I thought I was just going fishing with an old man I’d met by chance, but the letter I received months later revealed a secret that would leave me forever changed—and with a gift that would fulfill my wildest dreams.
Living in an old trailer wasn’t as bad as it sounds, or at least that’s what I told myself. It was just me and Mom. We’ve been on our own since Dad left when I was six. Honestly, I barely remember him, but Mom… well, she never says much about him. We don’t talk about it.
“Adam, can you grab the mail?” Mom would call out from the couch. Her legs were often propped up on a pillow, and she winced with every movement. She’d been in a car accident years ago, and her limp made standing or walking for long periods difficult. Still, she worked long shifts at the gas station just to keep us afloat.
“Sure, Mom,” I would reply grabbing my coat. I didn’t mind doing the little things to help. It made me feel like I was making a difference, even if it was just fetching mail or fixing dinner.
Most days after school, I would find something to do outside the trailer—anything to take my mind off things. But little did I know that at the age of 13, my life would change.
That day, I was tossing an old, deflated soccer ball at some bottles I’d set up like bowling pins. It wasn’t much, but it helped pass the time.
Then, out of nowhere, this shiny black SUV rolled up next to the trailer. The windows were tinted, and I stared at it for a second, wondering who on earth would come around here in something that fancy.
The door creaked open, and out stepped this old man, probably in his 70s or 80s, leaning on a cane but with a warm smile on his face. He waved.
“Hey there,” he said, slowly walking over. “Mind if I take a shot?” He pointed at the bottles I had lined up.
I blinked. “Uh, sure, I guess,” I said, not really sure what to make of him.
He chuckled. “Tell you what, let’s make it interesting. If I get a strike, I’ll ask you for a favor, and you can’t say no. But if I miss, I’ll hand you a hundred bucks. Deal?”
My eyes practically popped out of my head. A hundred bucks? I could almost hear the register in my brain ringing. “Deal,” I said quickly.
The man leaned down, picked up the deflated ball, and with a flick of his wrist, tossed it. The thing rolled straight into the bottles, knocking every last one down. I stood there, jaw dropped. No way.
The old man laughed, clearly pleased with himself. “Looks like I won,” he said. “Now, for that favor.”
I swallowed, curious. “What do you want me to do?”
“Come fishing with me tomorrow at the old pond,” he said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Fishing?” I scratched my head. That was it? Seemed like a strange request, but definitely not as bad as I thought it would be. “Uh, okay, I guess. Let me just ask my mom.”
He smiled and nodded. “I’ll wait.”
I jogged back into the trailer, opening the door quietly. Mom was asleep on the couch, her chest rising and falling slowly. She’d had a long shift at the gas station the night before, and I didn’t want to wake her. I stood there for a moment, biting my lip.
“She won’t even know,” I muttered to myself. “I’ll be back before she notices.”
Decision made, I tiptoed back outside. “Alright, I’ll go,” I told the old man, hoping I wasn’t making a mistake.
“Great,” he said, smiling even wider. “We’ll meet tomorrow at dawn. Don’t be late.”
The next morning, the old man picked me up bright and early in his black SUV. We drove in silence at first, heading out of town. The place looked like no one had been there in years, the water was still, with tall grass growing around it. There wasn’t a single person in sight.
“Why here?” I asked, looking around as I grabbed the fishing rods he’d brought.
The old man smiled softly as he set up the gear. “This place… it means a lot to me,” he said, his voice quieter than usual.
We cast our lines into the water and sat side by side. We didn’t talk much for a while. But after about an hour, with no bites on the line, I couldn’t help but ask.
“So… why did you want to come here to fish?” I asked, curious.
The old man glanced at me, his smile tinged with sadness. “Years ago, I used to come here with my son. He was about your age then.” His voice softened even more.
“We were poor, just like you and your mother. Didn’t have much, but we always found time to come here. Funny thing is, we never caught a single fish, no matter how hard we tried.”
I looked at him. “Where’s your son now?”
He was quiet for a long moment, staring out at the water. I noticed his eyes filled with tears.
“He’s gone,” the old man finally said, his voice heavy. “He got sick. The doctors said he needed an urgent operation, but I didn’t have the money. I couldn’t save him.”
I felt my chest tighten. “I’m sorry.”
He shook his head, blinking back tears. “That’s when I promised myself I’d never be in that position again. I worked, I hustled, I built myself up so I’d never feel that helpless. But… I never had another child.”
I didn’t know what to say at first, but something inside me knew what he needed to hear. I stood up, walked over to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Your son’s watching you from heaven,” I said softly. “And one day, he’ll see you catch that fish. You just can’t give up.”
He smiled at me, tears still in his eyes. “Thank you, Adam. You remind me so much of him.”
