CHAP. 3 A NEW PATH

My father-in-law passed away at the young age of 49, after a battle with cancer.  Against Linda’s advice, we invited her mother to move in with us. Linda felt we were making a mistake; I considered her concern but had decided otherwise.  Linda’s mother continued fighting with the kids, Linda’s two younger siblings; we were driving 20-25 miles each way because of the turmoil.  I believed that she would appreciate the move and that her attitude would change, but that didn’t last long.  The kids were happy that we were taking care of their mother, and would come over while I was at work, I would come home to find them outside drinking our beer and using the pool.  According to Linda’s siblings I was the nicest brother-in-law, until the day we asked her mother to move.  I went from the nicest to being the ugliest. They had done nothing to help us after their mother came to live with us.  The family was in complete turmoil, I was the bad guy, although it was Linda who wanted her mother out, but they wouldn’t believe it, so I got the blame.

At one point in our marriage Linda told me that the doctor wanted to see me, that she had been having some problems, I went and found out that we both had a venereal disease.  The doctor suggested that I probably contracted it from sitting on a toilet-seat; after all where I worked was all public restrooms, but I knew better. It was tough to deal with after my 1^st wife enjoyed the pleasure of many men during our marriage, now it was happening again.

Not much later Linda and I were having even more serious problems with our marriage. She and Diana weren’t getting along, and she told me that she couldn’t wait until Diana was gone. Diana would say how nasty Linda was, and how could I marry someone like her.  My response was she was an angel compared to what I was married to the 1^st time. I replayed that argument, many times, Diana would be gone and I would be out of her life. I found out later that Linda had also had been abusing my daughter.

I understand now why I would continually get involved with abusive people, I didn’t trust someone if they were nice, I always suspected that they were up to something. I had grown up with the seeds of doubt planted in my life by my father. He had always said, “I may be tough, but at least I’m honest, nice people are hypocrites, you can’t trust them”.  I always stayed away from women if they were too nice, at least with the nasty people you always knew where you stood, but that’s unhealthy.

Later I met a lady who was very nice and cute, both of us were married, she to an abusive alcoholic, soon we became friends.  We spend a lot of time talking and supporting each other.  She was terrified of him, and I understood what she was going through. Our relationship grew to the point that I realized what I was missing and wanted a divorce. But it still took two years and a lot of nerve to take that first step.

Finally we separated, put the house up for sale, and I moved into a one- bedroom apartment.  It was nice to close the door on the world and live in peace.  I opened a new store in the OneBellCenteron the 1^st floor with a 10-year lease. Linda opened a store across the street from me, under her mother’s name claiming she had nothing to do with it, so I would have to continue to pay her a salary under the terms of the separation agreement.  She told me that the furniture we had accumulated would be later divided between us, her friend Mary Jane was keeping it in storage for us.

I had a new life, single, new store, one room apartment and plenty of friends. I spent time bowling, hanging out in night clubs, dating other women, sometimes waking up with a hang-over from drinking too much.  There was one evening driving home on 270, after a few drinks, at about one o’clock in the morning, that I fell asleep at the wheel.  As my car moved close enough for my wheel covers to be clanging against the curb, I woke up in time to turn the wheel, the side of my car was torn up by a large tree that I hit head on.  My first thought was, ”Oh my God! Someone must be looking out for me”!

Someone was trying to get my attention, after all I was getting tired of running around, drinking, waking up and feeling bad and spending time with different women, that I really wasn’t interested in.  I was truly lost and knew something was missing.  I was still keeping in touch with my lady friend, but she wasn’t about to get a divorce, what a mess I had made of my life.

I turned to someone I knew; he was the chairman of Cass Bank and we were both members of Sunset Country Club.  I remember how he would embarrass me in front of my friends on the tee box by saying, “Hi Richard, God Bless You”. I always wanted to crawl into a hole.  Why would he say something like that in front of my friends?  I would always reply by saying, “Same with you Harry” as I moved on. I knew he was a Christian and a nice guy and that he really didn’t mean to embarrass me.

Later I decided to visit Harry at his office, which was then 200 feet from the store, I sat there behind closed doors and shared with him that there was something missing in my life. I told him that I knew he was a Christian, but different from other Christians that I had known.  Why was he so different?  First thing that came out of his mouth “Hi Richard, God bless you, how can I help you”.  Thanks Harry, same to you!  Why did it bother me so much to say God Bless You, after all I wanted to be a priest at one time, was it because I didn’t feel like a Christian, I don’t know, I wasn’t nice like Harry but I did like people.

