The next morning rolled around and I was at the auction site at 8 am, with no one else in sight.  I gave Mr. Bidder until 9 am to show before I called him back.  9 am rolled around and I called him once again.  He answered and before he could get a word in edge wise I started in on him.  In between my rants and raves he told me that he had truck troubles but someone was on the way.  I spouted an ultimatum or two and just as I was hanging up my phone his workers had arrived.  About time!

The first thing they did was give me the check and I had a very strong sense of satisfaction and victory, I won.  They tried explaining and backing up each excuse that had been used for the past couple of days but I was too busy gloating about my victory to pay attention.  I showed Mr. Bidder that you can’t push a young man around; he got a good piece of my mind….so I thought.

I put the check in my pocket, made sure they got everything loaded up and I locked the doors.  I then had an obligation to help my friend Bob Loeffler move a family member.  I went to Bob’s house, changed clothes and went on with the rest of my day. My friend Bob Loeffler 

The next morning I got to work and my dad asked me for the check so he could get it deposited and then deliver all of the funds to the SBA.  When I looked in my briefcase, folder, auction file, pants pocket, shirt pocket, jacket pocket the check was nowhere to be found.  It had evaporated, gone forever.  I explained to my dad that it was at my apartment and I’d be right back.  I ransacked my apartment; the check was gone, to never be found again.

Upon the arrival back at our office I explained to dad that I had lost the check and didn’t know what I was going to do.  Dad smiled and said, “There’s only one thing to do, you have to call the man and ask him to cut you a new check.  Make sure you offer to pay the stop payment fee and then go pick it up at his office.”  My first reaction was to object, there was no way I would call this man, let alone go see him.  I refused.  Dad’s smile turned to a frown and he explained that I didn’t have a choice.  He told me it was time to step up, be a man and accept responsibility for my actions.