[Music] life has a curious way of guiding us through winding paths where every choice and challenge molds us into who we become for as long as I could remember the notion of forging my own destiny fascinated me I grew up in a modest home where dreams were fragile yet unwavering my mother who juggled several part-time jobs always told me that perseverance could turn even the most daunting dreams into reality it was those early conversations as she fixed The Frayed edges of my school uniforms or stirred a steaming pot of soup that planted the seed of
ambition within me I believed I could do anything even on a radio station someday College was my Proving Ground I stepped onto the University campus with barely more than a suitcase and an old transistor radio my mother handed me as I boarded the bus it wasn't just a token of encouragement it was a tangible reminder of where I came from and what awaited me if I failed the pulse of the city the constant Buzz of ambition around me fueled my resolve I threw myself into classes joined the College radio station and soon found myself managing
morning shows and handling broadcast equipment that had stories older than I was it wasn't always smooth sailing there were times when the pressure seemed insurmountable balancing studies work and a social life was like juggling a dozen glass balls in a storm but I adapted learned and thrived years later when opportunity finally knocked and I bought my own station W jtw I felt an Indescribable surge of fulfillment it was a testament to every late night every moment of doubt and every risk I had taken sitting at my cluttered desk I looked out through the frost covered
window letting the reality of my Tangled life weigh down on me a biting wind lashed at the barren branches outside and the forecast threatened an oncoming blizzard most of the town's folk eagerly awaited the snow as it promised a picturesque Prelude to Christmas still weeks away yet not everyone shared their excitement for those struggling under the rising tide of unemployment festivities were an afterthought the County's jobless rate had skyrocketed to more than 14% casting a dark shadow over many homes in my hand a name plate caught my eye Tom Ambrose president a Bittersweet smile crossed
my face as I remembered the day I purchased the station wjt wasn't just a business it was a piece of me and the only one of its kind serving our city and county as I sat there watching the wind creat swirling snow patterns my mood wavered between gloom and hope the Christmas music playing in my office didn't lift my spirits as it usually did these were desperate times with bankruptcy looming over me but I had a plan that I hoped would save me it all started around 18 months ago when Winward Sporting apparel company announced
the shutdown of all its us operations only two factories remained one in New Jersey and the other near Milton North Carolina my hometown our local Factory was the fifth largest employer in the region rumors about its closure swirled and in the end the decision was made to close within 2 weeks the factory shut down leaving nearly 200 people unemployed those were 200 direct jobs lost the surrounding area likely lost another 300 to 400 indirect jobs due to the closure soon after Walmart announced it would shut down its local store following the opening of a Superstore
20 mi away other businesses including CVS Pharmacy followed suit by either closing or relocating then the national economy tanked unemployment in our area Rose to between 14 and 15% and threatened to climb higher as our local economy crumbled the radio station lost nearly 40% of its advertisers I found myself struggling to pay my bills I had mortgage debts for both the station and the land where I planed to build a new tower to make things worse I found out that Edgar brener who held the mortgage on the land was moving to foreclose I owed just
$37,000 but if I couldn't get the mortgage current I would lose both the land and the money I'd already invested it felt like I spent my days just juggling bills and keeping creditors at Bay owning a radio station had been my lifelong dream I was fascinated by broadcasting especially radio but with all my recent challenges my confidence had taken a huge hit still my passion for radio endured in business school they taught us that if you keep losing money you need to cut your losses but I didn't want to give up on the station my
love for radio started in second grade when I first noticed the tube radio my mom kept in the kitchen it had a warm inviting sound each morning Mom would tune in to her favorite Station wnew in New York City and William B Williams would fill the kitchen with friendly chatter and soft music on cold winter mornings I would look at the radio and envy Mr Williams he was in a cozy safe spot while I had to Brave the cold on my way to school of course I had no idea back then that Mr Williams probably
had to get up at 400 in the morning and deal with New York City's cold and traffic to reach that warm safe place regardless I think that's when I first fell in love with radio my passion grew over the years and by High School it was nearly an obsession yes I was the guy who did the morning announcements it was the closest thing to radio I could do at the time and yes I was one of those kids who helped with this school's audiovisual equipment soon after starting school I got a job it was part-time
during the school year and full-time during the summer most of what I earned went into a savings account I called my radio station fund I kept working through college and saving my grades were good enough for a state funded scholarship and my parents covered the rest while I pursued a business degree although I wanted to major in Communications I knew a business degree would be useful when I finally owned my station as soon as my parents dropped me me off at my dorm freshman year I immediately looked for the College radio station within an hour
of being on campus I was already signed up to volunteer those four years were amazing and by my senior year I was promoted to station manager a position that even came with a $500 a month paycheck the only downside was dealing with Chad Duncan III Chad was an insufferable snob and the editor of the school newspaper his wealthy parents own several newspapers and magazines in the Northeast and he never missed an opportunity to remind everyone about his connections or that he would someday run TriStar media despite his arrogance I had to coordinate with him for
