“Are you honestly charging your own son rent?”

“You are an adult now, and this is your house too,” he replied without raising his voice.

“It is my birthday today, Dad,” I reminded him, expecting a tiny flicker of humor or warmth.

“Then consider this piece of paper your very first real lesson in responsibility,” he stated coldly, returning to his morning paper.

I was already working part-time, but I had to take extra late-night shifts stocking heavy boxes at a grocery store in nearby Crestview.

Between paying him rent, buying my own groceries, covering gas, and paying car insurance, I barely had a few dollars left over at the end of each week.