Um homem pobre e idoso é inesperadamente recompensado pela gentileza que demonstrou a um estranho quando sai de casa uma manhã e encontra um carro esportivo novinho em folha em vez do antigo.
Gregory Smith, de 80 anos, estava em sua varanda da frente, estupefato. Ele se beliscou duas vezes para garantir que não estava sonhando e chamou sua esposa, Cynthia, enquanto olhava para o conteúdo do envelope em sua mão e então para o carro esportivo reluzente na frente de sua casa.
“Cynthia! Cynthia! Venha aqui rápido!” ele gritou, suas mãos tremendo de ansiedade ao ver o carro novo e o antigo desaparecidos.
“O que há de errado com você, Gregory?” Cynthia surgiu de dentro, secando as mãos em uma toalha e franzindo a testa. “Eu queimei a panqueca por sua causa! Se você não sabe, estávamos no nosso último pacote de mistura para panqueca! E você está parado aqui? Quando você está planejando ir ao mercado?”
O carro velho de Gregory tinha sumido. | Fonte: Pexels
Gregory acenou com a mão desdenhosamente. “Olhe para isso, Cynthia”, ele disse, mostrando a ela o envelope que havia encontrado na varanda da frente. “Havia chaves de carro dentro do envelope e nosso carro velho sumiu! Olhe ali”, ele acrescentou, apontando para fora, onde havia estacionado seu carro velho na noite passada. “É um carro novinho! Quem poderia ter feito isso? O que devo fazer agora?”
“E não há nenhum bilhete dentro ou algo que indique quem enviou isso?” Cynthia perguntou, confusa.
“Já verifiquei duas vezes o envelope. Não há nenhum! O que nós—”
Antes que Gregory pudesse terminar sua frase, a buzina de um carro o cortou. Quando ele olhou para fora da porta da frente, viu seu velho carro estacionado na frente de sua casa e um homem saindo dele.
Os olhos de Gregory lacrimejaram quando ele viu quem era o homem. “Oh meu Deus! Ele cumpriu sua promessa, Cynthia!” ele disse, virando-se para encará-la. Cynthia estava sorrindo como se soubesse que isso iria acontecer.
Cynthia era a parceira do homem no crime ao planejar a surpresa para Gregory. | Fonte: Pexels
O homem deu um abraço caloroso em Gregory. “Como você está, Gregory? Já faz um tempo, não é?”
“Jack? Oh, eu não acredito nisso… Eu estou muito bem, querido. Como você está? E por favor me diga que você não fez isso!” ele gritou, abraçando-o de volta.
“Eu tive que fazer isso, Gregory. Depois do que você fez por mim… quero dizer, quem demonstra tanta gentileza hoje em dia? E você não pode me culpar completamente por isso. A Sra. Smith me ajudou a executar o plano…” ele disse, sorrindo.
“Eu claramente não o levei a sério! Mas agora que vejo aquele carro novo e brilhante parado na nossa porta, eu me arrependo.”
“Sinceramente, eu tentei recusá-lo, querido”, Cynthia disse a Gregory. “Mas esse garoto não me ouviu! E foi tão difícil entrar no jogo! Eu sou péssima em atuar, não sou?”, ela perguntou, franzindo o nariz, e Jack riu.
“Acho que não, Sra. Smith!”
Gregory balançou a cabeça repetidamente. “Então esse velho estava sendo enganado e ele não tinha a mínima ideia? Ah, o que eu digo…”
Cynthia e Jack riram. “Tudo bem, tudo bem, chega de conversa”, Cynthia finalmente disse. “Agora, porque Jack veio até aqui por nós, não podemos simplesmente deixá-lo ir. Entre e junte-se a nós para o café da manhã, Jack, e não há necessidade de ir à loja, Gregory. Temos mantimentos que durarão pelo menos uma semana… Era tudo parte do plano”, ela riu enquanto entrava, Jack logo atrás dela.
O homem por trás do carro novo era Jack. | Fonte: Pexels
Enquanto todos estavam sentados à mesa de jantar, Cynthia serviu o café da manhã e Jack começou a relembrar seu primeiro encontro com Gregory. Cynthia sabia de pedaços da história deles, mas não sabia de todo o episódio.
“Então, três semanas atrás, Sra. Simpson”, Jack começou. “Eu conheci seu marido no aeroporto. Eu deveria voar no mesmo voo que ele para ver minha esposa. Ela estava em trabalho de parto e eu estava muito preocupado. Na minha ansiedade, não percebi que tinha errado a data na minha passagem. Era para o dia seguinte. Só percebi isso quando fiz o check-in.
“Como não havia mais assentos disponíveis naquele dia, Gregory me ofereceu seu ingresso e disse: ‘Rapaz, você PRECISA estar com sua esposa! Use meu ingresso e eu usarei o seu.’”
