Marshall grins and says, “JJ had us to seventy-eight million when he ended the last class, with tomorrow I should make more than a hundred million this year. Although I probably will never touch most of it is still is fun to do. JJ isn’t the only one that’s going to have a lot of fun this year giving to the local charities and a few beyond. That reminds me Jeremy wants you to give them a call about that Give a Gift program you two started, I got a feeling the family is going to help out a lot more than you realize with it.”
Chuckling I say, “That’s great, they can use a tax write off.”
I catch Marshall up on what we’re talking about then walk out to give Jeremy a phone call. Kathryn and Sam are setting on the balcony enjoying the sun in their bikinis. I playfully tickled both girls for instant before they tickled me back and make me surrender. I give them a kiss and they go back to their sunbathing.
Giving Jeremy a call when he answers I say, “Hello Jeremy. You needed me to call you?”
Jeremy begins, “I know you promised to match whatever I took in donations for this new program. By the way were calling it, Give a Gift of giving, or Give a Gift for short. Several anonymous donations have come in and the total is slightly more than ten million dollars. Are you sure you still are able to match that?
I give Jeremy a chuckle and say, “Jeremy I’ll make it what I make tomorrow that should be a little more than just matching your current donations.”
Jeremy swallows hard before he asks, “JJ this is the most money I’ve ever had to handle for any charity. You know how much of the temptation most people would have with money like this.”
I think about it quickly and Jeremy is correct, I know the Red Cross and other charities pay some of their top people quite well to manage their money, and resources like any other business. I tell Jeremy this, “Jeremy it isn’t fair to make you do this much work for absolutely free, let’s set down and work out a salary for you and your support staff you’re going to hire to run this program.”
Jeremy chuckles and says, “JJ, are you starting another business, one for you to just give money away.”
Jeremy has a point. I tell him, “Jeremy it would have to be a nonprofit business, we can hire some people to help us administrate and distribute the donations, some permanent people for accounting, and contacting people for the charity. That way we can hire at least six or eight people permanently and maybe twenty or thirty during the holidays on a part-time basis.”
Jeremy chuckles and says, “JJ you’re thinking too small with the amount of money that you’re talking about will cover the state easily. Maybe sixty to eighty people permanently with nearly a thousand on the holidays, that’s just this year.”
Before I tell him anything else I chuckle realizing he is correct. I say, “It seems you have a better idea of what we’re going to need. If you need any legal worked done here’s the number for my law firm in LA, if they can’t do it here have them suggest someone locally who can. First thing you need to do is hire an accountant.
Since you have been the principal fundraiser and soul person behind the project till today I think a good bonus would be in order. Have an oversight board set up, ask Judge Thurgood if he will set on it, I will too, please ask the Judge to pick a couple more people from the community. By the way Jeremy I will pay the bonus out of my own pocket so it doesn’t take away from any funds you gathered. Just tell me what you need for me and I’ll make it happen. I hope it helps with the temptation. You’re a good man and I wouldn’t want to be the cause of your downfall.”
Jeremy chuckles mostly from relief before he says, “I do appreciate all this JJ. When we started the program at the restaurant I had no idea it was going to be this large, this fast. Mostly because of some very generous people, I think you know most of them, you even married one of the ten of them.”
I chuckle knowing the rumor gotten around about great grandpa JT’s treasure, but I also know the rumor has the amount of money far short of what it truly was. I guess it’s our families way of paying back a little of what was given to us, with Kathryn in my help our family should be able to continue on giving back for a few more decades easily.
I set a time with Jeremy to meet him tomorrow, Jeremy tells me he knows an accountant who is currently unemployed, and he used to work in New York and just forced to return home here. He was unable to find work after the state outsourced his government job. Smiling brightly I tell him, “Bring him by tomorrow, he can help set up the nonprofit organization, he can act as CFO and by the way Jeremy you’re the CEO you may want to get new business cards printed soon.”
Jeremy asks, “JJ, you have not even asked me anything about this guy. Does it matter, if he is my son?”
Still smiling I say, “It’s going to be a pleasure to meet your son. If he has the skills to do the job it doesn’t matter to me. You wouldn’t have suggested him if you didn’t think he could handle it. Besides that if he’s anything like you he’s perfect for the job. Besides that he’s not going to be working alone, he can hire as many people as he needs.”
