I settled into one of the burgundy velvet chairs in front of the fire and pulled my phone out of my pocket. I had one interview remaining with Rebecca Mills and it was on the books for today. She was supposed to meet me at a coffee bar this evening around six o’clock, but obviously, that wasn’t going to happen. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and give her a call.
I’d never hear the end of it from my sister if I missed the interview, and I didn’t want to leave Rebecca hanging. That wasn’t the guy I was. Not anymore.
Rebecca answered on the third ring. “Mr. Holt, nice to hear from you. Are we still on for our interview this evening? I was about to leave my office and head to the shop.”
“Actually, I was hoping we could do the interview over the phone. I won’t be able to make it into the city tonight. Something personal came up but I didn’t want to miss our chance to wrap this up.”
“Oh, sure,” Rebecca said. I thought I detected a hint of disappointment in her voice. She banished it by clearing her throat. “Hold on. Let me put you on speaker so I can record you.”
I waited and fidgeted with the stitching in the armrest of the chair.
“Okay,” Rebecca said, her voice professional and collected. “Are you ready?”
“Let’s do this.”
“Let’s start with the haunted house charity event. I went looking for you to catch an interview but you weren’t there.”
“I left early,” I explained. “I was in one of the rooms but got a little too into the whole thing. I scared some poor girl senseless and had to escort her out. Then I got it in my head that it would be fun to drive down to my sister’s house in my costume and scare her senseless. I used to pull a lot of pranks on her when we were kids, but you know how it is. You grow up, you forget that part of yourself, and your sibling relationships become adult relationships. There’s less room for messing around and fun.”
“But not that night?”
“Not that night.” I chuckled.
“Did you scare her successfully?”
“Maybe a little too successfully.”
Rebecca laughed. “Let’s go back to the haunted house. Did you see any irony in the approach of using a haunted house tour to raise money for people who don’t have houses of their own?”
I considered the question before answering. She was trying to trip me up like any good reporter would do. “I don’t think it’s about that. It was about connecting with the community, particularly the young people. The whole idea was to encourage neighbors to help neighbors and to be creative about it. I think that’s the trick. There has to be an element of fun to keep people coming back.”
“And that’s what the night was for you? Fun?”
“Yes,” I said honestly. “And it might sound rich coming from a guy like me. But we don’t have to label the right and wrong ways to help people. We’re allowed to laugh and enjoy ourselves for a good cause. There’s a time for fun and a time for seriousness. So long as you know when to make the distinction, you’re in the clear.”
“This all sounds very different from the man I first spoke to a month ago.”
“I am different,” I said. “Everything I’ve learned, I owe to Kayla, the director of Good Fellow’s. She showed me how to be better, not perfect, and that it was enough so long as I tried. I never expected to enjoy the process so much. To be honest—and I know this might piss readers off—I wasn’t the guy at the beginning of this journey I wanted Seattle to see me as. I was self-focused. I was motivated by material things. But after Kayla and her organization? Well, let’s just say I’m trying to lay a new foundation for myself and start fresh.”
Rebecca was quiet for a minute. “What’s the next step?”
“I’m not really sure. I’ll be donating two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to Good Fellow’s to help the construction of a new shelter. After that? We’ll see where I’m pulled.”
“Can I ask you one last question?”
“Of course,” I said, pausing to glance at Kayla, who still slept soundly on the bed.
“What is something you’ve learned on your journey into philanthropy that you want to share with readers?”
A good question. A very good question. I gave it a moment to think it over. I didn’t want to give her an impulsive answer. I wanted to give her the right answer—my answer. Finally, it came to me. “I’ve realized that nothing happens in a vacuum.”
“Can you elaborate?”
“I’m not a success because I built everything by myself. I used to believe that. I believed it so strongly that I didn’t think anyone could bring value to my life that I couldn’t provide myself. But now? I’ve learned that I’ve been successful in my life because I’ve had people around me to support me. Those people mean more to me than my wealth or my stability. It’s important for me that I start supporting others as well. It’s my turn to give back. It’s been my turn for a long time and I’ve turned a blind eye. I know I have a lot to make up for and I’m ready to do that. The connections I’ve made with strangers who I otherwise never would have had a chance to meet have been life changing. I encourage anyone in a position to give to do just that. Give your time, your money, your hand. You have no idea how so little can go so far.”
“Spoken like a true philanthropist.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” I chuckled. “Everything I’ve learned has been because of Kayla. She’s the real superstar here. She’s the one who’s been giving anything
