A man was bothered by the groaning sound he’d hear from an abandoned house he’d walk past every night, so he decided to check the property to see what was happening one day.
James was in his 40s and was in a happy marriage with his wife, Anna. They never had any children, so they poured their time and effort into their respective businesses.
James ran and owned a construction company, while Anna ran a nail salon. They were both busy, but he’d spend it with his nephews whenever James had free time. He always felt the need to take care of someone, and he’d turn to his nephews to fulfill this need.
Whenever James would travel on a business trip, he’d entrust the main office to his assistant Michael. Michael was 26 years old, and a senior manager James took under his wing to work directly in the CEO’s office.
James was a busy career man who ran his own construction business. | Source: Pexels
As James had no son whom he could turn his business over to once he retired, he considered having Michael take over the leadership position he had in the future.
One day, James had to drive to a nearby city where his company was building a cottage district. There was a wasteland in the area and several abandoned houses to be demolished before construction.
James visited the site daily and worked until night. As he was about to leave one day, he heard groans from one of the abandoned houses. It was raining heavily, and because of the sound of the rain, James wasn’t sure if it was a human or an animal making the sound.
Although he was curious, James decided to pay no attention to the sound, as he was rushing to get home to avoid traffic on the freeway. However, as he was about to sleep, he couldn’t shake off the thought. Did an animal fall into a trap? he thought to himself. Or maybe, it was just a couple having some fun together, he pondered.
James heard loud groans from an abandoned home, and it sparked his curiosity. | Source: Pexels
The following day, James went back to the site. During the day, he was busy working with the engineers on beginning the construction job. As he prepared to head home at night, he heard the strange sounds again.
This time, James decided to figure out what was happening. He took a shovel from the site and went to the abandoned house.
James could already tell that the voice was of a person, particularly a woman, as he got closer. As he opened the house’s broken door, he saw a female’s shadow inside the house. She groaned, and the shadow slowly disappeared.
James put down his shovel and checked on the woman, who had gone into the other room. “Ma’am, are you alright? You don’t need to be afraid. I’ve come to help you,” he called out.
He approached the room and found an older woman sitting in a corner, weeping. “I didn’t think anyone would ever find me,” she sobbed.
“What happened? Are you alright?” James rushed to her side.
The old woman weakly shook her head. “My name is Nancy. I used to live with my grandson. I raised him after his parents abandoned him. When he got married, he and his wife kicked me out of my own house, and I had no power to take it back. I didn’t know where to go, so I went to my grandmother’s old house here,” she revealed.
James was devastated by the story. He looked at the woman’s leg and saw that it was swollen. “What happened to you? Are you in pain?” he asked her.
“There was a hole in the ceiling when I came here, so I decided to patch it up. I found an old chair to stand on, but it gave in. I think I fractured my leg. I cannot walk,” Nancy whimpered.
James decided to take Nancy in for the time being while he figured out what to do. His wife Anna supported his decision and was proud that her husband had taken the initiative to help the old lady. They took her to the hospital, and after she got her leg cast, they made her sleep in their guest bedroom at home.
The following day, James decided to confront the woman’s grandson. James asked for Nancy’s old address, and he drove there personally.
As James knocked on the door, he was dumbfounded to see that Michael, his assistant, was the person who opened it. “You’re Nancy’s grandson?!” James said angrily.
Michael was speechless. “How do you know my nanny?” he asked his boss.
“How do I know your nanny?” James retorted. “Well, she had been living in an abandoned old house in the district we’re about to demolish and build cottages. She broke her leg and was whimpering in the dark every day. How could you kick her out of her own house? Have you no shame?”
Michael was speechless. He felt terrible for kicking his grandmother out, but more so because his boss found out about his heartless deed.
“You know, Michael, I thought you were a brilliant man. To think, I was even considering handing over the company to you one day. But today, that’s no longer a possibility. I can’t have someone who abandons the woman who raised him working with me. You’re fired,” James said before leaving.
As he watched James leave, Michael’s knees were trembling. He wasn’t sure what broke his heart more – the fact that he hurt his grandmother and left her to fend for herself or that he just lost the opportunity of a lifetime after getting fired.
It was then that Michael realized he had his priorities all mixed up. He had only thought about himself, that he never considered Nancy’s feelings, even though she sacrificed so much for him through the years. Since then, he vowed to be better.
Meanwhile, James promised Nancy that she would receive a cottage in the new district he was building. “I will not be selling your grandmother’s old property,” he revealed to her. “Instead, I will build a new home for you and place it under your name.”
James gave Nancy one of the new cottage houses they built in the district for free. | Source: Pexels
Nancy couldn’t help but cry. James had been so gracious to her for allowing her to live with them, but she never expected him to provide her with her own home at her own expense.
One day, Michael came to James’ house, knowing Nancy was there. He asked for forgiveness and promised to be a better grandson to her. Michael asked James for another chance at getting a job, so James decided to hire him as a construction worker.
Michael was assigned to the cottage district, where he was in charge of rebuilding his grandmother’s soon-to-be home. He patched up her roof and ensured the house had everything Nancy could need.
Nancy lived in her own house while James and Anna took care of her from then on. They would spend time with her, bring her food, and invite her over on special occasions, so she never needed to be alone.
What can we learn from this story?
Respect and take care of your elders. Michael had no reason to kick his grandmother out of the house, especially since she raised him as a single grandmother. He showed no respect to her and even left her to fend for herself, which led to negative consequences for him.
What you do always comes back to you. Michael never imagined that his abandoning his grandmother would negatively affect his career. However, he soon realized that what goes around comes around.
This story is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only.
Share this story with your loved ones. It might inspire them and make their day.
