When I started my civil service at a retirement home, I just wanted easy hours. I never expected to form real connections—especially not with people like Mr. Reinhardt. For 18 months, I learned how to care for others, and in return, I got stories, wisdom, and unexpected friendships.Months later, my old friend Leo called. His grandfather—Mr. Reinhardt—had taken a fall and refused to move into a home. Leo asked if I’d help him learn how to care for him. I agreed,

of course. Mr. Reinhardt had once called me his fifth grandson.For six months, we visited regularly. Helped with daily tasks. Laughed. Listened. And then—he was gone. A stroke took him quietly.At the will reading, Leo and I sat among impatient relatives expecting their windfall. Instead,
the lawyer opened a letter from Mr. Reinhardt: he’d kept a point system for visits, calls, and acts of kindness. Victor and Stefan—his sons—had barely any points. Leo and I? Thousands. The estate would be divided by points earned. Chaos broke out, lawsuits followed,but in the end, Mr. Reinhardt’s wishes held.Leo once told me, “You were there when it mattered. That made you family.”Mr. Reinhardt’s system wasn’t just about money. It was about presence. Love. Time.In the end, we’re all keeping score. And if we’re lucky, we get to balance the books before we go.