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A Lease Purchase Christmas Carol Novel (Book-Audio-Video-Mindmap-Mentoring)
Chapter 1- Agony
I remember when it was “the best of times” in the Lease Purchase Creative Real Estate Business, but for the last couple of years it has been “the worst of times”.
I really couldn’t afford the hot meal that I was currently eating, but I was starving. I sat down to a steaming giant bowl of Chioppino, at my favorite Seattle Pub on the water. It was full of Shrimp, Scallops, Lobster and the local catch of the day, Halibut or Sea Bass. I grabbed a chunk of the warm, freshly baked Sour Dough bread and dunked it in the rich red broth, cherishing every bite. Man, I was Hungry. I ordered another Anchor Steam Beer, my favorite.
I hadn’t eaten in 2 days, not since the visit by my Old Lease Purchase Mentor, Max. Oh yes, did I fail to mention that he passed away many years ago? Yes, this is a ghost story, but first let me give you a little more background.
Emily, my Girlfriend, she hated it when I described her by the term, Wife, she felt it was an unromantic description of our relationship. We had a great life together. We had known each other since high school, went on to college, graduate school and had a Fun $35 wedding in Vegas, which she paid for. We had two kids, a boy and a girl. I went on to Corporate America and she became a stay at home, homeschooling Mom. The Lexis and the Caddie were always new and shiny.
All was going according to plan, we were part of The American Dream. Money was good and got even better, when I began my own Real Estate Investment Company. We had the life, the vacations to Europe and Hawaii every year, no balance on the credit cards, best restaurants. Yup, we had it all and then as quickly as we had it, we lost it all. The economy, the banks and most importantly, the real estate market crashed.
I should have seen it coming, all of the signs were there. When it hit us, we lost our savings and the new McMansion lost all of its equity with crazy high payments, which we couldn’t afford. I figured that I was always a good provider and I would be able to turn things around.
It was only a month ago, that I was trying to get up the courage to tell Em that there would be no Christmas gifts this year. In fact, we were probably going to lose our home in the next 30 days if I couldn’t pay the back payments on our home. We stopped using the heating system and resorted to me chopping wood for the Franklin Stove. The Electric Company was threatening to shut off the electricity! I gave the Lexus back at the end of the 12 month lease and bought a used Volkswagen Bug with 150K miles on it.
All this was going on in my head, as I pulled into the driveway. It was already dark at 5:30 in the evening. Damn, there was nosy Lenny, my neighbor. You can imagine that this was a very embarrassing situation, even the neighbors got into the picture of our economic demise when I showed up in a Bug.
Hey Ralph, how come the house is always so dark? You starting a candle making business? His Smirk could be seen between the yards of our homes. He had the manicured home, while my domain needed a new coat of paint 3 years ago.
Just trying to create a romantic atmosphere Lenny, I replied nonchalantly.
Is that car a classic? Looks like the one I drove in high school, he laughed.
Why didn’t this jerk just mind his own business. I waved good bye as I went through the front door. The kids were busy doing homework in front of the TV; the small one with the rabbit ears antennae, as we lost cable service last month. Emily came to the door as she always did smiling and gave me her perfunctory kiss. How did it go today, Sweetie?
You know same old stuff. Everyone says “call me after the New Year” or “I have to think about it”. I was on a roll with my usual diatribe about the problems with the banks, lawyers, economy and politicians. How an honest Creative Real Estate Investor couldn’t make a living these days. She had heard this quite often.
Why don’t you relax, dinner will be ready in a half hour.
What are we having, Em?
Leftover Mac N Cheese Casserole, she replied.
Gawd, I was so sick of that stuff, but I kept my mouth shut. If it wasn’t for her part-time nursing job, we would have been living with the in-laws. Need I go on about that with you? I retreated to my office and looked over the bills. I knew that there wasn’t anything I could do about them. Heck, I didn’t even have enough money for gas.
We had a quiet dinner. All I wanted to do was shower, crawl into bed and pull the cover over my head. I hate Mac N Cheese. I think I know what depression is. All I was doing was thinking about money day and night. I had to turn things around, but how? I had to stop this crash, not so much for me, but for Emily and the kids.
I needed a Christmas Miracle like in the old movies and I needed one fast.
Chapter 2 - The Return Of Max
I went to bed early that night as I was exhausted from lack of sleep and money stress. I woke up about 11:30 PM and felt ravenous. I guess the Mac N Cheese didn’t really stick to the ribs, so I stealthily got out of bed without waking Emily or the kids in their rooms. The house was so quiet. Looking outside the window, I saw a gentle snow beginning to cover the lawn. Odd, as I didn’t recall the weatherman predicting any precipitation.
