A generous neighbor brings newspapers to an old lady every day until he notices them untouched on her front porch. He knocks on her door to find out what’s going on, but when no one answers, he decides to contact the cops.
Michael Green stood on his front porch, waiting for the newspaper hawker to bring him the bundle of morning news. He sighed as he checked his watch, impatient to read the paper, and to his relief, he spotted the man riding up the street only a few seconds later.
“Good morning, Mr. Green. I hope I’m not late!” exclaimed the newsie as he came to a halt near Michael’s house and tossed a newspaper into his yard. Then he went to Michael’s next-door neighbor, an older woman named Agnes, and repeated the process.
After the newspaper hawker cycled away, Michael stepped up to his front yard and picked up the newspaper, and then he did the same for Agnes’s house and left the paper on her doorstep.
Michael left the newspaper on Agnes’ doorstep every day. | Source: Pexels
Agnes was an 88-year-old widow who lived alone. Her husband and son had died in a car accident years before, so the elderly widow had no family. Michael was a kind man who appreciated assisting his neighbors, especially Agnes.
Every morning, he delivered the newspaper to her doorstep after she complained to him about how her knees were troubling her in old age.
“You see, sweetie,” she said. “I am an old bird who has seen enough of this life. I hope that when He decides to call me home, I die peacefully in my sleep. I don’t want to be in any more suffering, Michael. I don’t….”
Agnes’ words moved Michael’s heart, and he made every effort to assist her in any way he could. With the ongoing winter, when the entire region around them was covered in snow, Michael shoveled the ice in front of her house and often treated her to hot broth or tea.
Michael treated Agnes to soup in the winters. | Source: Pexels
In response, the older lady smiled brightly and said, “If my son were here today, he would look after me just like you do. You have a loving heart. One day, you see, I shall repay your kindness!”
Michael laughed and said, “I don’t need anything, Agnes! I’m not doing this to get something from you; I’m doing it because I genuinely want to help you….”
“Old Agnes didn’t forget her promise. I hope this will help you and your family.”
One day, Michael, as usual, sprinted to Agnes’ front door to leave the day’s papers on her doorstep. But when he came up to her front porch, he noticed the newspapers from the previous days lying there, untouched. Michael thought it odd because Agnes never left anything outside unattended like that.
“Is she out somewhere?” he wondered. He realized he hadn’t seen Agnes around in a while. But then he noticed that the lights in her house were still turned on and her clothes were still drying in the backyard.
Agnes’ clothes were drying in the backyard when Michael went to her house. | Source: Pexels
Worried, Michael knocked on her door, calling out to her. “Agnes? Are you okay? Please open the door! It’s me, Michael!” But there were no responses.
The backyard door was locked, too, so Michael knew there was only one option left. He called 911 for help.
After a couple of minutes, a team of officers showed up at Agnes’ house and broke open the door. When they marched into the living room, Michael saw a hand protruding from behind the couch. He ran up to the couch, only to find Agnes pallid and unconscious.
“Jesus! Agnes! Someone call the paramedics! She’s unconscious!” he yelled.
A cop on the scene called the ambulance and Agnes was taken to the hospital. Michael accompanied her there and Agnes was admitted to the emergency room right away. A doctor informed him that Agnes had fainted from dehydration and fatigue.
Agnes was rushed to the hospital after she fainted. | Source: Pexels
“It will take some time for her to recuperate, but she will be fine. In a way, you saved her life. The repercussions may have been grave if she was brought here a little later,” said the doctor.
Later that day, when Michael went to see Agnes, she wouldn’t stop thanking him. “Thank you very much, Michael! If you hadn’t shown up, I would have died and no one would have known. Thank you for saving me!” she said weakly.
“What happened, Agnes? Why didn’t you inform me you weren’t feeling well?” Michael asked, concerned.
“I was about to, honey,” she said quietly. “I was going to call you, but then I couldn’t think of anything. Everything turned black, and when I woke up, I was here. But, as you can see, God sent you to help me. Don’t worry; this old lady isn’t leaving you so soon….” she added, smiling weakly.
“You’re far too reckless, Agnes!” Michael gently scolded her. “I swear to God! After discharge, you’ll be staying with my family until you’re entirely fine! Do you get that?”
At that point, Agnes had tears in her eyes. “I’m not sure what I did to deserve a neighbor like you, Michael. Thank you very much, honey. Thank you very much….”
Michael did as he had promised. He took Agnes home after she was discharged. His wife, Stella, and kids, Ryle and Jess, loved having Agnes around and she became family to them. She also gave Stella her old cookbook with beautiful recipes and the apple pie Stella prepared was the highlight of their dinner one day.
Agnes was supposed to stay with Michael and his family until she recovered entirely, but she loved being around them so much that she ended up staying with them for a year. Then one day, she left for her heavenly home.
Michael and Stella handled her funeral arrangements. Michael was distraught when he got home after the service. Without Agnes’s laugh and presence, the house felt strangely empty.
After a while, he went to their guest room, where Agnes stayed, and cried as he looked around. Things had been so different when Agnes was around, he thought.
Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a letter on the bedside table. He immediately recognized Agnes’ handwriting on the top and opened the letter to read it.
Michael knew the letter was written by Agnes. | Source: Pexels
“Dear Michael,” it began.
“Thank you for being the family God took away from me several years ago. I don’t know why I am writing this right now, but I have a feeling that I should just get done with it soon. I know I’ll never be able to repay you for your kindness, but I have a humble present for you that I hope you won’t turn down.
Old Agnes didn’t forget her promise. Not that it can compensate for the love and care you and your family gave me, but I am leaving behind my house and assets to you. I have left my lawyer’s contact details in the end. I hope this will help you and your family. I shall forever be indebted to you for your kindness, Michael. Please give my love to your family.
– Agnes.”
Michael couldn’t stop crying. He wiped his tears and went downstairs to show the letter to Stella. The couple was grateful to Agnes, and with the inheritance they received from her, they launched a modest grocery shop in her name, remembering her.
What can we learn from this story?
- The bonds of humanity and love for one another bring us together, sometimes forming a family. Agnes was only Michael’s neighbor, but his sympathy for her bonded them as a family.
- The older people around us need care; don’t hesitate to give it to them. If Michael hadn’t gone to check on Agnes, she might have died. Thanks to people like him, who keep a check on the elderly around us, Agnes lived a happy life until she left for her heavenly abode.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only.
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