I Paid My Father $250 in Rent Every Month for Five Years. After His Funeral, His Best Friend Gave Me a Key and a Box.

Our first client was a retired teacher named Elaine who wanted to record songs for her grandchildren.

She arrived carrying sheet music in a tote bag and apologized three times for being nervous.

I recognized the way she gripped her papers.

It was how I had held the production-program brochure before showing it to Dad.

“Take your time,” I told her.

“We’re not charging you for being human.”