school events to plan ads and attend the quarterly budget meetings that the college required for funded organizations I began attending these meetings as a sophomore but got more involved in my junior year when it was decided I would be the next station manager during his junior year Chad became the editor of the school newspaper which only boosted his ego even more we first clashed when when I presented my budget at the start of my senior year the station badly needed to replace some outdated equipment I'm pretty sure Marone himself built some of it it was
so ancient Chad meanwhile wanted to increase the newspaper budget to buy a new computer system even though the existing ones were under 3 years old and purchased new furniture for their office when the final budget was approved the radio station received a $40,000 increase while the newspaper's budget was cut by $225,000 Chad was Furious the newspaper's budget was reduced because it had shifted to digital a few years prior printing once its biggest expense was no longer significant since most students read the paper via an app this didn't matter to Chad he now resented the radio
station and especially me as its manager I'd known Chad had a girlfriend Amanda Edwards she wasn't exceptionally beautiful but was very nice they had been together since freshman year but Chad suddenly dumped her Midway through Senior Year Amanda who was majoring in interior design and wrote columns for the school newspaper was deeply upset she soon began working at the radio station which only fueled Chad's resentment towards me and the station I offered Amanda a job as a roving reporter and let her run a weekly editorial column Chad was livid when he learned I'd taken her
on adding to his hostility Chad retaliated by criticizing the radio station in every newspaper issue we in turn responded with our own Jabs Chad then complained to the College president that we were wasting our budget on pizza and beer here while it was true we held weekly pizza and beer parties we paid for them ourselves despite this I was called before the disciplinary board Chad arrived with photos of our parties while I came with receipts proving every station expense was legitimate we were found to have done nothing wrong so no disciplinary action was taken against
me or the station although I found the feud ridiculous and tried to make peace Chad saw it as a sign of weakness and escalated his attacks it took weeks but we eventually got our revenge with the help of Billy williamss a computer science student when Chad would finalize each issue and send it to the print shop and online Billy figured out how to intercept it and swap it with one we altered we didn't do anything terrible just inserted absurd stories countless limericks and only partial sports scores we added silly editorials like calling for mandatory nap
times in class and drinking fountains that dispensed beer when the paper came out Chad was livid most of his staff found it hilarious which only made him angrier I couldn't understand why he was so upset by most accounts it was the most entertaining issue in years we wanted to embarrass Chad but things backfired on us Chad didn't share the humor you son of a witch Chad shouted bursting into my office and slamming a copy of the paper onto my desk you did this you ruined the paper he was so angry that spit flew as he
spoke I don't know how you did it but you did I won't forget this with that he stormed out of the radio station and I smirked putting the event Out of My Mind One positive outcome of our prank was that the negative articles about the radio station stopped I assumed Chad had finally moved on however the truth was that the administration had already reprimanded Chad suspecting he was abusing his position at the paper Chad was not the kind to forgive or forget soon after the fake paper debacle Amanda and I began dating at first it
was casual but things got serious over time initially Amanda was just a volunteer but we grew close became friends and eventually started dating after we got serious we moved in together and shared an apartment for the last 3 months of school by then I was completely in love with her and I believe she felt the same way 6 months after graduation Amanda and I got married she landed a job as an interior designer for a large firm and I started working as a stock broker for a major financial company although we were both earning decent
salaries we hated our jobs Amanda despised her boss and I couldn't stand selling the financial products my company pushed because I believe they were flawed Investments we carried on for about a year until Amanda came home one day and announced she was quitting her job to start her own interior design business I was a bit frustrated that she hadn't discussed this with me beforehand but I wanted to support her so I let it go in hindsight I should have seen this as a warning sign in our marriage with only one stable income I was now
handling most of the financial responsibilities since we got married every time I received a bonus I split it between the fund for our new house and the radio station fund 80% went to the house fund and 20% to the radio station if Amanda received cash for her work she would transfer it to the house fund however when Amanda quit her job without discussing it with me I changed the distribution to 50 50ths Amanda wasn't pleased with this change and stopped contributing to the house fund entirely this was red flag number two and I ignored it
about a year later my bosses recognized my good performance and offered me a new position in Greenville North Carolina I expected Amanda to be upset when I brought it up but she was surprisingly excited competing with larger interior design firms at our current location had limited her business's growth so the idea of moving to a smaller City appealed to her the move went smoothly and Amanda's business did grow although she still didn't earn as much as she did at the large interior design company on the other hand I received bonuses for relocating to Greenville opening
an office and Staffing it within a month and making the office is profitable within 6 months despite the financial success I still disliked my job we settled into a rented house and continued with life on weekends Amanda and I explored the small towns around Greenville Amanda searched for furniture and decor for her business while I hunted for antique radios I managed to buy five radios including the exact model my mother had in the kitchen when I was young one day one of our trips changed everything we decided to visit Milton a small town after housing
the antique stores on one side of town and having lunch at a Charming Diner we set out to explore more we turned onto a side street and ended up in a quaint residential area I wanted to head back but Amanda wanted to continue I reminded her there were more antique stores to see on the other side of town but she was captivated by the variety of houses as we rounded a corner Amanda spotted a stately two-story Colonial a couple of blocks away she insisted we' check it out and as we approached she was excited to
