The Jacket

He grew up in Trinidad. When he was young, his parents had a small restaurant. He used to help out in the store and instead of an allowance he was permitted to keep his tips. Like all boys he was tempted to spend it all. But he learned something important from an uncle whom he admired: Whenever you get a large "bill," as he called it, put some aside for the future.

He kept putting aside money until he had amassed quite a bit. And there the story begins.

His older sister wanted to open up her own place. She turned to him and asked him for a loan. He hesitated but gave his entire savings to her.

Years later he married and moved to the States. He worked hard as an auto mechanic and continued to follow his uncle's advice. Eventually he was able to think of buying his own place. He found an appropriate site and put together all the money he had. But he was $20,000 short. Where would he get the money?

He didn't know if she could, but he asked his sister anyway. Would she give him 20 thousand dollars? She said she'd go to the bank the next day and he should come by to pick it up. He was thrilled!

He bought the place and worked hard to make a go of it. He continued to follow his uncle's dictum, this time in a concrete way.

He took an old jacket, hung it discreetly in a back room and every time he had a big "bill" he stuffed some money in a pocket. He did this for years until all of the jacket's pockets were stuffed with cash.

One day he took his jacket over to this sister. "Take it," he said. "I don't know how much money is in there, whether it's enough or not, but it's all yours." He never counted what was in the jacket and his sister didn't tell him.

Several years later he asked her one question: "Was it enough?" She replied, "It was more than enough. Thank you."

To this day, he doesn't know the total. He doesn't need to. He met his goal.