
Hey, Happy Birthday! đđ Itâs totally understandable to feel let down if you donât receive the birthday wishes you were hoping for. Maybe your friends are busy or simply forgot â but donât worry, that doesnât mean youâre any less special or important. Your birthday is about celebrating YOU and how unique and amazing you are. So why not use this as an opportunity to treat yourself, do something you love, and just enjoy your special day however you want? At the end of the day, the most meaningful birthday wishes come from within, so Iâm sending you my warmest and sincerest wishes.
Simple Man Learns Everyone at Career Day Thinks Heâs Rich & Decides to Play Along â Story of the Day

For Will, Career Day was a chance to spend more time with his son Kevin and strengthen their bond. However, when he arrived at the school, he realized his son was ashamed of him. Willâs honest work as a garbage truck driver wasnât enough for Kevin, so he decided to play along with his sonâs lie.
Late in the evening, the sound of the front door creaking open echoed through the quiet house. Will stepped inside, his shoulders slumped and his boots dragging slightly on the floor. His face was smudged with dirt, and the faint scent of oil and metal lingered on his clothes.
Leslie, sitting on the couch with a folded laundry basket beside her, looked up as he entered. She set the basket aside and walked over, her expression calm but tired.

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âYouâre late againâŚâ she said softly, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face.
Will sighed and dropped his work bag near the door.
âI know⌠sorry. One of the garbage trucks broke down, so I had to cover their route. Couldnât leave it undone, andâwell, you knowâwe could use the extra money.â
Leslie nodded, folding her arms.
âI understand. But Iâm worried about KevinâŚâ

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Will straightened slightly. âWhatâs wrong? Did something happen at school?â
âNo, schoolâs fine,â she replied, shaking her head. âBut he barely sees you anymore. Youâre working so much, and Iâm not sure he understands why.â
Willâs expression softened. âIâll talk to him. Donât worry, Les. Everything I do, I do for his future.â

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Leslie smiled gently, placing a hand on his arm. âI know, dear. I know.â
Will knocked gently on Kevinâs door, letting his knuckles barely tap against the wood.
The house was quiet, except for the faint hum of the heater. He pushed the door open slowly, peeking in with a playful grin despite the heavy bags under his eyes.

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âHey, kiddo! How are you?â he asked, his voice soft but warm.
Kevin sat cross-legged on his bed, a book in his hands, though it didnât look like he was reading it.
âHi, Dad. Iâm fine,â he said without looking up.
âNot asleep yet? Got a few minutes to chat?â Will stepped inside, his voice teasing but gentle.
âSureâŚâ Kevin set the book down reluctantly and glanced at his father.

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Will sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
âHowâs school? Everything going okay? No fights with your classmates or anything?â
Kevin shrugged. âYeah, itâs fine.â
Will raised an eyebrow. âThatâs it? Fine? Come on, you can give me more than that.â

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Kevin smirked a little but stayed quiet.
âOh!â Will said, sitting up straighter. âI almost forgotâtomorrowâs Career Day at your school! Iâll take the day off to come. Donât worry, I wonât miss it.â
Kevinâs face fell slightly, and he looked away.
âYou donât have to, DadâŚâ he said softly.

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Will tilted his head, watching his son carefully.
âI want to,â he said firmly. âDonât worry about it. For you, Iâll always make time. Now get some rest, buddy. Tomorrowâs a big day.â
Kevin hesitated, then mumbled, âGoodnight.â He turned onto his side, facing the wall.
Will reached out, lightly ruffling Kevinâs hair before standing.

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He paused at the door, glancing back at his son with a faint smile, then quietly closed the door behind him.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the windshield as Will drove Kevin to school. Will had traded his usual work uniform for a navy suit and tie, a combination that felt unfamiliar and stiff.
Kevin sat silently in the passenger seat, his face turned toward the window. His fingers fidgeted with the strap of his backpack, and his usual chatter was replaced by a heavy quietness.

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Will glanced at him, the silence too loud to ignore. âWhatâs wrong, kiddo?â he asked, keeping his tone light.
Kevin shrugged but didnât turn away from the window.
âI donât feel well. I donât want to go to school today,â he muttered.
Will frowned, his eyes darting between the road and his son.
âCome on, youâre fine. Are you nervous about something?â

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âNoâŚâ Kevin replied softly, his voice trailing off.
Will didnât push.
âDonât worry. Itâll be okay,â he said, though he couldnât help but wonder if Kevin was hiding something.
When they arrived at the school, Kevin hesitated before opening the door.
Will waited, his hand resting on the gear shift, watching his son wrestle with some unspoken emotion.

