Rich Teen Laughs at Homeless until She Finds out Her Own Fate — Story of the Day

Mark and his daughter, who are homeless and struggling, discover a wallet full of cash. Mark decides to give it back even though they are in need, wanting to instill generosity in his daughter. But when he gets to the owner’s house, he starts to second-guess his choice.

Mark headed towards the park via the downtown streets with his eight-year-old daughter, Lolita. Their lunch had been given by the homeless shelter they lived in.

But concerns about their future were racing through Mark’s mind. But Lolita skipped beside him, the sheer joy of being with her father lighting up her face.

Lolita’s keen eyes noticed something at the edge of the pavement as they were walking. “Daddy! She cried, “Look what I found!” as she scurried over to a black pocketbook that was partially hidden in the grass.

They discovered the owner’s ID inside, along with credit cards, a sizable quantity of cash, and the owner’s address.

Excitement shone in Lolita’s eyes. She said, chirping, “We could buy apples, noodles, even ice cream!”
But Mark felt the burden of morality. He firmly stated, “We aren’t going to keep it.” It is not our property. Wouldn’t it be undesirable for someone to be depressed over misplacing their wallet?

“But, father—”

“Lolita, we don’t own the money. Mark gently interjected, saying, “The right thing is to return it,” and the unfortunate man and his daughter headed to the wallet owner’s address.

They found themselves in an affluent neighbourhood, drawing unwanted attention to their worn-out appearance. As he walked up to a tidy residence, Mark regretted his choice.

The owner appeared to be a wealthy man, and it’s unlikely that he would miss the small amount of cash in his wallet. However, Mark dismissed the idea, concentrating on imparting honesty to Lolita.

The shiny white door creaked open as Lolita knocked on it.

Uncertain of the reaction they would meet, Mark steeled himself. The homeowner’s daughter Jane welcomed them with contempt and suspicion.

With mistrust in her eyes, she asked them forcefully, “What do you want?”

Mark displayed the wallet. “Hello. I found this with my daughter, and we decided to return it. He said, “Does a man named Greg live here?

“Just put it on the doorstep, whatever.” “My father isn’t at home,” Jane brushed them off and gestured to the doormat.

“We decided that returning it in person would be preferable. That would be the proper thing to do, you know,” Mark said, gripping the wallet tightly.

Jane became more irritated. She said, “Look at you, Mr. Right Thing.” “Just trying to get something out of it.”

“That’s not true!” Mark shot back, justifying their goals.

Lolita moved in closer proximity to her dad. She murmured to her father, “Why is she being so mean, Dad?”

“Lovebird, sometimes people misunderstand. “Let’s concentrate on getting the wallet back,” Mark comforted her.

But Jane was repulsed by the homeless person who was knocking on her door, and if Greg hadn’t arrived from work, she would have kept making fun of Mark.

His gaze shifted from Mark to Jane as he said, “Sweetheart, what’s going on?”
Mark gave a brief introduction, saying he and Lolita had located Greg’s wallet and had come to give it back.

Greg was happy to have the wallet back and felt relieved. “I’ve spent the entire day searching for this, you know. I intended to cancel my credit cards tonight.”

“Dad, look at the cash! He most likely took it!” Jane rolled her eyes and accused.

Greg opened the wallet and saw that nothing was broken. “Dear, all of the money is right here. He told Jane, “You’ve got it wrong,” appreciating Mark’s candour.

“Why don’t you guys join us for dinner?” He made Mark and Lolita an offer. “It’s the least I can do to thank you.”

Jane gave her father a disapproving frown.

However, Greg didn’t back down, and since Lolita was starving, Mark gladly accepted the unannounced hospitality.

Greg opened his house to Mark and Lolita.

“Mark, why don’t you sit here?” Greg indicated by pointing to a chair next to him.

“Not so fast!” Jane threw papers into the chair and yelled.
“What are you doing, Jane?” Greg asked, perplexed by what she had done.

Recognising Jane’s intention, Greg sat down and offered Mark a seat as well. Greg tried to calm things down, but Jane persisted in making fun of Mark and Lolita and proposing they hire a cleaning service the next day.

“Mark, don’t bother her. She has always had a cleaning obsession.” Greg made an effort to diffuse the tension.

Jane would not quit, though. She brought paper plates to Mark and Lolita for dinner, which prompted Greg to step in.

Hiding his emotions, he said, “Why not use the nice dishes I got you for your birthday, honey?”

Jane grudgingly accepted, but her antagonism did not go away.
Mark reached out to assist with serving the food, but Jane yelled at him. “Get your filthy hands away from me!”

Greg, displeased with her actions, instructed her to sit down with firmness. Still, Jane wasn’t finished yet.
Mark asked to say a prayer when dinner was served, to which she retorted, “Thanking God for being poor?” with sarcasm.

Mark ignored her remarks and prayed, thanking God for his care during difficult times.
“Why don’t you tell us about yourself?” When the man had done praying, Greg questioned Mark.

Mark started telling his story, but Jane cut him off by making fun of his homelessness.

