The Freedom Road by Frederick Foote
The Freedom Road by Frederick Foote
My Aunt Ala said to me as I sat with her, “Boy Child, working will not set you free from forced labor and economic coercion. The harder your work, the less you earn. Farm Workers, caregivers, coal miners, and lumberjacks work as hard as any and make less than many.”
“Auntie, that isn’t what Papa, the teacher, and the preacher told me. They told me that if you work hard, you will be successful, morally correct, be contributing to society, and be an uplifting model for others.”
“Listen to me, Man Child, the deck is stacked against workers and in favor of investors. The value of labor languishes, and the worth of capital is exalted. Wages are stagnant, and the market is flourishing. Investment, not working, is your key to economic freedom.
“But every grown-up, I know, except you and our grandparents, works.”
“They do out of necessity. Fortunate are those who work not out of financial necessity, but to make their contribution to humankind. Set your sights on that goal for there lies the opportunity for freedom, satisfaction, and progress.”
“Auntie, you turn the world upside down and make me question other authorities. How do I come into the money to invest and reach my goal of not needing to work?”
“That is the true trick of the trade, and many have solved that conundrum by being born rich.”
“Alas, that is not me.”
“Others have married into the wealth that freed them from the workforce.”
“Unfortunately, these wealthy girls don’t live in our neighborhood, do they?”
“Perhaps you and one of these non-wealthy girls or boys could partner up and set your goal to be free of forced labor by a certain age through work and investing.”
“You mean like retirement?”
“A sweet retirement, say, like at age 35, without the need to ever have to labor again.”
“Is that possible?”
“Put your two brains together and figure it out. It is not rocket science. My partner and I did.
Just don’t try to be too clever or to perform the trick too quickly or to become greedy.”
“When is the last time you needed to work?”
“I was 35 when I no longer needed to work.”
“Wow! But what happens if your investments fail?”
“If that happens, workers and investors will both be distressed. And you should always keep in mind the probability of widespread market failure. You should prepare for this eventuality when you set up your freedom from work plans.”
“Auntie, can I do this without a partner?”
“Of course, however, it may be faster and more fun with a partner.”
“Okay, I’m going to give this some thought, thank you, Auntie.”
“Remember, forced labor is a form of slavery. Set yourself free.”
“How did you do it, Auntie?”
“We started our project as teenagers. That’s why I’m telling you this now while you’re still in high school.
We lived below our means.
We had two salaries, and we lived off one and saved and invested the other
We didn’t own a car.
We tried to live in neighborhoods where access to goods and services was within walking or biking distance.
We lived in smaller towns or cities with a lower cost of living.
We did our higher education at community colleges and have no student loans.
We use moderation in purchasing our goods and services.
We kept our investment strategy simple and tried to keep up with the S&P 500 earnings in low-cost index funds.
The whole family invested time in keeping up our life plan.
We weren’t cheap or stingy with ourselves, but we rarely ordered the top-of-the-line merchandise or services.
And, very importantly, we spend our lives deciding which activities we will dedicate our work and post-work lives to. That gave us clear goals to strive for.”
“Well, I’m definitely thinking about what you said. You make it sound like work is for chumps, or more precisely, that forced labor is for chumps.”
“Nephew, some of us are trapped in situations where we have severely limited options, but you have the opportunity to investigate and compare investment versus work and determine how you want to live your life.”
“Thank you, Aunt Ala, I’m going to talk to my friends and parents and do a little research. You may be changing my whole work/life perspective.”
“Remember, you have a limited number of days. And the big job of your life is figuring out what you want to do with that time. Now, go on with your bad self, nephew, and be all you can be.”
* * * * THE END * * * *
Copyright Frederick Foote 2026
Image Source: Danny Greenberg from Unsplash.com
At first blush, this seemed like Aunt Ala inculcating in the young man a lesson in the preference of investment over work. But, she didn’t talk like your average urban Earth Mother being sharp with her nephew, but rather as a member of a Republican board of directors; and who’s to say that is unbelievable or suspect? Why would Ala, if she is well off, not give her nephew a hand in achieving his goals? Maybe because she felt everyone needs to ride the trail themselves, in order to appreciate the object lessons therein. This isn’t the usual gritty approach taken by Mr. Foote; it is an erudite, aware and progressive departure. At the same time it is cynical and much out of my personal experience (alas, I was a working stiff throughout my lifetime). Nice job, Frederick; you’re full of literary surpriises.