Living in an old trailer with my mom wasn’t ideal, but we managed. Since Dad left when I was six, it’s been just us. Mom was often in pain, and her mood was as heavy as her legs propped up on pillows.
One day, while retrieving the mail, I found a hundred-dollar bill. It was a small miracle for us. Later, I encountered an old man who was at the local park playing a game and offered me a hundred bucks if I helped him win. I agreed, and after he won, he asked me to go fishing with him the next morning.
I agreed without telling Mom, thinking it would be a harmless diversion. The next morning, he picked me up in his SUV and drove us to a quiet, overgrown pond. The setting was nostalgic, and he told me it was a special place where he used to fish with his son. They never caught anything, and his son had passed away due to an illness he couldn’t afford to treat.
Teenage boy standing outside an old trailer | Source: Midjourney
As we fished, the old man shared how he’d vowed never to be powerless again, and he appreciated how much I reminded him of his son. Our conversation turned emotional, and suddenly, one of our lines tugged hard. In the struggle, we both fell into the pond, but we managed to pull out a massive fish. The old man was ecstatic, finally catching a fish in the place that held so many memories.
Later, as he dropped me off, he expressed his gratitude and told me to never give up on my dreams. The next day, a man in a suit arrived at our trailer with a package from Mr. Thompson. Inside was enough money to move us into a proper house, cover Mom’s medical care, and fully fund my education. I was overwhelmed and speechless.
Several months later, I received a letter from Mr. Thompson. He had passed away from heart surgery shortly after our fishing trip but left me a heartfelt message. He thanked me for giving him peace and joy in his final days and reminded me to keep chasing my dreams.
Fifteen years later, I stood on the porch of the house I’d built for Mom, watching her play with my children. “You never gave up, Adam,” she said with pride. “He’d be proud.”
“I think about him a lot,” I replied softly. “I hope I’ve made him proud.”
“You have,” Mom assured me. “He gave you everything, and look at you now.”
I smiled, reflecting on how Mr. Thompson’s kindness had changed our lives. “It wasn’t just the money,” I said. “It was the reminder to never give up. I’ll carry that with me forever.”
Looking up at the sky, I felt the same calm warmth from that day by the pond, knowing he was watching and proud.