What he suggested was for me to consider a Bible study fellowship.  I told him that I was interested but I didn’t know anything about the Bible, I didn’t even own a Bible.  Harry told me that I didn’t need to know anything about it. When he told me that this study was on Olive and 270 atParkwayBaptistChurch, What!  I’m not going to aBaptistChurch, Baptist and Catholics don’t mix, but it was a non-denominational Bible study, they just loan the church.

The next Tuesday evening I was looking forward to going and got half way and changed my mind.  Low and behold; who do I run into?  You guessed it, Harry. I was embarrassed because my word meant something to me.  I told him I didn’t go but I was going next week, “that’s good Richard, God Bless You, thanks”.  The next Tuesday I headed for class looking to meet a Christian lady. As I drove into the parking lot, I felt encouraged; the parking lot was filled with 3 to 4 hundred cars.  I got out of my car walked up the steps, ready to make an entrance by opening the door.

I pulled the door back and to my surprise, and disappointment, it was all men holding their Bibles.  After my first reaction, the second was, “what a bunch of sissies”.  But they were very kind and interested; I had never encountered anything like it.  I was a little uncomfortable at first, as I stood around listening to them talk about the Bible, and the Lord.

Someone asked me about what I thought of the Bible study, I let them know that this was my first visit and I didn’t even own a Bible. I was asked if I was going to be there the next week, I was proud to say that I was going on vacation toFlorida.

Someone told me that I would be sent to an introductory class, not knowing how a Bible study was done I just followed along. The group broke up into classes of 10 to 12 men I sat and listened to my group exchanging ideas about the Bible.  I didn’t understand anything that they were talking about.  The Old Testament and New Testament and the minor Prophets? I didn’t know the old from the new. After the class was over I was again asked if I was coming back next week, “No, I have plans to go toFloridawith a friend”. “Okay, see you when you get back”, this as we strolled back to our seats to hear the discussion leader go over what we had learned. I was truly intent in listening to what he said, when he concluded by saying “for some of the new members here, Satan is going to keep you from coming back”, he got my attention.  He continued with, “It could be the weather, your job, for some it could be a vacation”.  That really got my attention; after all it was January, cold and a planned trip I hadn’t taken in a couple of years.

After the class ended someone mentioned “The plan of salvation”, I asked what that was.  I guess the gentleman wasn’t prepared or was too busy to tell me, but he did give me the information in a prepared letter, which I took home with me.

After changing clothes and relaxing I was eager to see what the information was about a word I didn’t remember ever having heard, Salvation!  I don’t remember all that was in the letter, just certain scriptures like Roman 6:23, “The wages of sin is death”, okay I already knew I was a sinner but I was hoping that I would be forgotten on the day I died. Just be put into the ground and forgotten about, I hoped. Next was Romans 10:9 & 10. “If you confess Jesus as Lord, and believe God raised him from the dead you shall be saved”, Revelations 3:20, “God waits at the door for you to invite him in”, Romans 10:13 “All that call upon His name shall be saved”, Ephesians 2:5-8 “It is by grace that you have been saved”.

These were writings that I was completely unaware of.  After finishing the letter, I got down on my knees and asked God to forgive me and to please come into my heart and direct my path.  I had made a mess of my life on my own and I needed someone who cared and could forgive me as I started over again. The next day I went to work knowing that I had to call Ruthie and let her know that I wouldn’t be going toFlorida, this would be the start of turning my life around.

I called her early that morning she was excited to hear from me, she had her bags packed and was ready to go.  When I told her that I had decided not to go, she assumed it was another woman, I assured her it wasn’t.  “Why don’t you want to go”?  I didn’t want to tell her at first. I said everything had been paid for, hotel, airfare, why not take a friend and go and enjoy herself? She didn’t want to do that and insisted on knowing why I had changed my mind.  Knowing that she wouldn’t believe me, I finally told her I had joined a Bible class on Tuesday nights and I felt that it was important that I go. Of course she didn’t believe me. I understood her disbelief, because I had trouble believing it myself. Everything came to a head when I reminded her of a conversation we had earlier, when we spent the weekend together. She had told me that on Sunday I was a different person.  How amazing is that, there was always that presence of God and it had bothered me when anyone would say God or Jesus Christ in a negative way and it bothers me even more today now that I know what He did for me.

