When I first heard about the point system, I thought it was just another quirky habit of Mr. Reinhardt—my best friend Leo’s grandfather. I assumed it was his way of tracking who came to visit, maybe a tool to fend off boredom in his later years. I never imagined it would become the backbone of a decision that would upend his entitled family—and alter the course of my life.
At the time, I had signed up for community service hours at a nearby retirement home, hoping for a simple way to fulfill a requirement. But those months turned into something more. I learned how to care, how to listen, and how to slow down. Mr. Reinhardt didn’t live in that facility, but what I gained there prepared me for everything that followed.
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