My recruiter gave me a bus ticket to Richmond.
My mother gave me ten dollar bill as I walked out the door.
My two younger brothers divided up what wardrobe I left.
I carried a brown lunchbag that had a toothbrush, paste, comb, and a razor that I didn't need.
I didn't know it but, I wouldn't be needing the comb either.

And from that brown bag...
that ten spot...
and these two hands.....

I have built this mighty empire that I see sprawled before me!!!

 

Left for college at 17, left for good when I got married on my 22nd birthday. Even squeezed in my active National Guard time in between!

 

I moved out at 18 on the nose, already had a 40hr a week job with decent benefits and making 10$hr in '94 bought a small house fixed it -sold it and did that a couple of times now I have a decent house paid for cars and very little debt load, now my question is when do your parents leave your house and don't come back (my dad has freeloaded at my place twice since I left home and my mom has a bit of failing health so now she has been occupying the room I had set aside as a home theater)

 

I simply couldn't live with my parrents then and probably not now.
I just don't think I could take care of them unless they change a little.
Too damn much bickering between them.
I guess I'll have to tell em their on their own

 

Yep, feels good building an empire by yourself. Mine isn't an empire yet, more like a sub division, but its on the way to empire status.

 

It wasn't difficult.
I walked into a bank with the ten and opened up a checking account.

Then I showed them the brown paper bag and told them I had a bomb, clean out the drawers and nobody gets hurt.

Then I used 'these two hands' to scoop up all the cash
(this was before exploding dye packs was invented.)

Then I beat feet using these two feet and I was set.

Got clean away and was out in the country and this old man traded me all my cash for two goats.
So now got the goats and the checking account with no moneys in it.

Yep, I am a self made man.

 

By the time I turned 18, I was halfway through basic. I was fresh out of high school and knew that I had no future if I stayed at home. That was 20 years ago this September. Completed two enlistments totaling 8 years and put myself through university. Still have the student loans to prove it. Moved to Texas following college in 2000. Haven't spent a single night at my parents since I left for the Army. In fact we haven't spoken since I relocated to Texas.

 

Grad H.S. in June 99' !8 years old
Left for Navy in April 2000
Boot camp Apr - june 2002 Great lakes
Charelston SC June 00 - June 01 Barracks
Balston Spa Ny June - Dec 01 Payed own Rent
Pearl harbor, HI Barracks Jan - Nov 02
Honolulu Hi Nov 02 - nov 05 Payed $1000 Rent For my share of the house
Pearl City Hi Nov 05 - May 07 Payed $300 rent for my share
Moved Home with parents for 3 or 4 days May 07 to Find a place to live
Lecanto Fl May 07 - Apr 08 Due to loss of job
Gainesville Fl Apr 08 - now.
House will be purchased in about a year, When the fiancee gets a better job and we get some bills payed off. I has been a rough year and half with being kick out of the navy for medical reasons and losing a $70k a year job for the same reason. But doing good now with a $40k job, But me and the fiancee like Gainesville better than Lecanto even with the pay cut.

 

17. Went to Marine Corps boot camp

 

I thought y'all might like to see a picture of Raoul's mighty empire. It's unclear whether Raoul or the goats reside in this beautiful structure, quite possibly both!

 

I just turned 19 when I moved out and got an apartment on my own. Best thing I ever did....it forces you to mature both mentally and with financial responsibility.