Two friends made a million dollar bet. One was serious — one was only kidding.

The second week of June 1956 was a scorcher. Lifeguards were expecting record crowds that weekend at the Roosevelt Park pool. Young couples cuddled at the park benches, with the impending threat of another war lurking. Teachers at nearby Edgar Allan Poe Elementary were cleaning out classrooms and making vacation plans. And all children were exploding with the arrival of summer break, most of all best friends Jake Reynolds and Kevin Engel.

Jake and Kevin decided to celebrate the end of their final day at Poe by taking the long way home, through “Parkside Woods” rather than down Glenview Avenue. The trees and underbrush were looking more sickly than ever, but Parkside was one of Jake and Kevin’s favorite places in the world. They talked about plans for summer break, upcoming movies, middle school fears, just as normal kids would. Soon the two came to Willow Creek, only about 12 feet wide. The water was brown and showed no signs of life. Wilting trees and rotten shrubbery surrounded it. They walked right up to the water.

“Whoa,” said Kevin, “has the creek ever been this shallow before?”

“I don’t know,” replied Jake. “How wide do you think it is?”

“Maybe 20 feet, if you include the shallow part.”

“No way it’s 20 feet,” scoffed Jake. “If it was 20 feet I wouldn’t be able to jump over it.”

Kevin looked skeptical. “Who said you could jump over it?”

Jake, offended, retorted, “I could easily. No sweat.”

“I bet a million dollars you couldn’t do it. One million!”

With no hesitation, Jake replied, “Easy. You’re on.”

Jake pulled his shoelaces tighter, rolled up his pant legs, and took about ten steps backwards. Then he ran full sprint towards the creek and took off just before the edge — and landed back-first into the muddy water. Immediately Jake tried getting out, but his foot was caught at the bottom.

“Kevin, help me! I’m stuck”

Jake was completely soaked in mud. His normally bright red hair now displayed a depressing brown. Kevin rushed over and pulled him out. Jake spit repeatedly on the ground to get the mud off his lips, and took his forever-stained, once-white shirt off.

“Wow, I guess it really is 20 feet wide. Looks like I’ll be getting a million dollars,” Kevin joked.

Jake had been too busy removing mud from his person to think of the bet. Now it dawned on him that he would have to raise one million dollars to give to Kevin. Jake was horrified.

“C’mon, let’s go home,” Jake said, dejected.

“Fine,” Kevin reluctantly agreed.

The two boys walked home, and not another single word was said.

Just before sleep time, Jake was sitting on his bed. His mom sat beside him.

“Jake, are you sure something else didn’t happen? Did some boy push you into mud?”

“No mom, I already told you the mud slid off the roof of the bakery. It’s not a big deal.”

Jake’s mom sighed. “Okay dear. Remember, I’m always available if you need someone to talk to.” She walked out of the room. Jake got up and began to pace around his room.

“What was I thinking? One million dollars! How can I possibly raise that kind of money!”

Jake knew he had to start collecting it as soon as possible. He walked downstairs where his father, a hardworking accountant, was reading the Journal.

“Why aren’t you in bed yet? It’s past nine,” he said, looking up from the paper.

“I know, but I need 50 cents to buy a book for school. It’s really important.”

“Uh, okay.” Jake’s dad reached into his wallet and pulled out two quarters.

“Thanks Dad!” Jake ran upstairs. He rooted through his school bag, his clothes, toys, and closet looking for any money. He came up with 16 cents. Jake ran back downstairs.

“Hey Dad, I have to drop off something at Kevin’s house. It’s important.”

“Okay,” replied Jake’s dad, being the less protective parent.

Jake knocked on Kevin’s door. Kevin’s mom answered, clearly annoyed by the late visit.

Turning around, she yelled, “Kevin! Jake’s here, at 9:45 PM!”

Kevin came running down the stairs.

“Oh hey Jake. Wow, you still have mud on your pants huh?”

“Yeah.”

“How’d your mom take the news?”

“I didn’t tell her what actually happened. She thinks mud fell from the bakery roof.”

“Nice one.”

Jake reached into his pockets and pulled out the 66 cents. He handed it to Kevin.

“Here you go.”

“What’s this for?” Kevin asked, confused.

“For the bet. I know it’s not the full thing, but this is the first payment.”

Kevin laughed. “Yeah, thanks. But you still owe me 999,999 dollars and 34 cents!”

“I know, I know,” said Jake gravely. “I’ll do everything I can to get it together.”