I made my way down the stairs to the fridge. I recalled that I had a slice of leftover NYC style pizza that I brought home 3 or 4 days ago from my favorite cheap pizzeria. It was still in the brown paper bag with the wax paper around it. It was cold and stale, of course and I decided not to use microwave, as the noise would wake up the kids. I smeared some decadent thick and gloppy mayo all over it and tossed a couple of jalapeño peppers on it for good measure, just to beef up my questionable feast and then opened a bottle of beer. I think it was my very last can of Dale’s Pale Ale. Too expensive to buy premium beer anymore. I either had to switch to the flavorless popular light junk beer you see in football game ads or quit altogether. Can’t even enjoy a beer anymore without thinking about the money problems. Where would this all end, I pondered?
I took my midnight feast to the Lazy Boy lounge chair, put up my feet and proceeded to demolish the cold pizza and beer. It was delicious BTW or I was damn hungry. After a satisfying regurgitation, which was a little too loud for comfort, I fell fast asleep enjoying the warmth of the room. Thank Goodness for the Franklin Stove. Yup, snug as a bug.
I was awakened by a noise and a chilly blast of wind that blew across the room. Man it was cold in here. I had better throw some wood in the stove and toast things up a bit. Wonder why the fire almost went out? I tended to it not 15 minutes ago. As I knelt by the old black wood burner stoking the embers, a haunting, but familiar voice called me;
Ralph, why have you called me back?
I almost lost my late night snack, upon hearing the unearthly sound. I quickly spun around, the adrenaline was making my heart beat as fast as hummingbird wings. I beheld someone I recognized, an old friend, but something was different. I realized that I hadn’t seen Max, my old Mentor, in at least 10 years or more. He was dead, he had died a long time ago.
Again, why have you called me back? He repeated.
I didn’t think I had, Max. Why are you here? How did you get in? You are dead, aren’t you? When I stopped with the rapid fire questions he spoke softly.
When the student is ready, the Mentor will always appear. Have you forgotten all of the entrepreneurial secrets of The Society of Mentors which I once taught you? I gave you everything you needed. Why have you forsaken all of my teachings, those of unlimited wealth, health and happiness?
Max, you don’t understand it’s the economy and the.....
SILENCE, he bellowed. You should be ashamed of yourself. Have you no pride, no self worth. Blaming others, circumstances, politics, the weather, for your misfortune. HOW DARE YOU !!!!
WOW, was he mad! Maybe this is what I get for eating old pizza at night, I thought. I made an immediate mental note to forgo old Italian food with mayonnaise and jalapeños in the future.
SILENCE your petty thoughts Ralph and pay attention, for I will only ask this question once. Would you like to turn your financial standing and your life around in the next 30 days and give your lovely family a truly memorable Christmas, free of financial worry and debt or would you rather continue on the path you have created for them? You will not receive this offer again. As you know, I only make offers once and then you are dead to me.
You must decide NOW !!!
Heck, what did I have to lose, I muttered to myself. I nodded in agreement, not wanting to anger my old Mentor again.
Then before the sun rises, you will be visited upon by 3 Apparitions. Take serious heed as to what they say and show you.
Who are they Max?
They are the Real Estate Entrepreneurs of the Past, Present and Future. They will show you the errors of your ways. They will teach or better said, re-educate you; if you have the courage to learn. Are you ready to accept this challenge, this Gauntlet for the sake of your Wife and Children?
Yes, I replied and with that he vanished as eerily as he had appeared.
Wondering what the heck had just happened, I decided that this ghost was probably just some undigested pizza and this was all a bad and wacky dream. I climbed back into the chair and promptly fell asleep.
Chapter 3 - The Ghost of Lease Purchase Real Estate Past
I was trying to get to sleep when a flash emitted from the stove. A misty fog cleared and someone was again in my living room. I was personally hoping for St. Nick, but instead a man with beard dressed in a 1974 purple leisure suit appeared.
Max sent me! he exclaimed, I am the Ghost of Lease Purchase Real Estate Past.
My Gawd, that is a mouthful to say, I thought.
Please take the hem of my garment. We have much to see. Not one to argue with a badly dressed poltergeist,I grabbed the hem of his really tacky retro suit. This ghost investor really needed a trip to the Men's Warehouse, but that was another matter. Besides, what was I thinking, he was a ghost!
I should really be concerned as to where we were traveling. He raised his oversized lapels and flapped them 3 times. We were whisked away to the back seat of an extended Ford F-100 cab pickup truck that was roaring down highway 95, to who knows where. The ghost instructed me to listen as we sat a few feet away from two young men in the front seat.
Can't they see us, I asked?
They will not be able to hear or see us, now be Silent and Listen as you have been instructed.
The driver spoke.....
So listen Ralphy boy, it’s all about guts and consistency. If you knock on enough doors, eventually someone is going to say ‘yes’. You will make more money in one sale than in any job working for someone else. It’s not easy but heck, it’s your own business, you work when you want to, are you game?