see a for sale sign in the yard the house was open for viewing that day and Amanda eagerly pulled me up the steps the realtor was happy to see visitors as it had been a slow day Amanda followed the realtor inspecting every inch of the house the house appeared wellb built but needed some repairs Amanda wanted to go through the house a second time but I found something else that caught my attention a radio station in the field behind the house while Amanda explored the house further I wandered over to the station with had a
sign out front reading do jtw 1590 a.m. your hometown radio station the I and O in radio were so faded they were nearly invisible inside the station I met Mrs Sylvia Porter in her office she looked startled as if she hadn't expected anyone to come in thinking she'd lock the door I quickly learned she owned both the house Amanda was eyeing and the radio station she and her husband had run the station for 32 years initially they had lived in part of the station itself Mr Porter expanded the building adding two bedrooms a bathroom a
small living room and a kitchen along with a fireplace in the living room after their two daughters were born he built the colonial house across the field Mrs Porter's eyes clouded over when she mentioned her husband who had passed away 2 years earlier she had tried to keep running the station but her heart wasn't in it the station had been up for sale for over a year but no one showed interest 5 months earlier she had shut it down since the station's license was due for renewal and she had no plans to renew it her
intention was to sell the land and move to Florida to be near her daughters she felt disheartened as no one had made an offer and the last two potential buyers for the house couldn't secure financing people had advised Mrs Porter not to offer her own financing but she was reconsidering the more I talked to her the more excited I became about owning the station I told her I was interested but didn't have enough money surprised by my enthusiasm Mrs Porter offered me a mortgage on the property when I reunited with a man my heart was
racing before I could say anything Amanda said she had fallen in love with the house and wanted to make an offer she believed it would be a perfect showcase for her business over coffee I told Amanda about the radio station and its availability suggesting we make an offer on both properties initially Amanda was hesitant when I laid out the idea of buying both the house and the station she thought we should use the combined funds to make a larger down payment on the house and save the rest for repairs although the house was well built
Mrs Porter hadn't maintained it well it needed new paint inside and out the flooring had to be replaced some window panes were cracked and the porch decking needed repairs several railing spindles were also broken and needed fixing or replacing knowing Amanda would be upset if I dismissed her idea outright I explained that buying both properties could get us a better deal I also shared my confidence in convincing Mrs Porter to finance both purchases by the end of our conversation Amanda agreed we made made an offer of $200,000 for the house after researching the value of
the 10 acres of land that came with the station I estimated it at $75,000 factoring in the depreciation of the station's equipment I offered $100,000 for it Mrs Porter accepted our offer and agreed to finance the house at 4% interest and the station at 7% we signed the paperwork that day and four weeks later we closed on both the house and the station Amanda and I were thrilled we put $30,000 down for the house and $20,000 for the station the remaining balance in the house fund went toward Renovations and I used the $8,000 left in
the radio station fund for operations we moved into the house 2 days after closing the 45-minute commute to Greenville was tiring but I reminded myself that owning the radio station made it worth it the steady paycheck also eased the stress of managing both mortgages as soon as we moved in we started the renovation I hired a painter to handle the interior and exterior while Amanda worked with a flooring company they convinced us to refinish the main floor's hardwood add carpeting to the stairs and bedrooms and lay tile in the kitchen and bathrooms Amanda also hired
a handyman to repair the windows and the broken railings at the radio station my first step was contacting Scott Wright Mrs Porter's contract engineer for a complete assessment of the station's needs prioritized by importance Scott's report covered every piece of equipment in the studio Studio chain from the main studio and monitors to the transmitter as well as connections to the tower he suggested replacing a few small items immediately and strongly recommended a new automation system Tom Scott said pointing at the system he recommended with this setup you can run the station all by yourself that
convinced me despite its nearly $4,000 price tag I bought it I programmed the station to play hits from the' 60s 7s and 80s along with classic country music I wasn't sure what the audience wanted but figured it would work until I got a better sense it turned out to be exactly what listeners wanted Scott also mentioned something else that intrigued me before he passed away Fred had hired a broadcast engineer from Washington to study moving the tower 20 mi closer to Greenville the study showed that this move would provide strong coverage in Greenville I learned
that Fred had already submitted an FCC application for the move and it had been approved however the application would expire in 3 months I quickly applied for an extension with which was granted but the main obstacle was the $125,000 cost of building the new tower and ground system excluding the land that was money I didn't have I put the project on hold and focused on raising funds I took a week's vacation to help with home renovations and program the music into the new automation system after loading the music station IDs and liner notes I turned
the station back on to my surprise the response from the local community was overwhelmingly positive just 2 days after going live my first Advertiser herb caner from the local Funeral Home walked in I got to work for the next 18 months two issues loomed over my otherwise Happy Life the first was that I still hated my job in the commute the second was finding out Amanda couldn't have children I was devastated by this but Amanda surprisingly wasn't and refused to consider adoption this should have been my third warning sign about Amanda but I missed it