Generally relieved Jeremy says, “I’m sure he can handle the job considering what his job was for the state of New York. I think he will like this one a lot more.”
With a chuckle I say, “I’m sure we’ll figure out a way to keep you two busy all year round.”
I say my goodbyes to Jeremy and hang up. Kathryn raises her head and asks, “Can I come tomorrow?”
Chuckling I say, “Just trying get out of it, you too Sam after all it was your idea.”
Sam giggles as she raises her head to look at me she says, “You mean I get to help?”
Thinking I say, “I want you to explain it. That way we adults can understand what it means to you. What it really means to be able to give back to the adults you love.”
Sam giggles and says, “I can do that.”
Kathryn asks, “What exactly are we doing tomorrow?”
Smiling I say, “We’re going to hire Jeremy and his son to run a nonprofit based on Sam’s idea, where the child gets to give a Christmas present to their parents and siblings.”
Kathryn remembering says, “That was the best thing about earning money, you paid me enough that I got to actually give presents to my Mom and Dad, and brothers and sisters.”
Setting down by Kathryn, I lean over give her a kiss. After we break I say, “The one thing I didn’t like about Christmas when I was little is not being able to give a surprise present to my Mom.”
Sam listen to us ask, “Is Christmas just about giving gifts?”
Smiling I tell Sam, “Hardly, it’s really about showing the people you love that you love them. Giving someone a present is one way to do that. For me Christmas is really all about love, and sharing it with family and friends.”
Kathryn giggling says, “I barely remember what you bought me back when I was ten, but I definitely remember the Christmas card you made. I still have the cards you made me. A couple still makes me laugh when I look at them, like that very first card with you on the phone.”
I inform Kathryn, “Your Dad saw it before you did, he laughed so hard he fell out of his chair.”
Kathryn remembering says, “Mom still had a tear running down her cheek when she shown it to me, she had been laughing so hard. It was a good thing I was in bed or I would’ve fallen over too.”
Sam hearing our exchange beseeches, “Can I see it? Please, please.”
Kathryn says, “Okay Sam but be very careful with it. It is very special to me.”
Sam says, “Okay Mommy, you can just show it to me. I don’t have to hold it.”
Kathryn leaves going into the house in our master bedroom closet she pulls out a scrapbook that holds a lot of cards and some pictures from our early time together. When Kathryn gets back outside she pulls Sam into her lap. I’m surprised there are so many pictures of us from back then, and I realize a lot of them are from her parents or brothers and sisters. Of course there’s a lot with Kathryn setting on my lap and us kissing.
Sam giggles and points to a picture of us kissing and says, “Who set little girl Daddy is kissing?”
Kathryn giggling says, “Sam that’s what I looked like when I was ten.”
With a chuckle I say, “You’re still just as cute, just now you got pretty stacked on top of it.”
Sam giggles and says, “Daddy thinks you’re pretty cute Mommy.”
With a chuckle I say, “Of course Sam, I also think Kathryn is beautiful, gorgeous, the most desirable woman in the world for me.”
Ron from the doorway chuckles and says, “I think every man describes his love that way.” Turning to Reese he says playfully, “Isn’t that right the most desirable woman in the world to me.”
Reese giggles and pulls him into a long passionate kiss. Kathryn has found the card in question at the beginning of the scrapbook. After Ron and Reese break and they smile at each other for a while, Sam is laughing at the card and that brings their attention to it as well. They look at the card a little confused because they don’t know the story behind it.
They sit down across from us and Sam begins, the first day Mommy and Daddy met. Mommy was a little upset at her brothers, when she introduced herself to Daddy she said her name was Kathryn but everybody calls her Katie Cat, and she hated that. Daddy promise to never call her anything but Kathryn, later that day Daddy convinced her brothers to never use anything other than her name to address her. That card there is to remind them.”
Giggling Reese asks, “JJ exactly how did you convince them? I couldn’t get a boyfriend that would even try to convince my younger brothers to stop making fun of my name.”
Ron chuckles, “Are all of your brother-in-laws older then you?
Giggling Kathryn says, “Yes they all are, and were believed to be the toughest boys in the County at that time. JJ proved he was tougher than they were that afternoon.”
Sam giggles, “I like that story, because Daddy did it without hurting my uncles.”
Reese asked, “Was that one of stories you were talking about yesterday in the barn?”
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