I was still reeling from Dad’s funeral. Each of us had received something special from him. My sister got one of his rings, my brother got his collection of vintage vinyl, and I got his classic Mustang. Dad and I had worked on that car together for years. But the car had more to it than I first thought.
After the funeral, I drove home in the Mustang. The familiar rumble of the engine was comforting, a reminder of all the hours Dad and I had spent working on it. As I turned onto my street, I noticed a cop car following me. He didn’t have his lights on, so I kept driving, assuming it was just a coincidence. But as I pulled into my driveway, the cop car did too. My heart started to race. What could this be about?
A classic mustang | Source: Pexels
I parked the car and was about to get out when the officer rushed up to me.
“Stay in your vehicle!” he shouted, his hand resting on his holster.
“What’s going on?” I asked, my hand frozen on the door handle. My mind raced with possibilities, but none of them made any sense.
A policeman in his car | Source: Pexels
“Open your trunk now!” he demanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I blinked, confused. “Why? What’s happening?”
“Just do it!” he barked, his eyes hard and unyielding.
A policeman in his car | Source: Pexels
With trembling hands, I reached for the trunk release lever. The trunk popped open with a click, and the officer pushed past me, heading straight for the back of the car. He lifted the bottom lining of the trunk and started rummaging around. His back was to me, so I couldn’t see what he was doing.
“You thought you could get away with this!” he said, his voice dripping with accusation.
“What are you talking about?” I stammered, my mind racing with fear and confusion.
“I’m not talking to you!”
A cop barking order | Source: Pexels
He walked directly to the car, lifted the divider at the bottom of the trunk, and pulled something out. The officer’s body blocked my view and I couldn’t see what he was holding. I felt cold sweat trickle down my spine. What could possibly be in my trunk?
I leaned out of the window, trying to get a better look. “Officer, I don’t understand. Can you please tell me what’s going on?”
A man opening a trunk | Source: Pexels
Still ignoring me, the officer took a step back, revealing what he had found. In his hand was a small, black box. It looked old and worn, with a faint symbol on the top that I didn’t recognize.
“What is that?” I asked, my voice shaking.
The officer finally looked at me, his expression a mix of anger and something else—maybe disbelief? “You really don’t know, do you?”
An old box | Source: Pexels
I shook my head, completely lost. “No, I have no idea. I’ve never seen that before.”
The officer narrowed his eyes. “You expect me to believe that?”
“It’s the truth!” I insisted, my voice rising in panic. “I just got this car from my dad. He left it to me after he passed away. I don’t know anything about a stolen item.”
A stern-looking policeman | Source: Pexels
The officer studied me for a moment, then seemed to soften slightly. “You said this car was your dad’s?”
“Yes,” I said, nodding vigorously. “He and I worked on it together for years. I only drove it home today after the funeral.”
He glanced down at the box in his hand, then back at me. “And you really have no idea who I am?”
Astern cop | Source: Pexels
“Look, Officer, if there’s anything I can help you with, I will. But I swear I have no idea what’s going on.”
The cop’s face softened and I saw him opening the box. Suddenly, I realized he had started to cry.
“What happened? What’s going on?” I asked, my voice filled with concern.
A policeman talking to a man | Source: Pexels
He looked up at me, tears streaming down his face. “I was at your dad’s funeral. I’m sorry about him, by the way. We grew up together, studied, and worked as partners for some time. Then, he moved away.”
At that moment, I remembered seeing him at the funeral, holding a letter in his hand.
A man crying | Source: Pexels
“A lawyer came to me and handed me this letter,” he said, taking it out of his pocket. “Your dad wrote that I was the one who helped him overcome his mom’s death when he was a kid.”
A letter | Source: Pexels
He handed me the letter, and I began to read:
Jonathan,
I know we haven’t seen each other in a while, life is strange that way. Those closest to you can be the ones you see the least just because you’re each on your own path.
Still, I’ve missed you a lot old friend. I’ll never forget all the support you showed me when my mom passed away. You know, I felt ostracized back then. I was the kid without a mom. But you never let me be alone, and for that I’ll always be grateful.
I kept all the toys you gave me. Even the sweets, I’m a little embarrassed to say. I could never get myself to eat them, they meant too much to me.
I know I’ll be passing away soon, I just couldn’t beat the cancer, but I wanted you to have the box with the toys. It’s in my old Mustang that I’m leaving to Bill, my oldest.
If he doesn’t bring it to you, he must not have found it yet. Show him this letter.
It’s hidden in the trunk for safekeeping.
All the best.
Your pal,
Man reading a letter | Source: Pexels
Jonathan showed me the box filled with toys, sports cards, letters, and old candies. I could see the history and love in each item.
“When his mom died, he became so quiet and sad,” Jonathan said, his voice soft and reflective. “I wanted him to get better, I wanted my friend back. So, I gave him my favorite toys. We played with them — cars, even candies, which, as you see, he never tasted. He just enjoyed having them.”
A man crying | Source: Pexels
I felt a lump in my throat and tears welling up in my eyes. The box, the letter, the memories — it was all so overwhelming. “He never told us about this,” I said, my voice cracking. “I had no idea.”