too of the two problems I could only solve one the other I had to learn to live with one night I told Amanda I wanted to quit my job in Greenville she was initially upset and worried her design business hadn't grown as she had hoped and she was still only making about 80% of her previous salary Amanda insisted I not quit so I decided to show her the financial benefits clearly the next day after finishing my work early I spent the rest of the day creating a spreadsheet to demonstrate how we could maintain our lifestyle
even if I left my job I showed that the revenue I was putting into the station could cover all but around $11,000 a month of our expenses and I was sure I could make up the shortfall by having more time to sell ads that potential Gap was enough to make Amanda reconsider so I added one last option I was embarrassed not to have thought of earlier free advertising for Amanda's business on the station that evening Amanda softened when I shared the plan and was excited about the free advertising especially the idea of voicing her own
commercials I couldn't believe I hadn't offered it sooner I had been too focused on finding new paying clients my strategy was straightforward I visited at least a dozen businesses each week including current and potential advertisers I would introduce myself to the owners or managers hand out small promotional items like pens notepads or calendars and talk about the benefits of radio advertising presenting our rates I encourage them to voice their own ads to make their business feel more personal so new customers would feel famili walking in for the next 3 years I lived my dream I
had a wife I loved and believed loved me I fulfilled my lifelong goal of owning a radio station and business was going well but as I mentioned life eventually descended from those highs into chaos I reached a point where I nearly lost everything yet I didn't give up and slowly began to claw my way back I had to fight for myself and everyone who relied on the station one person who particularly depended on the station was Lou Talbert he worked the night shift at the windward plant and had been a DJ in major cities for
20 years before booze derailed his career a month after the station relaunched I realized I needed more voices than just mine and sometimes Amanda's unsure if I could afford to pay anyone I was surprised when Lou walked in and introduced himself though it was only 11:00 a.m. I could smell booze on him but I was intrigued when he spoke of his experience at various radio stations so I took a chance and hired him for a Morning Show from 7:00 to 9: when people learned I'd hired Lou they said I was making a mistake but Lou
was committed he showed up on time every weekday and one of my rules was no drinking before or during the show at first Lou restricted his drinking to the afternoons then just to weekends and eventually quit all together as he stayed sober I expanded his responsibilities and raised his pay his show started off rough Lou hadn't been on air in years and was used to having someone else at the controls but he gradually found his rhythm and listeners loved his mix of music and stories Lou shared Tales from his life and stories of the neighborhood
and people he'd encountered filled with struggle sacrifice love Triumph and Redemption I was amazed at how he consistently found new stories to tell though he never mastered the remote control smoothly and often made mistakes these quirks endeared him to listeners the next person to find Refuge at the station was a skinny red-haired young man with pimples who wandered in one day his unwashed state was unmistakable even from 15 ft away his smell was noticeable later I learned his story Jimmy Saunders father had abandoned the family leaving his mother who struggled with heavy drinking to raise
four children on her own what can I do for you son I asked gently his eyes widened with fear I'm sorry I'll leave he stammered turning to go hey I called after him stopping him in his tracks what's your name Jimmy Saunders sir he said turning back his voice shaky well Jimmy Saunders would you like a tour of the station I offered really that would be great he replied disbelief evident in his tone then quickly added if it's not too much trouble no trouble at all I assured him with a smile there's nothing better than
showing someone your radio station even though I don't truly think of it as my station I see it as belonging to the people of Calvary County Jimmy reminded me of myself minus the red hair and pimples he was captivated by everything he saw and I enjoyed watching his face light up as we moved from room to room it was like seeing someone discover a passion for radio firsthand when the tour ended I could tell he didn't want to leave so I asked if he'd like to volunteer at the station Jimmy's face lit up and he
nodded eagerly I handed Jimmy two wgtw T-shirts which he clutched tightly to his chest the expression on his face spoke volumes those t-shirts meant far more to him than their monetary value there's just one thing I said paus to choose my words carefully if you're going to work here you'll need to shower before coming in Jimmy's face shifted instantly from Joy to anxiety we we don't have running water at home he admitted his voice trembling the pipe burst and my mom doesn't have the money to fix it and gimm class isn't running at school so
I can't use the showers there that's not a problem Jimmy I said softly reassuring him bring some clean clothes tomorrow and you can shower here that's how Jimmy started working for me initially he just cleaned the station but soon I began teaching him how to use the equipment in the Production Studio he picked it up quickly and before long he was filming commercials then I started paying him just $100 a week but to Jimmy it was a windfall he used every penny to buy food and clothes for his siblings after 3 months I put him
on the air for the evening shift he hosted a show that continued our music programming but also covered school events the show gained popularity and Jimmy's social standing at school improved he was no longer the outcast everyone avoided I also taught Jimmy how to set up equipment for soccer games and even let him run the broadcasts or be the color commentator during soccer season eventually I gave Jimmy the afternoon show which he hosted for two years before he was offered a DJ position in a larger market Jimmy even came up with a solution for a