“Ok”, Cynthia disse lentamente, assentindo. “Eu sei sobre a troca de ingressos. Mas e os carros? Ainda estou me perguntando o que essa troca de carros tem a ver com qualquer coisa…”
Cynthia estava ansiosa para saber toda a história por trás da troca de carro. | Fonte: Pexels
Gregory riu. “Essa é outra parte interessante… Antes de irmos para o check-in, Jack e eu nos encontramos na sala de espera. Estávamos conversando casualmente, querida, e mencionei que ainda estávamos pagando empréstimos, então não podemos comprar um carro novo, e como o nosso antigo está nos dando problemas… Depois que trocamos as passagens, esse garoto disse: ‘Hoje trocamos as passagens; em algumas semanas, trocaremos de carro, isso é uma promessa!’
“Eu claramente não o levei a sério! Mas agora que vejo aquele carro novo e brilhante estacionado do lado de fora da nossa porta, me arrependo de ter dito a ele que queríamos um carro novo. Antes de partir, ele pegou meu endereço, e olha o que ele fez! Não podemos ficar com ele, Jack. Valorizamos suas intenções, mas isso é desnecessário, garoto…”
Cynthia assentiu. “Gregory está certo. Não poderemos ficar com o carro. Não pensei muito quando você se encontrou comigo ontem e me contou sobre toda essa surpresa, mas me arrependo de ter dito sim. Por favor, isso não é necessário…”
Gregory não conseguiu deixar de sorrir enquanto falava sobre seu encontro com Jack. | Fonte: Pexels
Mas Jack balançou a cabeça. “Confie em mim; não é nada em troca do que você fez. Por causa do seu marido, eu pude ficar com minha esposa e meu bebê. Por favor, eu me sentiria mal se você recusasse meu presente. Eu insisto…”
Gregory e Cynthia não conseguiram dizer não a Jack. Eles aceitaram o carro, mas a generosidade de Jack não terminou aí. Ele sabia que, depois que Gregory se aposentou, ele e Cynthia estavam lutando para pagar seus empréstimos e, como resultado, não conseguiram concluir os reparos da casa.
Então Jack cuidou disso para eles. E um dia, ele veio visitá-los com sua esposa e sua filha bebê.
Embora vivam em cidades diferentes, os Smiths sentem que se tornaram uma família misturada com Jack. O jovem os verifica de vez em quando e garante que eles não percam nada, especialmente depois de descobrir que o velho casal não tinha filhos.
O que podemos aprender com essa história?
- A gentileza nunca fica sem recompensa. Gregory ofereceu sua passagem de avião a Jack para que ele pudesse ficar com sua esposa grávida, e em troca, ele e Cynthia receberam tanto amor e respeito de Jack que eles nem sequer tinham pensado. Jack era como um filho para eles e cuidava de suas menores necessidades.
- Ajude alguém sempre que e de qualquer maneira que puder. Gregory poderia oferecer a Jack sua passagem para ajudá-lo, e ele fez isso. Em troca, ele e sua esposa foram abençoados com o amor de um filho que nunca tiveram.
Compartilhe esta história com seus amigos. Pode alegrar o dia deles e inspirá-los.
Bride Doesn’t Want Her Dad in Wheelchair to Walk Her Down the Aisle until She Sees Him on TV — Story of the Day
Bride Doesn’t Want Her Dad in Wheelchair to Walk Her Down the Aisle until She Sees Him on TV — Story of the Day
A woman doesn’t want her father to walk her down the aisle because she is embarrassed by his wheelchair. However, when she sees him on TV a few days before the wedding, she regrets her decision and changes her mind.
When Lisa Terrell’s mother died when she was just two years old, her father, Edward, took up her care. Caroline Terrell had died in a terrible hurricane that hit their town years ago, demolishing their home and leaving Edward in a wheelchair due to a severe injury.
Nonetheless, nothing could stop Edward from raising Lisa with love and giving her the finest of everything. He was a well-known journalist and began working remotely following his injury to provide for them.
However, most people in Lisa’s life were unaware she had a father until he paid her a surprise visit at her school one day.
Lisa had always told her friends that her father was too busy to spend time with her, which is why he never attended school functions or parent meetings. However, the reality was that the invitations never made it to Edward since Lisa was embarrassed by him and didn’t want her friends to see him.
She adored him as a youngster, but as she grew up, the image of her father in a wheelchair mortified her and wrecked her relationship with him.
She was confused as she looked at the television and noticed her father sitting alongside the host.
Still, Edward never reneged on his duties. He was always there for his daughter and saved enough money to send her to a top university.
On the other hand, Lisa did not want him by his side. In fact, when she met her boyfriend, Harrison, at university, and they decided to marry after graduation, she didn’t want Edward to be there for the wedding.
As a result, she freaked out when Harrison asked her to invite Edward to dinner at his parents’ place. His parents were wealthy and of the upper crust. What would they think if they saw an elderly man in their home in a wheelchair? Lisa was ashamed by the very thought of it.