Jonathan nodded. “Arnie was always a private person. But he valued our friendship more than anything. He wanted you to know about it, to understand the bond we had.”
Two boys playing together | Source: Pexels
I started crying too, the emotions too strong to hold back. I handed the box to Jonathan, feeling a deep connection to this man who had been such a big part of my dad’s life. “Thank you for being there for him,” I said through my tears. “And thank you for sharing this with me.”
Jonathan smiled, his own tears still flowing. “It was an honor to be his friend. And now, I hope we can be friends too. Your dad meant the world to me, and I see so much of him in you.”
Two boys playing | Source: Pexels
Over time, Jonathan became a close family friend. I got to know his kids and family, and in many ways, he partially replaced my dad too. We spent holidays together, shared stories, and kept my dad’s memory alive.
Jonathan often visited, bringing with him stories of his and Dad’s adventures, filling the void Dad’s passing had left. His kids became like siblings to me, and his family embraced me as one of their own. It felt like I had gained a whole new family.
Two men hugging | Source: Pexels
One day, Jonathan and I sat in my dad’s old Mustang, the box of toys between us. “Your dad would be proud of you, Bill,” he said, patting my shoulder. “He always talked about how much he loved you.”
I smiled, feeling a warmth in my heart. “Thanks, Jonathan. And thank you for everything. You’ve given me a piece of my dad that I didn’t even know was missing.”
Two men hugging | Source: Pexels
As we sat there, surrounded by memories and the legacy of my dad’s love and friendship, I realized that even in death, he had brought us together. And in that, there was a kind of peace.
Here’s another story about a man who left his son-in-law a surprising inheritance.
Phil Collins reveals he can “barely hold a drumstick anymore”
He can barely walk and confessed that he can no longer sing.
With eight Grammy awards under his belt, Genesis drummer and lead singer Phil Collins is one of the most prominent musicians there are. He is one of only three musicians, alongside Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, who have sold more than 100 million albums both as a solo act and a member of a band.
Born on January 30, 1951 in London, England to parents who possessed creative spirits, Collins fell in love with making music.
When he was just five, his uncle made him a drum kit out of tambourines, triangles, cymbals and toy drums, Collins recalled. “The old cliché is, ‘Well, at least it will keep him quiet’,” he told Interview Magazine.
Soon after, he found himself performing in shows at his parents’ boating club.
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“When I started playing seriously, the English beat thing was just happening, the Shadows and bands like that. It was the very early ’60s,” Collins recalled.
“I remember buying Please Please Me. I used to put the record player on very loud and set up my drums so I was facing the mirror, that way you don’t look at what you’re doing.
“Then when I was fourteen I went to a teacher to learn to read drum music. I figured when this rock-and-roll thing finished I would have to make a living playing in a dance band or in an orchestra pit. So I learned to read drum music, but I found that my capacity for reading was not anywhere near as good as actually playing by instinct.”
It was in the 1970 that Collin’s life changed forever. He was already playing in some bands when he came across an ad by a group called Genesis which was looking for a drummer. He decided to get in touch with them and the rest is history. In the first years of Collins being part of it, the group released five albums with singles that reached the charts.
After the founder and lead singer of Genesis left the group, Collins took his place. He was both a singer and a drummer. Speaking of his new role, he said he didn’t really feel comfortable, but as the group failed to find a singer, he simply stepped in.
Besides being a member of Genesis, Collins also had a very impressive solo career. With smash hits such as In The Air Tonight, You Can’t Hurry Love and I Don’t Care Anymore he soon became one of the best in the music industry.
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When he decided to leave the group and focus on his solo career, Collins said: “Having been with Genesis for 25 years, I felt it time to change direction in my musical life.
“For me now it will be music for movies, some jazz projects and of course my solo career. I wish the guys in Genesis all the very best in their future. We remain the best of friends.”
However, in 2017, he decided to reunite with the band. Last year, they announced a world tour, The Last Domino, but had to put it on hold because of the pandemic.
And as fans were looking forward to seeing the group on stage together, Collins gave an interview with BBC Breakfast which made many concerned about his health. He and his band mates announced that it will be Collins’ son Nicholas who would do the drumming and Collins will only sing.
“Nic is a great drummer, but he is capable of sounding like early Phil. For Mike and I, that was always quite exciting,” Genesis band member Tony Banks said.
“It means you can play some of the songs that you haven’t played with Phil as the drummer for a long time.”
Speaking of why he’s not getting behind the drums, the musician revealed: “I’d love to but you know, I mean, I can barely hold a stick with this hand. So there are certain physical things that get in the way.
“I’m kind of physically challenged a bit which is very frustrating because I’d love to be playing up there with my son,” adding that he doesn’t know if he wants to be touring any longer.
“We’re all men of our age, and I think to some extent, I think it probably is putting it to bed,” he said. “I think yeah, I think just generally for me, I don’t know if I want to go out on the road anymore.”
During the past few years, Collins experienced certain health issues which left him struggling to get on his feet. Speaking to Billboard, he revealed that after a surgery in 2009, he was left with dislocated vertebra, nerve damage. He had also suffered a foot fracture that left him feeling like he’s walking “on sticks.”
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