Now I had to buy a Bible, so I went to the Christian bookstore and purchased my first Bible that I still read today 25 years later.  I went back to class the following week with my new Bible under my arm and we split into our groups sitting with other believers. Not only was it confusing when they said go to the Old Testament, but when they said turn to Job, I couldn’t find Job until someone told me how it was spelled. Wow, what a relief, I had started my walk.

Now I had to find a church, so I went back to Harry asking him about his church. I knew I couldn’t go back to the Catholic Church, since I was getting a divorce, but I felt really uncomfortable going anywhere else. I felt like I was a sinner amongst these well-dressed believers, they were firmly planted with each other and their spouses and I was alone. I spent hours reading my Bible and going over my Bible study lessons.  I would have to think what took someone 5 hours must have taken me 40, I wanted to know more about this God that could forgive me when others couldn’t.  It was often said that I was going through a faze; that I would get over it and come back to reality.  Thanks to God that didn’t happen, I continued my search in my new-found faith.

As I drove by different churches I would read their signs, as a witnessing tool, when the sign said that they were having a Bible study I might pull over and attend. I was eager to learn, it was as if I had been in a deep sleep all my life and woke up to a new beginning and a bright future. I was curious about different churches, why hadn’t someone shared this with me before, I was anxious to share my experience with anyone who would listen, to the point that I was driving people away.

My whole life was changing, I was in a new store, I had Christian music playing and I joined Bible classes atOneBallCenter.  I was completely sold on knowing more about the Bible and God’s promises.  This was the first time I knew in my heart that I could believe everything that I read, the comfort of trusting every word. I remember meeting someone in class that wanted to pray for me and told me that God said I was special and how he loved me.

It was so exciting to think that God loved a sinner like me, and even if I was the only one on earth, God would have sent his son to die for me on the cross. That Jesus nailed my sins on the cross, paying for any past, present and future sins. To think that I had been deprived of the beauty and the rewards and compassion God had for me.

I was so thrilled that I went back to my ex and shared with her my experience and my faith, how God had changed my life as I was trying to work out our differences.  The more I talked about the Lord, the further apart we became.  I said, “Now I know why you never understood me.”  Light understands Light as Light understands darkness, but darkness doesn’t understand Light.  Her reply, “I have no idea what you’re talking about, please leave!”

I think back to the time in my life when I was married and we would visit a couple and they would talk about the Lord and church.  I remember telling Linda that I could get involved with what they were talking about. Her response was “I know that is why I try to keep you away from them.”  Or once when I was playing in a celebrity golf tournament with the professional football and hockey players.  Some of them stood around the putting green saying, “There’s Larry. The poor guy talks about Jesus all the time since crashing into the boards without a helmet and messing up his brain”. I went over to talk to him myself, to confirm what they were saying, sure enough his brain seemed to be scattered and his speech impaired and he did talk about Jesus, and I never forgot.  A few years later I saw him at church and told him who I was and thanked him for his witness.

Meanwhile I was still looking for a church and was invited to different ones by a number of people.  My first experience was a non-denominational church.  What a difference from what I had been used to.  There were regular people on a stage with a band and people standing, clapping, and raising their arms in excitement.  I was shocked I didn’t know how to behave, so I continued to search other churches and would attend three in one Sunday.

I was getting to experience different types of preaching, I was told about a black preacher who works at SWB and would sometimes show up at One Bell Bible study, after about a month in the Bible study I had the privilege of meeting, Pastor Willie Woodmore. We became friends instantly, we would share stories back and forth; he amazed me.  He knew so much about the Bible, when he invited me to his church I decided to go. I may have been the only white person in attendance, but I felt very comfortable being there.  When the preachers began talking about being baptized, I went forward immediately, assuming that they would be baptizing right then, I had to wait until the next week.

It was on a Father’s Day and my daughter Diana went with me. What a thrill to be baptized I felt like a new creature. As I continued my walk and had fun at the store, my ex would stop by to check out her investment.  When I had asked her to listen to my tape (an Amy Grant praise song), she thought I had completely lost it, but it was just the opposite, I had completely gained it.

She said I was crazy and “that by the time I get finished with you, you’ll have nothing”!  I replied by saying, I have so much faith I could lose everything.   My ex replied, “You mean when you’re out in the street with nothing, God is going to take care of you”? “Yes” I said, I confessed that with my mouth and believed that in my heart, I was sticking to my faith in God. I was doing all the right things, we sold our home and we split the gain. I put everything back into the store and its inventory, even the car I drove remained under the corporate name.  I had no savings except my IRA, which I couldn’t touch as the bank used it for collateral.

