.” It wasn’t worth much to begin with.
“Yes, yes, Mom told me that was funny.”
Take a look at that car. It was sold.
I put my weight on my shovel. “Relys on what you mean by worth.”
“Don’t bring up that moral stuff again.” I’m not kidding. A guy from town bought it from me and paid two thousand dollars. It’s okay, I already spent most of it. “I’m going to get another car.”
Long and quiet, I looked at him until he started to move around.
I finally said, “That car had something of mine in it.”
“What do you mean when you say something?”
“What the real legacy. Not visible but close to the engine. “Anyway, your half of it.”
“What the real legacy.
Not visible but close to the engine. “Anyway, your half of it.”
Ethan stopped moving, and the color left his face. “You’re not serious.”
“Do I seem like I’m joking?”
“That was before I sold it! Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“I didn’t ask.” That was too much for you to do.
Ethan put his hands up. “Hard to believe!” It’s getting worse, old man. How am I going to get it back? I’ve already spent half of it!”
“That was before I sold it! Why didn’t you tell me that?”
I gave a small smile. “It looks like you’ll have to earn it then.”
“Oh my gosh, this is crazy!”
I grabbed my cap and said, “Come on.” “Get in the truck.” I’ll show you the person who bought it. We might be able to work something out.
He groaned, but he kept going. “You shouldn’t expect me to beg for that junk.”
“Let me show you the person who bought it.”
We might be able to work something out.
We took the car out to the edge of town, where the green fields were wide and open. Mr. Cooper, the person who bought the car, was with his hands on a rag next to a barn.
His cool look showed that he had seen through more people than he could count. He was tall and had broad shoulders. A tiny wink was all he gave me when he saw me. It didn’t occur to Ethan.
I told him, “This is the young man who sold you my Chevy.”
A tiny wink was all he gave me when he saw me.
It didn’t occur to Ethan.
Mr. Cooper smiled and said, “Sure is.” “Good job, young man.” It’s too bad he didn’t know what he had.
Ethan put his arms across his chest. “Listen up, sir. I need that car back.”
Cooper shook his head. “Oh, you do, right?” Son, I already cleaned it and changed the oil, so she’s good to go. I don’t really want to sell. But… I need an extra set of hands around here.
Ethan made a face. “What are you doing?”
“Listen up, sir. I need that car back.”
“Whatever needs to be done.” Taking care of fences, cleaning stalls, and moving hay. This summer you’ll work for me, and when it’s over, that Chevy will be yours again.
Ethan just stood there and stared at him. “You’re not serious.”
Cooper smiled and said, “Nope.” “You’ll get your car, and there may be something hidden inside.”
I saw Ethan. He looked at me.
“All right.” He said, “I need my inheritance.”
“You’ll get your car, and there may be something hidden inside.”
I just smiled. “I guess we’ll both find out what you’re really made of.”
What the Real Will Is
Ethan did it for one day before he complained. He sighed and dragged a shovel behind him. “It smells like a zoo out here.”
Mr. Cooper laughed. “That’s called fresh air, kid.” It will get easier for you.
By the end of the first week, he had hay in his hair, blisters on both hands, and a red neck from being in the sun. He didn’t quit, though.
Ethan did it for one day before he complained.
At first, he might have been there out of pride or because he hoped to find that prize.
I brought lemonade or tools every few days and said I was just stopping by to “check on the car.” We would look at each other and not say a word about the plan.
“You two think this is funny?” Ethan would say, his face covered in dust.
“Not funny.” “Educational.”
Things started to change slowly.
“Cook and I would look at each other,”
but didn’t say anything about the plan.
Ethan began to show up earlier. He figured out how to fix the fences on his own. The horses stopped being afraid of him. Cooper’s dog, who always barked, started to follow him around.
The boy who used to think that hard work was beneath him was singing while pulling hay by the middle of summer.
Emily, Cooper’s daughter, brought cold drinks for everyone one night.
Ethan began to show up earlier.
He figured out how to fix the fences on his own.
Ethan almost dropped his rake.
“Thanks,” he stuttered, his face as red as the sun.
I couldn’t help but smile as I drove home that night. The kid was finally learning more than just how to make money.
***
It was a short summer. The fields turned yellow again, and the air got cooler. Cooper gave Ethan a set of keys on the last day of August.
The last day of August,
Cooper gave the keys to Ethan.
“Son, she’s yours now.” “You earned her.”
The Chevy made Ethan feel like he was seeing it for the first time. He was quiet and polite as he ran his hand over the hood.
He said in a soft voice, “She’s beautiful.”
I used my cane to help me walk over.
Ethan saw that it was empty. There is only a small note folded inside. He read it out loud:
Ethan saw that it was empty.
There is only a small note folded inside.
“Under the hood isn’t what you were looking for.” You have control over it. Work is what you were born with.
He looked at me with wet eyes. “You always knew this.”
I said yes. “I only wanted you to learn what your dad already knew: hard work pays off in the end.”
“Sorry, Grandpa. “For… everything.”
I smiled. “Don’t say sorry. You got what I really wanted to give you.
“You always knew this.”
Emily laughed as she ran out of the barn.
“Ethan, come to dinner with us!”
He looked at me with doubt. “Are you coming too?”
I smiled and said, “Maybe later.” “All right, go ahead.” “Now you have friends.”
As he walked away, the dust around him was lit up by the setting sun. He took steady steps and kept his back straight for the first time in years. It looked like he finally knew where he was going. I leaned against the Chevy and watched over him.
“It looks like my grandson got the bigger share of the inheritance after all.”
“It looks like my grandson got the bigger share of the inheritance after all.”
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