Once there was an affluent man named Robert
L. Fredricksen III. He usually doesn’t go out and mingle with the people in
their town. Though auspicious, he is known in their town as a taciturn, vacuous
and uncouth man because the townspeople weren’t able to communicate with him
and they only judged by what they see.
He
was working in an office a bus away from their place. There, it was unanimous
that he was a loving boss not only to his work but also to his officemates.
One
day, though he knew that he was the assignee in their office for that day, he
had a furlough because he had a very high fever when he woke up. He wasn’t
feeling well that he cannot even buy his own medicine outside. He knew that
that fever he was feeling was caused by his stage 2 brain cancer. No one ever
knew that he was bearing that kind of disease except himself.
While
he was resting in his balcony, hoping that he will feel well soon, he heard a
hag vociferating in the road, begging for help. She stopped on Fred’s gate.
Fred stood up to approach her. The hag somehow became coy when he saw Fred
approaching her. “How can I help you?” Fred asked the woman. “I need some food
and water for I haven’t drank and ate for a long time.” the woman answered. “Ok,
just wait a second”, said Fred while he went inside to get food.
He
got a glass in the cupboard, filled it with water, and also got some canapé in
his fridge. After preparing, he went outside and gave the food to the old
woman.
The
woman quaffed the glass of water and ate fast because of her great hunger and
thirst. “Thank you very much sir!” she said. “How can I help you back? Please
give me your request and I shall be very grateful to help you back for your
accommodation.” she added. “Can you please buy me my medicine in the near
drugstore here?” he said. “Ok” the woman acquiesced quickly. He handed the
money and said what medicine she should buy, then the woman walked away slowly.
Fred went to rest
again and waited for the woman. While waiting, he noticed that the hag was
taking too much time out there, he thought the fact that maybe she was taking a
long time in the queue, or won’t come back again, which he had accepted easily,
without bitter feelings or anger.
He also thought to
himself that he was able to help the hag even though he was sick.
He then thought
that the hag was a wraith, because the day after, when he went for a checkup in
the hospital, he found out that his brain cancer was now healed, a great
miracle!
The people in the
town had heard about the kindness of Fred, and they knew that Fred is really a
helpful neighbor, and not a taciturn, vacuous and uncouth one.