potential crisis involving high school soccer broadcasts the issue was that there were five high schools in the county and each wanted their games broadcast on Friday nights I worried that airing one school's games at the expense of the others would alienate those schools fans Jimmy suggested broadcasting two games per School per season and hiring students to attend and record highlights from the other games using digital voice recorders the next day we would edit these highlights into our broadcast for the Saturday morning Sports show this plan was a hit and resolved the problem perfectly 2 years
after buying the radio station I found a 10 acre plot that was ideal for a new tower it was the closest I could legally move under the original FCC application Fred had submitted the land belonged to Edgar brener one of the area's largest Farmers known for his hard-nosed business tactics he owned 1,500 Acres of prime Farmland but the 10 acres I wanted were swampy with only one dry acre despite this Mr brener insisted on $8,000 per acre the going rate for Prime Farmland even though the land was far from it he refused to negotiate knowing
it was the perfect location for me I only needed 5 acres and tried to buy just that much along the road but he was firm it was all or nothing I don't care if I sell the land or not he said over the phone but I'm willing to offer a 5-year mortgage at 9% interest at that time Bank rates were only 3 4% brener knew the local banks wouldn't Finance me after an exhaustive search I found no suitable alternative and had to swallow my ride and accept his terms I purchased the land knowing the station
could afford the mortgage despite the tough conditions 6 months later business was doing well and I realized I needed a part-time bookkeeper to handle accounting phone calls and billing I wanted someone for 20 hours a week at $200 weekly I posted an ad and even ran a small notice in a Greenville newspaper but got no responses just when I was about to give up and wait until I could hire fulltime there was a knock at my door one morning St standing there was a young woman in her early 20s with a look of nervousness that
reminded me of Jimmy sorry to bother you she said timidly holding out a newspaper is the job still available yes it is I replied taking a moment to observe her she was petite with light brown hair pulled back into a ponytail wearing a wrinkled dress and worn shoes she looked slender almost frail but had a pretty face and a shy smile she glanced around nervously and I quickly refocused please have a seat I said gesturing to the chair across from me I'm Tom Ambrose I introduced myself extending my hand i'm Tracy Bronson she responded shaking
my hand so tell me a bit about yourself I said do you have a resume no sir she answered her eyes wide with worry I didn't know I needed one no problem I reassured her do you have any bookkeeping experience she shook her head and looked down honestly the bookkeeping work I needed only required basic computer skills are you familiar with Windows I asked Tracy looked up and managed a small smile I can use a word processor she said what about spreadsheets I pressed on she shook her head again and I began to wonder if
this would work out just then something unexpected happened Mommy came a small soft voice Tracy jumped up from her chair I'm so sorry that's my daughter I'll take her back to the car no let her come inside I said smiling I don't mind the little girl couldn't have been more than 3 or 4 years old her fine blonde hair was freshly brushed and adorned with a pink bow and the corners of her mouth were sticky with traces of a lollipop holding her mother's hand she sucked her thumb once Tracy sat down again the girl climbed
into her lap and rested her head on her shoulder can we eat soon the little girl asked I'm really hungry sh sweetheart we'll go eat when I'm done this is my daughter Kimberly Tracy said kissing her daughter's head I reached into the cupboard and took out a tupperware container opening it I asked Kimberly do you like cookies her eyes lit up but she looked to her mother for approval Tracy nodded and Kimberly took a cookie thank you she said one cookie isn't enough I said with a smile setting two more cookies on the table in
front of Kimberly you need at least two more what about you Mom these are homemade chocolate chip cookies made by Mrs Myers down the street she drops them off every week joking that it's her way of bribing us to keep playing her favorite music on W jtw Mrs Myers would be disappointed if you didn't at least try one Kimberly quickly ate her cookie while Tracy hesitated before taking a bite of her own she kept her eyes on me probably trying to figure out if she would get the job I glanced at Kimberly sitting in her
lap and decided to take a chance on Tracy well if you're interested in the job it's yours I said as I stood up Tracy's eyes brightened and she thanked me sincerely I'll grab the W9 form so we can get you started just as I was heading to my office I heard Kimberly asked her mother a question that nearly broke my heart mommy are we going to have to sleep in the car again tonight it's so cold in there it won't be for long honey Tracy replied her voice sad I paused and turned back if you're
going to work here you should at least know where the bathroom is come on I'll show you around the station I led them through the radio side of the building and what struck me was Kimberly's wide-eyed excitement when she realized what was playing in the main Studio was being broadcast live I saved the residential section for last the previous owners had lived there until they could afford to build the colonial house across the street my wife and I had bought both the house and the lot together I walked them through the rooms and then made
an offer it just occurred to me that you're probably new in town and haven't had time to find a place yet I said a bit uncertainly if you've already got a place or planned to stay at a motel that's fine but if you'd like you're welcome to use this part of the station until you find something more permanent Tracy looked hesitant so I tried to reassure her I know it sounds unusual but Jimmy has stayed here many nights and even Lou my morning guy used it when his apartment was being fumigated I was actually planning
to put new locks on the bedroom door but hadn't done it yet if you'd like I can put a lock on the main bedroom and you'll have the only Keys Kimberly's eyes were filled with hope but Tracy still seemed unsure I knew they needed a place to stay but I didn't want to push her it had to be her choice if you want I can put the lock on right now I said checking my watch but if not I need to go and you can start work at 9 tomorrow morning Tracy looked at her daughter
