Rich Man Humiliates Boy Shining Shoes in Underpass

The next morning, Martin was jolted awake by his sister’s excited screams.

“Marty! Marty! Come quick!”

He rushed outside, his mother calling after them in confusion. There, on their doorstep, sat a white bag bulging with cash and a note.

With trembling hands, Martin read aloud:

“Thanks is a small word for what you did. I know you’d refuse this. But you deserve a happy childhood. Took me just an hour to find your address. The world’s a small place, isn’t it?! Hope we meet again someday, and I hope you’re just the pure heart of gold you are!

— Sylvester.”

Tears of joy and shock filled Martin’s eyes. His sister jumped up and down, and their mother called out from inside, clearly shocked at seeing so much money.

“Martin? What’s going on?” she approached in her wheelchair.

Martin’s mind raced. This money could change everything: his mother’s treatment, Josephine’s education, and their entire future. But was it right to accept it?

He walked to the small altar in their cottage, grabbing two pieces of paper. On one, he wrote “REMEMBER,” and on the other, “FORGET.” He folded them, shuffling them with his hands.

Lighting a candle before the crucifix, Martin closed his eyes. “Dad,” he whispered, “help me make the right choice.”

With a deep breath, he picked up a piece of folded paper and slowly opened it. A small smile lit up his face when he saw the word “REMEMBER.”

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