Sure, the fellow called Ralph, replied.
I grabbed the spectre’s jacket. THAT’S ME, OMG!! That’s me, Ghost dude!! I remember. (I was babbling now.) I was only a kid, maybe 21 or 22 years old. I left my corporate job because it was so boring and the pay was even worse. Really cruel boss, too. I rode with this guy who I found from an ad in the newspaper. I remember, it went like “Start your own tool business”.
I rode along with him and he was teaching me how to sell tools like a peddler all day long. I thought what the heck. I was now an entrepreneur. I didn’t have to go to meetings anymore or wear suits. I made decent money everyday just knocking on stranger’s doors near manufacturing plants and gas stations. Oh boy, was my Dad pissed off at me when I quit the corporate job that he had arranged for me, in the middle of another of those recessions, when no one was hiring. I had a helluva lotta adventures in my truck. Man, were those the good old days, I exclaimed.
The two young men stopped the truck, parked in front of an industrial warehouse, got out and walked toward the office of the owner. Casper (the weird purple ghost) and I followed or hovered, whatever you call it.
First Young Guy: Hey mister, I have some great equipment on the back of my truck and I can cut you a helluva deal, if you are interested.
Burley Owner: Well, let’s take a look, but no promises.
Young Ralph: All new equipment, Sir. We buy directly from the Manufacturer so you don’t have to pay retail or shipping costs.
The Burly Owner starts looking and caressing the menagerie of industrial tools: a collection of drill presses, vises, socket sets, a red 2 ton hoist, aka: a cherry picker and a 5 ton press, as well as assorted hand tools, all new and packaged.
First Young Guy: We can let you have the entire load for $2500.00, retail would be closer to $5000.00.
Burly Owner: Are youse guys nuts, I wouldn’t give you anything close to that.
Young Ralph: We really want to sell this stuff and get back home. Suppose we discounted it another $250.00 and made it an even $2250.00?
Burly Owner: I’ll give you $2000.00 cash and that is it fellows. Take it or get out of here.
Young Ralph: We will take it Sir, you are really getting a great deal. Thank you.
The owner went inside and paid Ralph with 20 crisp $100 bills. They unloaded the truck and left to get something to eat.
The Ghost of Lease Purchase Past asked Ralph, do you remember all of this, Ralph?
To which he replied, You bet. What the owner didn’t know was that the entire load only cost about $900.00, since we bought the equipment in large quantities directly from the manufacturers. He still got a good deal, but we made $1100.00, a great profit for just one sale in the old Disco days.
The Ghost of Lease Purchase Past acknowledged him, Yes, you went on to start you own tool import business and even brought in a few other truck drivers to work for you. You did that for 5 years and then sold the business when you got into Creative Real Estate.
Let’s move on to your next business start-up. With that, they flew to a convention center crammed with people and where a guy in a black suit was speaking to the crowd.
Speaker: Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, you too, can be rich in real estate and we can show you how. It’s easy. Don’t you want to become rich? It’s all about ‘little or nothing down’, folks. Look at me. You can do it, too. Just step to the back of the room, speak to my associates and they can help you. Don’t worry about money, we can show you how to increase your credit limit. Get loads of easy cash and do deals. Hurry now, we can only sign up the first 50 people.
Ghost: Do you remember how you ran to the desk and signed up, Ralph? Do you remember what happened next?
Yes, Ralph relied, it was a waste of money. I got a book with generic information and I couldn’t get the guru or anyone on the phone to help me do deals. They would never return my calls or call me back from my voice mails. I learned a hard lesson, that I should never do business with someone who hides their contact information, is not accountable or doing business in an honest fashion.
I was so confused, Ralph continued, but I had sold the tool business and I had some money left over to invest. I needed to do something fresh and with a challenge. A new business that would make at least 10K to 50K per month, minimum. I heard so many success stories about real estate. I really had the real estate fever then, but I was so ignorant about strategies and marketing. I wasted so much money on that crook and others like him.
Ghost: That man on the stage is now serving a life sentence, in the federal penitentiary for tax evasion and mail fraud. Let’s move on, my time with you is fleeting. With that, they flew in a flash, to a large condo development. Do you remember this building, Ralph?
You bet, Ralph answered. I bought these condos with my remaining cash and credit like the guru in another book said to do and I was loosing my shirt. I had to get a second corporate job just to keep up with the mortgages, taxes, homeowner association payments and insurance. No one paid me on time, if at all and the repairs were a constant annoyance. I had to move out of my apartment and move back in with my folks. OMG, that was embarrassing. It was just a matter of time before I was wiped out, busted, a loser at 27 years old.
Ghost: Then something unique happened to you. Something that changed your life very quickly. One of the most successful and wealthiest people in the world of real estate investment came into your life. Do you remember when you first met Max The Mentor?
Author Note: You will not believe what happens next....