There’s a famous episode of the TV show The Office called «Scott’s Tots.» In it, it is revealed that a decade prior, the lead character Michael Scott made a promise to a group of schoolchildren that he would pay for their college tuition when they turned 18. At the time, he assumed he would be a millionaire in 10 years, and would have no problem covering the tuition of a couple of kids. Of course, when 10 years have come to pass, he is in absolutely no shape to be paying it. The cringe comedy that ensues shall go down in the history books. The kids, the parents, and the teachers are all ready to celebrate Scott’s heroic promise, not knowing that he has no way to fulfill it. 

It turns out that Scott’s Tots is more prescient than we thought it was. That’s exactly what happened to one man who made a promise he couldn’t end up keeping.