I was completely leaning on God, I continued bowling with my friends and they would kid with me that Metro 70 would become Metro 35 after the divorce. The divorce lingered on for a couple of years one continuation after another.

One of the bowling members was CEO of a large company he and his wife entertained a lot and were drinkers.  I gave them all the alcohol that I had acquired over the years they were shocked that I was giving it away. But they were completely taken back by the change of attitude and praising of God openly.  It got to the point where one of my friends told me that; “most of the guys don’t want to be around you anymore.  I do understand but isn’t it interesting how God has kept you in my path. It’s not from me Richard, I am just happy that is what makes you happy”. “Okay Bob, Thanks”.

After attending other churches I found myself inSt. Charlesat a Baptist church, someone suggestedArnoldBaptistChurch.  There I found a home and a pastor named Gerald Davidson, a strong and powerful preacher firmly committed to serving the Lord.  I found the people there friendly, not anxious to leave church after the service was over. I was introduced to Mrs. Esther Pounds, the singles class leader, a person loved by everyone, widowed wife of a preacher.  She and I became good friends, as she took me under her wing.  She has recently passed on at the age of 92 and will be missed by many.  I shared with her that I was a new believer and wanted to learn, she was thrilled that I was excited by the old Baptist hymns because they were new to me and the words were powerful and touching.

I was now deeply entrenched and consumed with my new found love, Bible class on Sunday, church, church training, on Sunday evening I would drive home to listen to preachers on T.V. Monday Evangelism, Tuesday Bible study fellowship, Wednesday church Bible study at One Bell Center and my studies during the week. I later started hosting the young singles, with study group at church. Then the group started growing and ended as fast as it had started. A couple of young Bible scholars were constantly interrupting the discussions to find out such unimportant things as how many miles Paul had traveled. I bowed out gracefully.

Keep in mind that I was still going through a divorce and it was fast approaching, I was told that I was okay and that I wouldn’t lose the business.  Remember I said; I had so much faith I could lose everything? Well that happened.

I was told that I had 90 days to come up with the money to buy Linda out or she would wind up with the business.  She was getting 61% of the company in the divorce, what to do?  That was a tough time, because I had already put everything I owned into the company, there simply wasn’t enough time to come up with even more money. I prayed for divine intervention and asked others to pray as well; everything I had worked for years was in that business. Nothing was happening, my family didn’t have any money; and the banks weren’t going to help. Every night I would take my Bible to bed, one night I was awakened with a message 792, 792 what does 792 mean to me?  I turned on the light, opened my Bible and turned to page 792 as I read I came upon Jeremiah 17:7, “But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, who has confidence is in him.”  That’s it; I have the answer, just trust in the Lord.

After I was told that I was going to lose the business my younger brother called, when I told him he invited me to his house to talk.  Instead I had decided to attend church, since it was Wednesday, that evening the preacher said that once a year they have people share their testimony.  I stood up in front of the congregation and told them that I was about to lose everything at the age of 46, but what I found was much greater, that I was blessed with a new family and a personal relationship with God, my Lord and Savior.

I continued to work the store until that dreadful day that she came by for the keys to the business, I offered a job with attachments. I said, “No thanks”, as she drove me home in my car and told me if I ever needed a car let her know, then she drove off and sold the car to her brother.  I was without transportation, for the 1^st time in years I had to depend on people, walk or hitch hike.

Christmas was coming. I did work from home until I was turned into the zoning commission.  I continued working, I didn’t have enough money to buy presents, matter of fact I didn’t have anyone to buy presents for. My family was upset that I could allow all that to happen and they accused me of becoming a holy roller. It was tough to think it was Christmas Eve and I didn’t have any place to go. I was by myself when I prayed that Esther would call. It wasn’t but a minute later when she did, I started crying and couldn’t talk. “I’ll call you back Richard”, when she did I was thrilled that God heard my prayer.  She wanted to know what I was doing and invited me to be with her family. It seemed to me, at that time, to be the best Christmas I had ever experienced everyone was so nice and plenty of food to go around.

