I spent two years going back and forth between my friends and sleeping on their couches.
My dad told me I had to get out of the house, or get a job, and I left.
I was 22 at the time and thought I was living the life. My mom was cleaning, doing my laundry, and feeding me. I got money from mom so I could go out on dates, buy personal items, or have fun with my friends. When dad realized how much money I was getting, he put his foot down. He told me my free ride was over, and I had a choice. I packed my bags and had been sleeping on my friend’s couches ever since. A couple of months ago, three of my friends told me their wives didn’t want me hanging out at their house and mooching off them. My oldest friend told me he couldn’t handle me hanging out on his couch anymore. He needed his privacy. He told me to find some place else. I had already exhausted all my options, and I knew it was time to grow up and get a job. I looked into the get rich quick programs, but they didn’t seem kosher. I ended up going to school for HVAC and came out fourteen months later, as a certified HVAC technician. Luckily, my girlfriend allowed me to live with her as long as I was going to HVAC school. My parents were so proud of me they offered to pay for my wedding, even though being an HVAC technician made a wedding affordable for me, as long as we didn’t go all out.