"Coming into Riches"

Henry Albert Jones stood on the porch of his grandmother’s old rental house as he waited for the bus to pull up to take him off to school. He saw his friend, James Hall, come running up the street to his house. James said to Henry, “Did you hear they have a new math teacher this year at Winnfield Senior High School named Mr. Peters. He supposed to be a really hard teacher to make a passing grade in his class.” Henry just sighed and said, “James will things ever get better for kids like us.” James said, “What do you mean by that, Henry.” Henry said, “Kids who are stuck in poverty.” James replied, “With the right education, we can always get ahead.” Henry just looked surprised at his answer and said, “I suppose you’re right. However, everyone I know that graduated last year on our block just ended up staying here in Winnfield, Louisiana.” James replied, “You’re just talking crazy. My older sister said, ‘Mark went off to California and is doing great.’” Henry sighed and replied, “I heard he joined the army and they sent him to California.” James replied, “Why can’t you be positive.” Henry replied, “I can’t be positive with so much lack and no hope of coming out of this dead-end town.” Just then the bus pulled up to the corner and James told Henry, “Come on, Man, we have to catch the bus, so we don’t stay here, too.”

When they got to school, Henry’s first period teacher, Mrs. Powell, meet him to tell him that the principal wanted him to meet him in his office immediately. She told him that his parents were already there. Henry thought in his mind, “I’m in trouble for sure.” When he got to the principal’s office, his parents, Mr. Henry Sr., and Mrs. Jean, were sitting down with an empty chair for him to sit in. His principal, Mr. Johnson, was sitting and they were talking together. The principal told him to sit down and his parents told him to sit as well. Mr. Johnson said, “Henry, I have some sorrowful news and also some wonderful news for you. Your grandfather, Mr. Nathan Jones the Third, has just passed away. However, he left you two things in his will. He left you $20,000 (Twenty-thousand dollars) and a small black notebook that only you can see.” Just then when Mr. Johnson finished talking, a mysterious man stepped in the room. The man said, “Let me introduce myself. My name is Mr. Patterson. I am your grandfather’s lawyer and what Mr. Johnson said is true. It’s all legal. You will receive all this money when you turn 18 years of age which from what your parents tell me is in 2 weeks. However, until then, you are to keep this small black notebook and not share what is contained to anybody. You can read it, but you are never to share any of the contents contained or you forfeit any money that you will receive. Those are the requirements that your grandfather put in his will. If you fulfill all these requirements, you will receive an additional 20 million dollars once you turn 18 years of age. However, if you do not, then, you will only receive the Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000). Do I make myself clear? However, there is one exception, but you have to find it inside the small black notebook that I just gave to you.” Henry said, “I’m overwhelmed. I never thought anything like this would ever happen to me. Now, I am finally free of this town and I can live the life I have always dreamed about. I understand and I will not let anyone look at the contents of the small black notebook and I will find the exception” as he exclaimed to Mr. Patterson. Mr. Patterson said, “I hope you do, and I hope you receive everything that your grandfather wanted for you to have.” Henry said to Mr. Johnson and his parents, “Am I free to go.” Both said, “Yes, Henry.” Henry left the office to go tell his best friend, James, the wonderful news. However, James already knew and the whole school. It was announced over the intercom. James said to Henry, “So you’re rich now or you’re coming into riches. You don’t have any time for me anymore. I love you, friend. But I always knew that for you to go higher, you would have to leave me behind.” Henry said to James, “I will never leave you behind. You’re my best friend. We have been through everything together and we will be friends forever.” James said, “I know you’ll forget me when you’re going to parties with Kim Kardashian and Kenny West.” Henry said, “No, you will be right there with me.” James said, “How did I get such a wonderful African-American friend like you.” Henry said, “We are both African-American and we will be friends forever.”

Henry searched throughout the little black book when he got home from school. His parents took him home. He looked everywhere in the notebook for an entry giving the exception but found nothing. Then, he remembered that his grandfather loved to pay word games and the date of his birthday was January 3, 1940. He was 81 years old when he died so he looked on page 81 of the notebook and found an entry that said exception if you find my list of companies. He looked on page 134 which is 1 for January, the first month, three for 3rd day and the 4 in 40 of the year his grandfather was born, and he found his list of companies. He wanted to tell his friend, James, but he knew if he did, he would forfeit the money. He called Mr. Patterson and he told him the exception. Mr. Patterson was overjoyed and said, “You are correct so now you get all his money, the $20,000 plus $20 million, and he said now that you found the exception you get all his companies which total $1.2 billion and you become CEO over his companies. He had to wait still until he was 18 but that would be soon. He also told him that the small notebook contained all your grandfather’s business notes on how to run his company. He left instructions to have you sent to business school and be taught by top businesspeople in his company how to run the company. He went and told his parents the news. They were happy, too.

The news of Henry’s wealth hit the newspapers. However, there was a storm coming on the horizon. A small company claimed that Henry’s grandfather stole his business plans and some ideas of his products. They had proof and were trying to sue Henry for the contents of the notebook. Mr. Patterson informed Henry of this fact two days before he was to turn 18 years old. The owner of this company was Mr. Kilgraves. He hated children, teenagers, and everything about his grandfather’s company. So, Henry sat in court to fight for his legal right to not have Mr. Kilgraves see the contents of the small black notebook. Henry’s best friend, James, was there and his parents. News people sat in the court room taking pictures and writing notes of the court trial. The town was ablaze with the excitement of a young billionaire and this kangaroo court to decide the fate of this business and the young billionaire’s riches.

The lawyers argued back and forth and finally evidence was presented by Mr. Patterson that Mr. Kilgraves may have had a hand in the death of Henry’s grandfather with a video tape of someone mysteriously leaving Mr. Nathan Jones estate. The person, Mr. Jeremiah Jackson, that left came forward saying that he was paid to harm Mr. Nathan in exchange for shares and money from Mr. Kilgraves company. Mr. Kilgraves’ lawyers denied these allegations and argued that these allegations were falsified. Then, finally, Henry remembered something his grandfather said, and he asked his lawyer to take the witness stand. Henry said, “I remembered my grandfather saying, “if anything happens to me keep the book away from the killer. I think he meant Kilgraves.” The lawyer for Kilgraves said, “You have no proof.” However, Henry remembered his grandfather always used word games. Killer has 6 letters. Keep has 4 and book has 4. Whoever the killer was would have a birthday in the 6th month, the 4th day, and a year with 4 in it. Henry asked Mr. Kilgraves, “When is your birthday?” He said, “My Birthday is June 4, 1964.” Henry said, “He had to have a hand in his death because the word game he played with that phrase has the same month, day number, and year has a four in it.” After stating this in court, the jury ruled to deny Mr. Kilgraves access to the contents of the small black notebook and the prosecutors office went after him for charges of murder and they investigated all his business activity. They got warrants and found evidence that he murdered several people and seized assets from these people that he later put into his company. He was later found guilty of 7 counts of murder and 10 counts of fraud. Henry went on to receive his money and his friend, James, is now a part of his team of lawyers. His parents are a part of his company because he gave them jobs. He is the first billionaire to come out of the small town of Winnfield, Louisiana.

THE END.