and then back at me we'd really appreciate it if we could stay here you're right we don't have anywhere to stay yet in about 15 minutes I installed the new lock on the bedroom door and handed Tracy the keys there's some leftover pizza and soda in the fridge I said pointing it out help yourself to whatever you find that's the rule here and don't forget the cookies in my office please finish them so I don't eat them all myself Tracy started working and living at the station for the first week she pretended she'd soon find
another place but I knew that on her current pay she couldn't afford even a tiny room at the beginning of the second week she admitted she had nowhere else to go Tracy told me she'd left her abusive boyfriend when he started striking Kimberly I told her she could stay as long as she needed hiring Tracy turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made she mastered the spreadsheet program in under an hour and reorganized the filing system so we could easily find documents she also created a client billing schedule and a template
for invoices although I hired her for just 20 hours a week she worked at least 40 and never complained by the third week I felt guilty and raised her pay to $250 a week I also told her that if she wanted to try sales she'd earn 25% of any AD Revenue she brought in Tracy took the sales naturally soon earning $4 to $500 a month in commissions I loved having Tracy and Kimberly around Tracy was willing to take on any task I gave her and I never knew where Kimberly would be playing she wasn't allowed
in the transmitting room which I kept locked but she could play in the studios if they weren't being used Amanda was not happy when I told her that Tracy and Kimberly were living in the station's residential area even after explaining that they had been living in their car Amanda didn't care she was more concerned about how it looked for a young woman to be staying there especially with her daughter that should have been another warning sign for me but I missed it I still believed Amanda and I were living a dream life I thought we
were closer than ever and couldn't imagine loving anyone more Amanda's business had grown so much that she was now earning more than she did at her old job thanks in part to the commercials aired on the station everything seemed perfect our neighbors were friendly too Mrs Myers baked cookies and pies for us and the neighborhood kids played stickball street hockey and dodgeball on the road outside the station what I had free time I would join them because I was much bigger than them I used my left hand to even the playing field since I was
right-handed when we played hockey I was only allowed to be the goalie and my goal was twice as large my favorite neighbor was Henry Wilson who lived across the street from the station a retired marine and Vietnam veteran Henry would come by three or four times a week to have coffee and chat his stories were great and not all were about the war some were more colorful he had lost his wife Ellie 5 years ago and it was clear he was still grieving when he talked about her you could see the love in his eyes
I loved spending time with Henry but I noticed him declining over the years he battled cancer likely from agent orange exposure and had heart problems he'd had open heart surgery a decade ago and five stent since despite being sick most of the time and struggling financially Henry never complained his income from Social Security and a military pension barely covered his medical bills I suggested he visit a veteran hospital but he refused saying he'd rather die than go to that place which had a poor reputation I agreed our local veterans hospital was one of the oldest
understaffed and poorly maintained the way we treat our veterans is in my opinion disgraceful people often say the only certainties in life are death and taxes but they're wrong the only real constants are death and change that's what happened to my perfect little world it began to change the local economy started to falter when the windward Factory closed followed by Walmart and a major Pharmacy the neighborhood had weathered hard times before and struggled to adjust but when the national economy took a turn for the worse everyone's business suffered including the radio station advertising Revenue dropped
by 20% and I struggled to make up for it I managed to soften the blow somewhat by bartering with local businesses like trading ad spots for gas at a local station and gym memberships for Amanda and me things seemed to settle for a bit but the hits kept coming Braxton machine company company which made parts for commercial and military aircraft and employed 400 people announced it was moving operations to Mexico this law sent shock waves through the community and some smaller businesses went bankrupt the local Chamber of Commerce decided to try to attract new businesses
to the area to offset job losses I was elected to a committee to help bring in new businesses to Milton and nearby towns just as I started working on this trouble arrived in the form of Chad Duncan II Chad's family owned over a hundred small and medium ium sized newspapers mostly the kind that were delivered for free plus 12 Regional magazines and four TV stations two affiliated with CBS and two with NBC their business model was simple keep the properties as long as they were profitable while none of these individually made much money together they
generated a significant cash flow for the family one evening Amanda came home late excited about a new client Chad Duncan III he had hired her to design the office for his new newspaper the Milton Free Press I felt uneasy that Chad had reappeared after all these years but I didn't worry too much a red flag I should have paid attention to the chamber welcomed Chad seeing his business as a positive sign for the town it was a farce he only hired three people a reporter a Salesman and an office manager who also doubled as either
everything else the paper needed was outsourced and it was printed in Greenville I spoke with Chad several times at chamber meeting and community events he seemed friendly enough and I mistakenly believed that our College rivalry was behind us he appeared to settle into the community made generous donations to local charities and joined various local clubs Chad had come South to expand his family's media Empire in the Southeast before meeting Amanda his family had already acquired the Greenville times and planned to launch eight more small town newspapers and a fishing and hunting magazine four of those