As I write this, it’s hard for me to imagine how I survived. I was 46 and lost everything but a few possessions.  Later someone loaned me a car, as I gave up some of what little I still had left, a couple of antique guns that I acquired and really that hadn’t really meant that much to me.  It was an easy trade off, but the car had problems and there were times I would end up stranded, thinking to myself that it was in God’s plan and I was to make the most of the situation I was in. The fellow that loaned me the car took it back within a month; he said he missed his car. I found another one spending about $500.00 on a rusted out old Cadillac, not in the best of shape.

Meanwhile Diana was going to church with me on Sundays. She was living with a cousin of mine, while I lived at Southfield Crossing.  I purchased a Dodge Omni after the Cadillac died.  The Dodge wasn’t much better, but it was transportation, on the way to church Diana would question me about the divorce, wondering how I could let Linda take everything, she had as hard a time as many believing that I didn’t put up a fight and that I just trusted in Jesus.

I told her that I couldn’t take it with me, but I could take her with me, eternal life was more important, as was her eternal salvation. Week after week I would pray for Diana to except Jesus, until one day when I picked up two little girls I knew and took them with me to church. This time I didn’t pray for Diana, I was busy entertaining those two little girls when the altar call happened. “Where is Diana”, I asked and looked around, she had gone down in front. It confirmed to me that it was in His timing and not mine.

We both wound up in the young singles department together, when we went forward to receive Christ and a young man went forward to meet her.  He talked a lot about his knowledge of the Bible, which made quite an impression on Diana, as they started dating I was thrilled for them both. Until later when he told me that they were having problems, I asked him if they had been having sex, but he assured me that they weren’t so I didn’t understand what the problem was.  Later, Diana told me she was pregnant, my reply was “What Satan meant for harm God will turn it into a blessing”, sure enough Diana gave birth to a 7 ½ pound baby boy named Devon Richard Neustaedter born  in October of 1988.  Who would have thought that a boy would have been the first grandchild named Neustaedter, after having one offspring and that being a girl, how amazing our God is!

I continued to rely on God to put the right people in my life, when I was approached by two fellows I had known for some time.  They had a plan to get the jewelry store up and running again, they knew that I had a following, and that clients didn’t know were to find me.  I was told later that old clients would go downtown to see me and were told that I retired or I just wasn’t in that day.

I was told that my name would not be on the corporate papers to protect me from the bill I acquired from my ex-lawyer for his legal services. I felt like someone came into my house, hit me over the head burned the house down with me inside and later found out that I had survived hurt themselves on the way out and now were suing me.  I was told that they were going to put up the money and my talent would count and entitle me to be a 1/3 owner. They had me sign a non-compete letter, I didn’t understand why, I wasn’t leaving and going somewhere, I felt relieved just to be starting all over.   I introduced them to my suppliers, who were anxious to supply us, I didn’t realize that they had borrowed all of the money from the bank and almost everything we made was going to pay the bank loan off.

I received a salary of $20,000 a year, plus the fees to Sunset Country Club.  The store made a profit the 1^st year, both of them decided that they were going to take a bonus, but told me that I wouldn’t get one since I hadn’t put in any money.  They eventually asked me to resign from Sunset Country Club due to the expense.

I managed to purchase a home for about with no down payment for $40,000, moving out of my apartment, about the time that I met Jacqueline.  She came into the store a couple of times to get a chain repaired. I had fun meeting and talking with her and after getting to know her better, I asked where she worked. She was working for Apex, flying customers to different parts of the world.  She was usually helping someone known in theSt. Louisarea that I knew or was an acquaintance of and I would always tell her to tell them hi for me.  Jacqueline always asked if I knew them and, of course, I would say yes.  She’d leave not knowing that I actually did know them.  I suppose it was hard for her to imagine, after all I had lost nearly 20 pounds, because I didn’t always have the money to spend on food, so that my clothes weren’t fitting very well and I was driving a rusted out old Cadillac.

I didn’t realize it until later that I did this all on $20,000 a year, while still tithing to the church, my two partners couldn’t believe I was doing it and told me that I couldn’t afford too.  I said I couldn’t afford not to. I told Randy’s wife that I was being paid every two weeks and after paying my bills I had about $25 to get through to the next pay period. Her reply was “I don’t know what you do with your money”.  I suggested she take over paying my bills with my paycheck and give me what was left; she took me up on it. As she gave me what little was left she suggested I not spend it all in one place, and now I was being charged for the sodas I drank.

