Childrens Corner

For the first time in my life, I put on a smart suit and polished y old school shoes. I hoped to impress my bank into giving me a loan. Later, they told e when they saw me in a suit and polished shoes, hey knew I was in trouble. I showed them the books for the mail- rder business and the shop. To my shock they offered me £20,000. hat was a lot of money in 1971. No one had ever lent me that much efore. It gave me a real buzz and sense of pride. I felt I had come a ong way since the days when I stood in the payphone in the school, rying to sell adverts in Student. But £20,000 still wasn’t nough.

I hoped my family would help. They had always been there or me and I understood then as I still do now how vital that is when ou are starting out. My parents had set up small trust funds for my isters and me. We would have £2,500 each when we were thirty. I ent to ask if I could have mine early. They agreed at once. Then ad aid, ‘You are still £7,500 short. Where will you get it from?’

‘I on’t know,’ I said. Dad said’ ‘Go to lunch with Auntie Joyce. I’ll tell er ou’re coming.’ So I went to lunch with my dear Aunty Joyce. She as the Aunt who had bet me ten shillings. I wouldn’t learn to swim. ad had called her as he promised. She knew all about my dreams for he Manor. She offered to lend e the money, to be paid back with nterest when I could afford it. I started to babble my thanks. She topped me. ‘Look, Ricky, I wouldn’t lend you the money if I didn’t ant to. What’s money foe anyway? It’s to make things happen. esides, ‘she said with a smile, ‘I know how you stick at things. You on that ten shillings, fair and square.’

Taken From : Screw It,Let’s Do It