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Finally, Kevin sighed, pushed open the door, and got out. Will followed, his concern lingering like a shadow.
Inside the classroom, rows of parents sat in folding chairs at the back while the children clustered together at their desks.
Will found a seat, adjusting his tie as he scanned the room. The atmosphere buzzed with chatter and excitement.
A tall man in an expensive suit approached Will, offering a polished smile. âYou must be Kevinâs dad, right?â
Will nodded. âYes. Howâd you know?â

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âOur boys are friends. Your son talks a lot about you and your work,â the man said, crossing his arms.
âReally?â Will said, eyebrows rising. âI didnât think he was that interested in what I do.â
The man chuckled. âWell, heâs proud of you. Told everyone you own a waste recycling business.â
Will froze. âA recycling business?â he repeated, the words sticking in his throat.
âYeah! Or did I get that wrong?â The man tilted his head. âKids exaggerate sometimes. You know how it is.â
Willâs stomach tightened. He wasnât a business ownerâhe drove a garbage truck. Admitting that now would mean exposing Kevinâs lie.

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The image of his sonâs anxious face flashed through his mind, and the thought of Kevin being humiliated in front of his peers was too much to bear.
âYeah,â Will said finally, forcing a smile. âIâm not used to people knowing about it. I usually keep work stuff private.â
The man nodded, seemingly satisfied, and walked away.
Willâs chest felt heavy, but he tried to shake it off as the teacher stepped to the front of the room.

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âNext, letâs hear from Kevinâs dad,â she announced, motioning for him to come forward.
Will stood, smoothing his suit nervously as he walked to the front. He glanced at Kevin, who sat stiffly, staring at his desk.
âHello, everyone. Iâm Will, Kevinâs dad. As some of you already know, I own a waste recycling business,â he said, his voice steady despite the knot in his stomach.
Kevinâs head shot up, his eyes wide with relief. A small smile crept across his face as he looked at his father.

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The children leaned forward, listening intently, and the parents nodded approvinglyâall except the man in the expensive suit, whose expression soured.
Will smiled through it, feeling a mixture of pride and sadness. For now, he had protected Kevin, and that was what mattered most.
After the presentations, the classroom was abuzz with chatter. Kevin stood near his desk, surrounded by a group of classmates. They grinned and chattered excitedly.

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âYour dadâs job is so cool!â one kid said.
âYeah, owning a recycling business? Thatâs awesome,â another added.
Kevin smiled faintly, but his eyes kept darting toward the back of the room.
Will sat alone on a bench, his hands resting on his knees, staring at the floor. Something about his postureâa mix of exhaustion and quiet sadnessâmade Kevinâs chest feel tight.
Excusing himself from the group, Kevin walked over to his dad. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.

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âDad⌠about your jobâŚâ Kevinâs voice was soft, almost unsure.
Will looked up, his tired eyes meeting his sonâs.
âItâs okay, son,â he said gently. âI hope everything went better than you expected. I didnât want to embarrass you in front of your friends. Iâm sorry my job isnât⌠prestigious. I really try my best.â
Kevin shook his head quickly. âDad⌠your job is awesome. Youâre awesome.â

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Will raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a faint, skeptical smile. âThen why did you tell everyone Iâm a business owner?â
Kevin looked down, fidgeting with the strap of his backpack.
âIt was Rob,â he admitted quietly.
âHeâs always bragging about his dad selling cars and how much money he makes. I⌠I lied. I said you owned a recycling business. Then everyone started talking about it, and I didnât know how to take it back. I didnât want to look stupid.â

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Will nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful.
âItâs okay, son. I understand,â he said after a moment. âAnd who knows? Maybe Iâll make that lie true someday. Maybe I can start my own business.â
Kevin stared at his dad, his guilt giving way to a sudden determination. Without another word, he turned and strode back toward the front of the classroom.
âListen, everyone!â Kevinâs voice rang out, loud and clear. The chatter stopped, and all eyes turned to him. Willâs heart skipped a beat as he watched his son.

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âMy dad drives a garbage truck!â Kevin announced, his voice steady.
The room went silent. Kids stared at Kevin, some whispering to each other, others wide-eyed. Even the parents stopped their conversations.
Kevin straightened his back and continued, his voice unwavering.
âHeâs not a business owner, and heâs not the richest, but I donât care! I love my dad. He loves me and my mom, and Iâm proud of him!â

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For a moment, the room stayed quiet, and Kevin held his breath.
Then, one of the parents applauded. Slowly, others joined in.
Soon, most of the parents were smiling and applauding as wellâexcept Robâs father, who sat stiffly, his face sour.
Kevin turned back to his dad, beaming.
âI love you, Dad. And I donât care what anyone else thinks.â

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Willâs throat tightened as tears pricked at his eyes. He stood, pulling Kevin into a hug.
âThank you, son. I love you too,â he said, his voice thick with emotion.
In that moment, Will didnât care about titles or appearances.
His sonâs love and pride were more than enough.
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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Margaret loved her husband and did everything he asked of her, which was a lot. But for years, she hadnât been on the receiving end of that love. She had resigned herself to the idea that her life would always be this wayâuntil she opened a strange box beneath the Christmas tree. Read the full story here.
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. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someoneâs life.
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