However, based on Harrison’s enthusiasm in inviting Edward to dinner, Lisa realized she didn’t have an out this time. So she had to fake a grin and say she’d ask Edward if he was free.
When Lisa told Edward about the invitation to dinner, he was more than just free. He was overjoyed for Lisa for finding someone who adored her.
On the night of the dinner, he dressed nicely in a suit and Harrison’s family received him warmly. The young man’s parents were impressed that Edward had reared a daughter on his own. Besides, Edward had a wonderful sense of humor, and everyone had a great time at the dinner. Everyone except Lisa, whose cheeks were flushed crimson with shame the entire time since the man in a wheelchair was her father…
A few weeks before the wedding, Lisa made up her mind. She confronted Edward one night over dinner and notified him that he would not be on the wedding guest list.
“Dad, I wanted to talk to you about the wedding,” she began, glancing at her plate and moving her fork around the spaghetti.
“Yes? What exactly is it, honey?” Edward inquired. “Is there something bugging you about the wedding, the expenses? If that’s the case, I have some bonds that we could use. After all, I did keep it for you…”
“No, dad! It’s just that,” Lisa paused for a moment, “Harrison and I intend to hold the wedding here in New York, but the problem is that we’re having it at one of the city’s largest hotels, and… I just thought it would be best if you didn’t attend the event. You know, there would be way too many guests!”
Edward’s smile vanished as he stared at Lisa, speechless. “I – I don’t understand…What’s the problem?”
Lisa sighed and fixed her gaze on him. “Look, Dad, it’s just that… The guests will be exclusive, and they’re all businessmen and high-class people. Imagine a man in a wheelchair walking his daughter down the aisle in front of them… I don’t know…It’s just weird.”
“A man in a wheelchair is weird?” Edward’s eyes welled up. He couldn’t believe Lisa was indirectly cutting him off the wedding guest list. But he grasped the cue and forced a grin, hiding his tears from her.
“Is that it? Oh, you’re right! After all, this old age is catching up with me,” he said, faking a laugh. “I may not be able to handle such a large gathering. It’s ok – it’s ok!”
“Thanks for understanding, dad,” Lisa said bluntly and went away to her room. Before dissing Edward, she didn’t think twice about all the years of love and care he’d given her, but eventually, she regretted it.
A few days later, she was watching a show titled “American Heroes” on TV when the emcee announced Edward’s name. She was confused as she looked at the television and noticed her father sitting alongside the host.
Soon after, the camera focused on a screen that displayed images of Edward in a wheelchair and the hurricane that had hit their town years before. He turned out to be one of the brave journalists who had managed to save his family and help his neighbors throughout the disaster.
Edward had a solemn expression as he narrated the whole story of how he’d managed to help people, especially his family.
“I will never forget that day. It was terrible… we lost practically everything,” he explained. “My wife died in the accident, and my daughter was just two years old at the time. As the debris surrounding us fell, I noticed my daughter standing right there…underneath that spot where it was falling.
“I went to save her and took her into my arms, but as I ran, a large section of the ceiling cracked and crashed on my back, causing a spine injury that prevented me from walking again.”
Lisa’s jaw sank to the floor, and her tears welled up when she heard that. “Dad saved me?” she was shocked.
“It was hard for me,” Edward continued. “But you know, you can’t really avoid your fate. So I gathered courage, knowing I just couldn’t give up in life, especially because I know I had a daughter who was now reliant on her father.”
Lisa was utterly embarrassed about herself at this point. She cried after Edward’s interview, cursing herself for being a terrible daughter, and decided to make it up to him.
So on her wedding day, she did walk down the aisle with Edward, but before the wedding ceremony began, she needed to tell the guests something VERY important…
As she took the microphone near the altar, she approached Edward, who was sitting among the guests, fell on her knees, and hugged him. “I know this is one of the most important days of my life, and I’ve been waiting for it for so long!” she cried, holding his hands in hers. “But none of this would have been possible if my father had not been by my side.”
“Ever since mom passed away, I never saw dad saying even once how hard it was for him to raise me alone. He did have hard days, but he never showed me the slightest hint of it. But what did I do? I was about to remove him from the wedding list because I was embarrassed about him being in a wheelchair. Yes, that’s right!”
“If only I had known that dad is in a wheelchair because he injured his back while saving me, I’d have never ever done that. I have been horrible to the man who loves me the most!”
“So I’d like to apologize to him in front of everyone today. I apologize for being the worst daughter to you, dad,” she said, facing him. “You can hate me for the rest of my life. I am sorry.”
Edward wasn’t expecting Lisa to own her mistake publicly. He was surprised but at the same time overcome with emotions at seeing his daughter realize her error, so he forgave her.
“Oh, come here,” he cried, embracing her. “Everyone makes mistakes,” he said. “But if you recognize them and work to fix them, you should be forgiven.”
Everyone was moved to tears and applauded the heartwarming reunion.
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