I was in Columbus, Ohio thinking about a new project. I wanted to gather together a group of about 20 men to buy residential houses. If 20 men who individually didn't have much money each put up $500, they would have $10,000 and could make a down payment on a house.

After the house had been bought, a lottery could be held among the men to determine which of the 20 could live in the house. Each man could put his name in a hat and one name could be drawn. The man whose name was drawn could live in the house, even though the house would still be owned by all the men together. Every person would have an equal chance, but only one person would win.

Each of the 20 men would continue paying about $50-$100 each month into the group fund. Part of the money would be used for payments on the house. Any money left over would accumulate until enough money was available to make a down payment on a second house. Then the whole process of drawing names would begin again.

Buckner dropped in and I told him I had been to a museum earlier in the day. I asked him if he ever went to the museum. He said he didn't because no one ever invited him. I said, "Well, I would have invited you, but I thought for sure that you had gone before. You've lived in Columbus for such a long time."

He said he had never gone. I continued talking with him and began to explain my idea of buying houses through a corporation. I told him as soon as I became a lawyer, I would be able to draw up the necessary papers for such an organization.

Copyright 2004 by luciddreamer2k@gmail.com