A noisy teenager caused trouble for the school janitor and later felt guilty. He learned about the janitor’s life and decided to do something special for him. That’s when he realized something important.
“Wow!” Holden exclaimed when he saw the mess he had created on the floor. He and his friend were just trying to play a prank on another student by painting his locker. However, he accidentally dropped the paint can in the middle of the basketball court, which would definitely be noticed.
“Come on, Holden! Let’s go! Let’s go!” his friend, Andrew, shouted, and they both left everything behind and ran away.
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A noisy teenager caused trouble for the school janitor and later felt guilty. He learned about the janitor’s life and decided to do something special for him. That’s when he realized something important.
Holden and his friend were not bad kids, but they often skipped classes and liked to play pranks on others. They didn’t mean any harm; Holden just didn’t like school and wanted to have fun like many teenagers do.
“Wow. That’s terrible,” Holden said when he saw the mess he made. “Sorry. That was rude.” Luckily, no one found out about the incident, but later, he walked by the basketball court and saw the old janitor cleaning up. He also heard the principal, Mr. Figgins, yelling.
“We have the pep rally tomorrow, and scouts from all over are coming! This needs to be cleaned up right away!” the principal shouted at the poor man, who was trying to scrub the floor. The paint was oil-based, making the job hard.
Yes, Mr. Figgins. I’ll make sure it’s ready for tomorrow,” the janitor replied, still scrubbing. The principal waved his arms, yelled some more, and stormed off.
Holden felt awful watching the janitor clean the mess caused by his prank, so he did something surprising. He walked onto the court, grabbed a rag, knelt down, and started helping the janitor.
The old man looked at him and said, “I guess you did this, right?” He continued to scrub the floor.
“Sir, I’m really sorry. It was a mistake. I didn’t know you would get in trouble for it,” Holden said sincerely. “Please don’t tell the principal. My mom would be really mad.”
The janitor sighed and replied, “I won’t tell anyone, but you have to help me until this floor is clean.” Holden quickly agreed.
As they worked, they talked. The janitor’s name was Fred. At first, they chatted about basketball and football since the school had some of the best teams. But then Holden asked why Fred was still working at his age. He looked to be over 60.
“Well, I need to pay my mortgage,” Fred said with a frown. “I’m 76.”
“Wow, you still haven’t paid it off? That means I can’t even think about having my own house,” Holden said.
“Things are tough right now, kid. I never really wanted a house. I bought that house for my daughter because she needed a place to live,” Fred explained, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I helped her with the mortgage for years, but then she died in a car accident, and now it’s all my responsibility.”
“I’m really sorry to hear that,” Holden said quietly. They were silent for a moment. “Why not sell the house now?”
“Where would I go? With rent these days, I’d be homeless. I need to keep working to eat,” Fred said realistically.
“But you might never retire!” Holden added.
“That’s true. I just hope I can pay the mortgage before I die,” he continued.
“How much do you owe?” Holden asked.
“Well, it’s a little under $30,000,” Fred replied.
“Wow. That’s terrible,” Holden said, then widened his eyes. “Sorry, that was rude.”
But Fred laughed. “Let’s just keep working, kid.”
They finally cleaned up the paint, but it took a long time, and Holden went home late that night. He couldn’t sleep, thinking about how to help the old man who didn’t get him in trouble.
A few days later, he told his mother everything that happened and asked her how they could raise money for Fred. Maybe if they paid off his mortgage, he could retire.
His mother suggested that Holden mow lawns in the neighborhood. It was the right season, and many people needed help. So he got his dad’s lawnmower and started working hard.
But after a few days, he realized it was going to take a long time to earn the money. So he talked to his neighbors whose kids went to the same school. He took a picture of Fred from the school’s website and posted it online, sharing his story and creating a crowdfunding link to help the janitor.
To his surprise, the donations started coming in, and they raised $30,000 in just a week.
Then Holden and his mother spoke to the school principal about having a special ceremony to honor Fred and surprise him. Holden also had to tell the principal about the paint on the court, and Mr. Figgins agreed.