“Shut your mouth, Jane!” Greg lost it at last, growing weary of her callousness. “You have no idea what their lives are like. And anyone could experience bad luck.”
“I apologise, Mark,” Greg turned to face his visitor. “I’m to blame. My parenting suffered as a result of my excessive work.”

Greg disclosed a startling reality while using this opportunity to discuss his own past. He had previously been homeless himself, something he had not disclosed to Jane but felt obliged to do so in light of her actions.

“When Jane’s mother passed away, we found ourselves in the same situation as you,” Greg said. “My small kid and I ended up living on the streets after I lost everything. “Back then, she was just a toddler,” he said, his voice brimming with emotion.

Jane found it hard to believe. She found it difficult to comprehend her father’s words.
“Recall the times we went camping? When I invented tales of us going on treasure hunts?” Greg enquired.

Jane, still perplexed, nodded.

Greg acknowledged, “At the time, we were truly homeless.”

Feeling overwhelmed by the realisation, she said, “H-How did we get back on our feet?”
“It was a result of kind individuals. I got a job offer from a kind man. With tears in his eyes, Greg said, “That job changed our lives.”

Greg then turned to look at Mark and Lolita. “When I saw Mark today, I knew it was my chance to pay it forward,” he stated.
Mark concurred. “Surprises abound in life. A little kindness can sometimes make all the difference in the world.”

Jane’s eyes welled with tears when she realised what she had done. “Daddy, did we ever get offered dinner when we were on the street?” She questioned naively.

“Not at all. I was able to fill your stomach on most nights, but I was nearly always hungry when I went to bed. Mark comforted his daughter, “We had each other, even though we didn’t have much.”

Jane was deeply affected by these disclosures and at last realised the extent of her father’s hardships and the efficacy of empathy.

Greg brought up Mark and Lolita’s recent deed of generosity. He said, “Mark, how did you find my wallet?”

“When Lolita found the shelter, we were searching for one,” Mark said.

Greg was taken aback. He asked Mark, “Do you want to work for me?” “I need a driver, you know.”

Startled, Mark gave in right away. “I would be honoured, yes. I’m grateful.

Greg continued after that. “And I’ll help you find a place to stay until you’re back on your feet.”

“Are you serious? Oh my goodness, I am so grateful to you. I’m not going to fail you. I swear I won’t.” Mark thanked her in an earnest and resolute manner. He could immediately see how this would change both his and Lolita’s circumstances.

“However, are you certain about this, Dad? We haven’t met them,” Jane informed her dad.
“Jane, sometimes you just have to trust people. “Not everyone is malicious,” Greg comforted her.

“I understand your concern, miss, but we’re not here to take advantage,” Mark said. “We’re grateful for your father’s help.”

As the discussion went on, Greg opened more about his own previous difficulties and emphasised the value of giving people a second chance. Jane listened, her first doubts slowly dispelling.

Jane finally murmured, regretting what she had said earlier, “I’m sorry.” “I judged you unfairly.”

Mark pardoned her with sufficient kindness. “Miss, it’s all right. Everybody has their moments,” he remarked.

Then Greg offered tea as a peace offering, lightening the atmosphere in the room.
Greg moved the topic of conversation to Mark’s choice to return the wallet. How come you returned it? Few people would care,” he asked.

“Mr. Greg, you’re doing the right thing. Something that wasn’t mine could not be kept.”

Lolita proudly added her voice. “Daddy can never be a thief, only in games!”

Any last tension was released as laughter flooded the room.

With a sense of renewed comprehension, Jane apologised to Mark. I was wrong to judge you in that way.”

Assured her, “It’s just water under the bridge,” Mark said. “We learn from our mistakes.”

While they were still conversing, Lolita pulled at Jane’s sleeve. With genuineness, she enquired, “Can we be friends?”
Jane grinned, grateful for the young child’s gesture. “Of course, we can be friends.”

With a spirit of harmony and understanding, the evening came to a conclusion, and a new chapter for all those involved began.

Greg gave Mark and Lolita another invitation. “Why don’t you spend the evening here? We’ll settle the employment and housing situation tomorrow,” he said amiably.

Though he was hesitant, Mark accepted. “I’m grateful, Mr. Greg. This is really meaningful,” he answered, his thanks clear in his voice.

“Can I sleep in the living room with Dad?” Excited, Lolita enquired.

Greg said, “Sure thing, Lolita,” grinning.
While Greg and Mark took a moment to themselves in the kitchen, Jane and Lolita built beds in the living room in preparation for the evening.

“Mark, thank you for giving that wallet back. It’s surprisingly brought us together,” said Greg as they helped Mark wash dishes.

“Sometimes, doing the right thing leads to unexpected blessings,” Mark replied.

They learned the value of kindness and humility that evening as they exchanged tales and forgiveness. The once-strangers bonded over similar experiences and laughed as they had breakfast together the following morning.

Their unexpected friendship blossomed into a journey of discovery and opportunity, highlighting the transforming power of empathy and trust.