newspapers were planned for towns within our County however Chad seemed more focused on helping Amanda grow her business than on expanding his family's company soon Amanda started coming home later and began staying overnight in Greenville citing early morning meetings these were clear warning signs and this time I noticed them I could feel Amanda slipping away but I didn't want to give up without a fight I sent her flowers bought her small thoughtful gifts and tried to plan romantic dates but nothing worked that's when I decided to put a tracker on her phone I discovered that
Amanda was spending those overnight stays with Chad the battle was over and I had lost I seriously thought about driving to Greenville and confronting Chad but that would only end with me in jail while Chad would look smug behind the bars alongside my financial struggles my wife of eight years had betrayed me Amanda leaving me was painful enough but her choosing the man I loathed most only added to the hurt dwelling on it too long made me feel like I couldn't breathe I knew I had to confront Amanda but I refused to become like my
uncle Fred who begged and pleaded for his wife to come back after she left him for her boss watching him have a nervous breakdown and be hospitalized was sad and humiliating and I vowed never to be like that so I planned to tell Amanda it was over but she beat me to it one evening I came home to find Chad and Amanda in the living room Amanda looked uneasy and Chad wore a smug smile Tom we need to talk Amanda said glancing at Chad that night everything CED into place Chad had promised to get back
at me for the prank I played on him with the college newspaper and now it seemed he'd succeeded by stealing my wife two things helped me get through the divorce first was the tone I set when Amanda told me she wanted a divorce it took all my strength but I simply nodded and said okay Amanda seemed unsettled by my lack of reaction and Chad was clearly annoyed that I didn't break down this convinced me that pretending the divorce was no big deal was the right move negotiating the terms was a different story I knew Amanda
wanted the house and she knew I wanted the radio station she thought it was fair to get the house and half the station I remained emotionless even then I told Amanda she could have half of the station however since it was losing money she would also take on half of its debts this cooled her enthusiasm quickly as she didn't want any part of the station after more negotiations we agreed to appraise both properties if the radio station was worth more than the house I'd pay Amanda half the difference if the house was worth more she'd
owe me half two separate appraisals showed that the house was worth $220,000 to $40,000 more than the station Amanda was Furious and said she wouldn't pay me $10,000 if we used the lower appraisal her refusal irritated me but I didn't show it instead I had my lawyer bring up child support since Amanda was now earning more from her business largely thanks to Chad's involvement when this came up Amanda had another out first the divorce reached a standstill until I suggested a private meeting while working through that I still had to keep the station running during
this time I spent too much energy thinking of ways to get back at Amanda and Chad but most ideas were impractical or would land me in jail eventually I came up with two plans to hurt them in small but meaningful ways first I pulled all of Amanda's commercials off the air then I approached Maggie's interior design a small firm Two Towns over and offered ad spots at an unbeatable rate Maggie accepted immediately when Amanda noticed her ads had been replaced she called me demanding to know why her commercials weren't being aired you've got to be
kidding Amanda I said we getting a divorce did you really think I'd keep airing your ads for free that was just the first shot when Amanda tried to buy airtime I told her no spots were available my soon Tobe ex-wife was livid but I just hung up with a smile The Next Step I took was to Target Chad's business if I had been thinking clearly I might not have done it but I approached every Advertiser in Chad's newspapers and pitched the idea of splitting their ad budget the plan was for businesses to buy smaller newspaper
ads and use the rest for radio spots the idea was that radio ads would attract attention to their business and prompt people to notice their newspaper ads to my surprise the strategy worked we managed to convince about 40% of Chad's advertisers to go for the deal the extra Revenue helped the station though it wasn't a complete solution Chad was Furious which brought me a bit of satisfaction the divorce dragged on while Chad and Amanda paraded around town like a married couple which annoyed me I told my lawyer to inform Amanda's lawyer that we'd take the
case to court if we couldn't reach an agreement soon eventually they agreed to meet at her attorney's office a move that didn't make my lawyer happy when we walked into the conference room Chad sat there smirking I nodded at him with a smile Chad you need to leave I said I'm not going going anywhere Chad snapped with Amanda backing him up then this meeting is over I said turning to my lawyer wek let the court handle it wait Amanda's attorney said as we started to leave give me a moment to talk with my client a
few moments later we were invited back in and Chad left looking frustrated before we start Amanda I said looking her in the eye I don't know what I did to deserve the way you treated me if you wanted out of the marriage you didn't have to cheat you could have just told me and I would have agreed to a divorce I I expected more from you and I can't tell you how disappointed I am Amanda blushed but said nothing I wasn't holding my breath for an apology my lawyer stepped in Mrs Ambrose I have both
your and Tom's income records for the past two years you made about $30,000 more per year than Tom the court could order alimony payments of $300 to $500 a month that's ridiculous Amanda shot back Tom if this is your way of trying to hurt me I'll fight you I respond resped calmly Amanda I don't want alimony but you won't pay me half the difference in value between the house and the station your lawyer will tell you that the court could make you pay at least $10,000 and may even use the average of the two appraisals
which is $115,000 the court could even go with the higher value $220,000 and possibly add alimony so let's compromise pay me $15,000 and I'll wave any alimony Amanda looked at me for a long time before the anger in her eyes gave way to cold Logic the love she once had for me was clearly gone after a pause Amanda agreed to the compromise then we're done here I said trying to sound upbeat before leaving I approached Amanda and kissed the top of her head to unsettle her a bit more I hope you and Chad are happy