A friend named John called and invited me to his store, I hadn’t seen him in several years and was glad of the chance to catch up.  A mutual friend had taught John the skills of the jewelry industry and he had opened a store at 103ConcordPlaza on South Lindbergh. John told me that he had heard about what had happened to me and wanted to know if I wanted to take over his store, he wanted to move toTexaswith his wife and get out of the jewelry business.

I let him know that I would take the information back to my partners; it was a great spot.  John informed me that the deal was open only to me.  I felt it was important to share the information with Randy and Gene, even though they hadn’t lived up to their bargain. They had told me in the beginning I was a partner, and there would be no women involved, like a wife. Instead Gene had a girlfriend in the store to do the book keeping, and Randy had his wife working part-time. I was working six days a week, although I did leave to attend church on Wednesday and go to Bible class on Tuesdays. They were also getting frustrated with my talk about the Lord and feeling uncomfortable, one of them had a girlfriend on the side, I guess he was feeling conflicted.

I first told Randy of the opportunity, he said he would discuss the matter with his wife, and came back to me the next day telling me that they weren’t interested. He in turn told Gene and the turmoil began, they were having meetings together not knowing what they were going to do.

After learning about the opportunity, and having meetings between the two of them, they went out and hired a retired watchmaker to take my place and asked for my keys.  They told me that they would get my tools, bench, personal jewelry and every bit of equipment that I needed back to me.

As I spent time at home, in January of 1990, I called my diamond supplier inNew Yorkand told him what had happened. The supplier told me that he would contact them, they still owed him $13,000. I ended up having to agree to have the bill transferred to me, only on those terms would they give me back my bench and tools. They had actually sawed my bench in half, and kept some of my personal jewelry that I had forgotten to take with me, as well as my customer list. At this point I now have no money coming in. I lost a couple of more friends because of the separation from Randy and Gene, along with some of their friends, but none of them knew the whole story. It’s sad that people take sides without knowing the truth. It was about a year and half and they were out of business.

I asked Diana if she would take over the store under her name and sign a contractual agreement with the owner of the jewelry store inConcordPlaza, and have Rick the jeweler move in his equipment. I was forced to make a quick decision, John didn’t leave much jewelry to be sold, the place was a mess, but the location was great and maybe 5 blocks away from the other store.

I was back in business with $200, my brother was kind enough to loan me to open a checking account. His wife didn’t agree, but my brother said he would get more in return because I would depend on his ability to size and set stones, and he was right.

Before I was allowed to work at the new store I had to pay for my ex-wife’s lawyer. We came to an agreement; when I had gotten divorced my ex received 61% of the business leaving me with 39%, which I had given to Diana. She gave me back the 39% of shares that Linda’s lawyer requested in lieu of the settlement. I was now free and clear from all legal liabilities concerning the divorce.

We re-named the store Neustaedter’s Fine Jewelry, I contacted Edith Gooch to help with the book keeping, she was retired and was anxious to help out, and we were delighted to have her.  I knew of a store going out of business a couple of months after opening our doors, I gave a church member a blank check to buy their show cases, ours were broken, not only did he buy the cases but also purchased jewelry amounting over $5,000.  We didn’t have anywhere near that amount in the bank, the check would have bounced when a couple from church, Shirley and Jeff gave us enough cash to make the check good, we now had inventory to sell.

We prayed over almost every check that was written, we were so grateful. Then came the next trial, a vendor came into the store and said that he knew of me and knew of my reputation he told me that he could supply us with $25,000 worth of jewelry to sell, he also told me that he would give us one year to pay off the $25,000, after 11 months went by, we still owed $13,800.  He warned me that they were tough business men and would shut us down if it wasn’t paid by Labor Day. I wasn’t worried I would get a loan, I went over to Boatmen’s Bank which was in the same strip center that we were in, and had turned me down a couple of times before.  But having a year and a half under our belts I felt comfortable as I visited the loan officer and applied for a loan and told Edith to write out the check, she told me that I couldn’t do that since we had no money and the check would bounce. I told her that she had to have the faith to believe. She wrote out the check and sent it off, I was turned down.  I told Edith I would apply for a personal loan, they told me they would let me know. The day after Labor Day Edith went to the bank to make a deposit when she came back all excited and said, “Richard you won’t believe it the check went through, they were going to freeze our account and they don’t know what happened.”  The next day someone had called and told me that my personal loan was turned down, I was looking to pay a loan for 3 years and 10% interest, however we paid it off in 30 days.