My Dad Started Charging Me $250 a Month for My Room When I Turned 18 — Five Years Later, After His Funeral, His Best Friend Handed Me a Box

“Ask him.”

“I have.

He answers like a man charging by the word.”

Marcus gave a short laugh, then headed for the door.

Before he went through it, he looked back.

“Don’t throw away the part of yourself that wants to make music.”

I lifted the damaged carton and carried it to the returns pallet.

“Tell that to my budget.”