I lied I turned at the doorway and waved the uncertainty and confusion on her face were satisfying even if only a small victory the second thing that helped me through the divorce and perhaps the most important was Trace and Kimberly they were bright spots in an otherwise painful time while my relationship with Tracy remained strictly professional it was comforting to have someone in my corner Tracy was shocked when she learned what Amanda had done but the divorce forced me to make some significant changes when I had to move out of the house I'd shared with
Amanda Tracy asked if she should find an apartment no don't spend money on an apartment we can share the living quarters I said adding a light joke don't worry I'll put a lock on my door so you can't take advantage of me Tracy blushed and I immediately felt awkward I'm just kidding we'll just be roommates unless you'd prefer your own place no no Tracy quickly said Kimberly and I love living here we'd be happy if you stayed permanently I was relieved they were staying I couldn't bear the thought of loneliness on top of everything else
having them around helped me start to heal as weeks turned into months what began as an employer employee relationship turned into a friendship and then a close Bond 2 months after my divorce I finally gathered the courage to ask Tracy out on a date life didn't become perfect after Amanda left but peace gradually settled into my days the radio station once a symbol of ambition and struggle became a sanctuary filled with new memories Tracy brought warmth and Order her quiet strength helping me rebuild myself one day at a time Kimberly's laughter filled the Halls her
Giggles bouncing off the walls as she played near the consoles or watched me work with wide curious eyes Lou and Jimmy were Constance their presence and stories filling the station with life a reminder of how far we'd come Tracy and I grew closer in those months sharing long talks on the porch under star studded skies and Quiet Moments in the break room after hours one evening as the snow fell outside and the world seemed wrapped in a blanket of Silence I shared a memory from my childhood my mother tapping out Rhythms on the kitchen counter
as she sang along to the radio Tracy listened intently her eyes warm with understanding when I hesitated she reached out her fingers brushing mine that touch said everything I wasn't alone anymore winter tested the community as it faced economic blows in harsh weather but I doubled down at wjw putting in late nights with Lou and ensuring Tracy felt secure in her role we introduced new segments featuring stories from locals Tales of resilience that resonated with listeners Henry Wilson even joined us on air one evening to share a story from Vietnam and the phone lines lit
up with calls thanking him for his service I watched as tears gathered in Henry's eyes moved by the power of connection Tracy thrived in her role mastering the station's operations and earning the respect of local advertisers Kimberly would often sit coloring in the corner of my office as Tracy and I worked her innocent chatter breaking up the silence and easing the loneliness that sometimes crept in it started to feel like a family even though I was hesitant to name it afraid of shattering what we built by defining it too soon one evening after after a
particularly long day Tracy stayed behind to help tidy up Kimberly had fallen asleep on the old couch surrounded by her beloved stuffed animals Tracy and I stood together in the studio the soft hum of the transmitter filling the silence I turned to her and realized that what I wanted wasn't the polished ambition I had once shared with Amanda or the Rivalry that had driven me it was this something simple honest and unbreakable Tracy I I started but she stepped closer silencing me with a smile you don't have to say anything she whispered and in that
silence the unspoken words between us were clear our first kiss was hesitant but full of emotion a promise of things to come the months that followed were a blend of cautious steps forward we spent evenings on the porch sharing stories laughing over Tracy's failed baking experiments and basking in the warmth of Kimberly's joyful presence as winter thawed into spring when Henry passed away that spring the town felt the loss deeply at his funeral I spoke of his courage and kindness his stories that had become woven into the fabric of our community Tracy held my hand
tightly as my voice wavered offering the strength I needed to finish wjw continued to grow finding its Rhythm as advertisers returned and Community Support surged Tracy's creativity led to local talent nights and expanded programming Lou became a legend with his memories at dawn segment and Jimmy now now in a larger market called in with updates and signed off with but it's not the same as home the station wasn't just surviving it was thriving a beacon of connection and resilience my bond with Tracy deepened evolving into a love that was undeniable Kimberly started calling me Uncle
Tom each time making Tracy's eyes missed with emotion on the anniversary of the day I first signed the papers for WJ jtw I proposed to Tracy in the studio Where it All Began it wasn't Grand or elaborate just me her and a simple question she said yes with tears and laughter and Kimberly clapped her small hands in Joy our wedding was intimate filled with love and the laughter of friends and neighbors Mrs Myers baked the cake and the ceremony was held in the old Community Hall where Henry had once danced with Ellie Tracy walked down
an aisle lined with wild flowers picked by neighborhood kids Kimberly scattering pedals with all the solemnity of a child taking her role seriously Lou now retired but ever presentes narrated The Event live on air speaking of Love loss and New Beginnings life didn't get easier overnight there were late nights at the station unexpected repairs and the everyday challenges of balancing work and family but each obstacle was met with Tracy's steady presence and the laughter of a growing Kimberly the station became more than just a business it was a Living testament to Second Chances and the
community's unwavering Spirit on the 10th anniversary of my ownership we hosted a Town event that brought everyone together Tracy and I flipped the switch to play a song my mother used to love a nod to the past and a reminder of how far we'd come the music floated over the crowd blending with the sounds of laughter and the rustling trees Tracy Stood Beside Me her hand in mine and whispered we did it I squeezed her hand looking out at the town that had weathered storms economic struggles and personal trials yes I said feeling the weight
of it all settle in my chest we really did [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]
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