The whole school heard the story and gathered at the basketball court to cheer when Fred arrived. The old janitor had no idea what was happening since he didn’t use social media. Holden presented him with the money, and many people in the crowd cried as the two hugged. Fred officially retired that week.
Holden later learned that Fred had a granddaughter named Erin, who was only a few years younger than him. The janitor wanted to pay off the house for her to have when he was gone. Erin and Holden became good friends, and he started visiting Fred after school to help out.
He stopped hanging out with Andrew and began taking his classes more seriously. The whole experience taught him that you have to work hard for everything.
Holden changed completely and graduated at the top of his class a few years later. The school staff was shocked and happy with his turnaround, as they rarely saw such changes. And it was all because of Fred and that afternoon spent cleaning up paint.
What can we learn from this story?
You should apologize and do your best to fix your mistakes. Holden got the janitor in trouble but sincerely tried to make it right.
It only takes one experience or person to change someone’s life. After meeting Fred, Holden changed for good, learning that life is tough, and only hard work can lead to happiness.
I Found a Love Note Written on Our Bathroom Mirror – But It Wasn’t Meant for Me
Madison thought it was a sweet gesture when she saw a love note on the bathroom mirror after a fun night out with her husband, Ryan. The note said, “Miss you already, last night was amazing! XOXO.” She immediately assumed it was from Ryan and texted him a thank-you. But his response puzzled her: “Uh, what note, Madison?” He quickly followed up with a strange, casual message claiming he had left the note but forgot. Something about his response felt off, and Madison couldn’t shake the feeling that the note wasn’t meant for her. Could Ryan be hiding something?Throughout the day, the idea gnawed at Madison. She tried to convince herself that she was overreacting, but doubts lingered. When Ryan came home, acting normal, Madison’s suspicions only grew. After he went to bed, she did something she never thought she’d do—she went through his phone. Surprisingly, there was nothing suspicious, no secret texts, no sign of an affair, but Madison’s intuition told her something wasn’t right.
The situation escalated when Ryan came home early from work one day, claiming his dad, Bob, needed help with his laptop. Madison found it odd that Bob had been coming over so frequently, especially when she wasn’t home. A few days later, Ryan’s mom, Claire, called, sounding upset and asking if Madison had seen Bob.That’s when things started to click. Madison realized Bob had been visiting their home a lot more than usual. Determined to find out what was really going on, Madison pretended to run errands but parked nearby to keep an eye on the house. Her heart sank when she saw a woman, who was not Claire, walk up to her front door. She waited a few more minutes before quietly returning home. When she entered, she heard the shower running and crept toward the bathroom. Peeking through the slightly ajardoor, Madison saw Bob in the shower—with the woman who had entered her house.The reality hit her hard. The note wasn’t from Ryan or meant for Madison—it was from Bob’s affair, using their home as his secret meeting place. Furious, Madison confronted Bob, who was shocked but unable to deny the truth. The woman quickly fled, and Madison was left in disbelief. That night, she confronted Ryan, who initially denied knowing anything. But when pressed, he admitted that he had known all along. He explained that he had been covering for his father to keep the affair hidden from his mother, believing it was better that way. Madison was outraged. While Ryan wasn’t cheating, he had been lying to her for months, allowing his father to use their home for his deceit. The couple argued for hours, but Ryan didn’t seem to grasp why Madison was so upset. He defended his actions, saying it was family business and he didn’t want to get involved. But Madison couldn’t forgive the lies and the betrayal. That night, she told Ryan to sleep on the couch and, the next morning, called Claire to tell her everything. Claire was devastated but calm. She told Madison to pack her bags, and together, they checked into a hotel, using money Bob had recently given Claire. What was supposed to be for her birthday weekend was now being used to plan their next steps. By the end of the week, both women filed for divorce.Madison and Claire now share a cozy apartment, starting fresh and free from the lies and betrayal. They’ve found strength in each other, and despite the heartbreak, they’re both ready for a new chapter in their lives, free from the toxic relationships that had once defined them.
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