And he did. In the morning, before the crack of dawn, you might see him delivering newspapers, regardless of the weather. The biting cold of winter would leave his flesh raw and numb. The blazing heat of summer would leave a pool of sweat beneath him that could rival Lake Michigan. Intense spring showers tore holes in his umbrellas and soaked all layers of his clothes. And the fall would leave him drowning in leaves. At school, you could see him searching in the school fountain between classes, picking up any coins resting at the bottom. After school, you might catch him behind the hardware store, selling his mom’s cigarettes to schoolmates. Late at night, after everyone had gone to bed, he’d be cleaning dishes at various fast food joints.

Jake and Kevin rarely talked or spent time together during high school, since Jake had no time between jobs. Jake fell just short of graduating, while Kevin, with no concerns of money or time, graduated with high honors. After their senior years, Kevin attended Illinois State and registered for the ROTC program, while Jake continued to work minimum wage.

After graduation from Illinois State, a well-educated and self-confident Kevin received his commission from the army. Jake, on the other hand, was drafted, and stayed as a private throughout the war. Hurt in action with a bullet in his shoulder, Jake was hospitalized in Da Nang. One humid and dark evening, Kevin happened to be visiting a few injured troops under his command at the very same hospital. Jake spotted Lt. Engel and called him over.

“Kevin, I’m glad you’re here. Here’s thirty bucks. That’s all I have for now. I was about to mail it to you and this will save me postage.”

“That’s Lt. Engel, soldier, and thanks, but keep in mind you still owe me about 920,000 dollars, so get well soon.”

Following the war, the two both returned to their lives. Jake found it hard to get a high paying job because he hadn’t made time for studies due to his work hours, and didn’t attend college. Kevin, however, started a successful advertising agency after his tour in Nam. But no client checks were as satisfying as the sporadic money orders from Jake.

Years later, Kevin was on a joyride in one of his many expensive cars. He was with his beautiful wife, a model who had worked at his agency. Coming fast around a corner, he splashed mud all over a pedestrian sitting on the curb. Kevin didn’t stop to apologize or make amends, he just drove off recklessly. The splash victim was Jake, who recognized the car (Kevin was the only one around who could afford a Ferrari). Jake got up and walked home, determined to pay down what was still a $400,000 debt, and finally be free. On his walk, Jake could hear dogs barking and police sirens, a normality in his neighborhood. He constantly looked over his shoulders, as he couldn’t afford to have what little money he had get robbed from him. Jake arrived at his apartment, which had no heat in winter, and no air in summer. He had no wife to come home to, just adult magazines and a box of tissues. His bed was just towels resting upon stacked cinder blocks. He’d sleep there for a few hours, and then get up for his next shift.

After 60 years of hard work, Jake’s body couldn’t take any more. On a wet day in the winter of 2016, while placing a desperate bet on a horse race, he collapsed. He was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital. Upon arrival, Jake had a conversation with the emergency room doctor.

“Mr. Reynolds,” the doctor said. “We ran a few tests, and you have a potentially fatal, but treatable, disease. Now, we can cure it almost certainly, but it is a very costly procedure.”

The doctor handed Jake a bill estimate, and Jake’s face filled with dread.

“I can’t possibly pay that. I have nothing left. Literally nothing. I’ve spent my whole life paying off a bet with a friend.”

“If you’re unable to pay the bill, I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do. We could move you to a hospice for a fairly reasonable price.”

“And how long would I need to stay there?”

The doctor nervously coughed. “Most likely the rest of your life, which, according to our diagnosis, looks to be about two weeks.”

Jake hung his head low. “I guess I’ll take it.”

A few days later, while Jake was completing a Sudoku puzzle he found on the lobby floor, Kevin walked in the door with his arm around his newest wife. Kevin was Jake’s first visitor. The two childhood friends hadn’t spoken more than a few words since high school. This was the first time they really both saw how the other turned out. Kevin, now feeling some guilt, leaned over Jake’s bed.

“Hey Jake. How you holding up?”

“Not great,” said Jake, weakly.

“Ummm,” Kevin said, stalling in order to come up with a joke to diffuse the tension. “You still owe me 16 dollars.” He laughed awkwardly.

Jake worriedly said, “I know, I know. There’s been a little hold up with my hospice bill. But I’m on it. I’m leaving you as the beneficiary of my life insurance. Then it’s all paid off, plus interest.”

Kevin’s smirk was replaced with compressed lips. He rubbed the back of his neck, anxious. “Uh, Jake. When we made that bet all those years ago, I was only joking. If I lost I would’ve never paid you the money.”

Jake’s death was recorded as happening within seconds after the conversation, and the nurses present say he died with his mouth hung open, in shock.