Just then, the float on one of our rods dipped suddenly into the water.
“Hey, the float!” I yelled.
The old man’s eyes widened, and we both grabbed the rod at the same time, pulling hard. But as we yanked, we both lost our balance, tumbling into the pond with a loud splash. I gasped as the cold water hit me, and the old man surfaced beside me, laughing like he hadn’t in years.
“Well, this is one way to catch a fish!” he cackled, struggling to hold onto the rod while I helped pull him up.
We finally managed to drag the rod back to shore, and to our surprise, attached to the end was the biggest fish I’d ever seen. The old man jumped to his feet, soaking wet but grinning like a kid.
“We did it!” he shouted, throwing his hands up in triumph. “We actually caught one!”
I couldn’t help but laugh, watching him dance around like he’d just won the lottery. We were soaked to the bone, but in that moment, it didn’t matter.
Later, he drove me back to the trailer. As we pulled up, he turned to me, his face soft and filled with gratitude.
“Thank you, Adam,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Today meant more to me than you’ll ever know.”
I smiled back. “Thanks for taking me fishing. It was fun.”
He reached out and patted my shoulder, a tear sliding down his cheek. “Take care, son. And don’t give up on those dreams.”
With that, he drove off, leaving me standing there with a strange warmth in my chest.
The next day, there was a knock on our trailer door. I opened it to see a man in a suit standing there, holding a package.
“Adam?” he asked.
“Yeah, that’s me,” I said, eyeing the man suspiciously.
“I’m Mr. Johnson, Mr. Thompson’s assistant. He asked me to deliver this to you,” he said, handing over the package.
I opened it right there on the spot and inside was more money than I’d ever seen in my life. My jaw dropped. “W-what is this for?”
Mr. Johnson smiled kindly. “It’s for you and your mother. Enough to move into a proper house, and for her medical care—rehabilitation, so she can walk without pain. There’s also a provision for private tutors to help you prepare for college. Your education, including one of the best colleges in the country, will be fully covered.”
I couldn’t believe it. My head spun as I tried to process what he was saying. “But… why?”
“Mr. Thompson was very moved by you, Adam. He sees a lot of his own son in you. This is his way of saying thank you.”
Tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t speak, so I just nodded, overwhelmed by the kindness of a man who had once been a stranger but had now changed our lives forever.
Several months passed since that fishing trip. One afternoon, I came home to find a letter on the table, addressed to me. I recognized the handwriting instantly. My hands shook as I opened it.
“If you’re reading this,” the letter began, “then I’m already watching you from heaven with my son.”
I stopped, swallowing hard, and read on.
“The day after we went fishing, I had heart surgery. I didn’t survive, but that’s okay. Meeting you gave me more peace than I ever thought possible. You reminded me of my son and showed me there’s still joy in life, even after loss.
I’ve left you everything you need to succeed. Remember what you told me that day by the pond? You’ll catch that fish too—just don’t give up, right?”
I wiped a tear from my cheek, staring at the words. I could almost hear his voice again, and see him smiling next to me by the water.
Fifteen years later, I stood on the porch of the house I built for Mom, watching her laugh with my kids in the yard.
“You never gave up, Adam,” she said, catching my eye with a smile. “He’d be proud.”
“I think about him a lot,” I admitted, my voice soft. “I hope I’ve made him proud.”
“You have,” she said gently. “He gave you everything, and look at you now.”
I smiled, glancing at my own home next door. “It wasn’t just the money, Mom. It was the reminder to never give up. I’ll carry that with me forever.”
She squeezed my hand. “And he’s watching. I know it.”
I Went to My School Reunion to Take Revenge on My Childhood Crush, Until I Learned What Really Happened Back Then — Story of the Day
Joan scrolled through her school album remembering what her thoughts were back then. It had already been twenty years since graduation, but Joan still remembered the boy who broke her young heart. In anticipation of meeting him at the reunion, she didn’t know that he hadn’t been the one to blame.
As I sat flipping through my old school photos, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over me. It had been 20 years since I graduated, but looking at the pictures made it feel like just yesterday.
There I was—young Joana Cooper, with that silly, hopeful smile plastered on my face, and beneath my yearbook photo, a cheesy quote I once thought was so profound:
“Love is a two-person job.”
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I laughed at how naive I had been back then, but my laughter quickly faded as my eyes landed on his photo. Chad Barns. My high school crush. The boy who had captured my heart for years.
I had been head over heels for Chad back then—leaving secret love notes in his locker, trying to flirt in my awkward teenage way, and even stuffing valentines into his backpack when I thought no one was looking.
I was convinced we’d end up together, that he was the one.
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I imagined our future so vividly, right down to our wedding day. But here I was, 38 years old, still single, and still wondering what had gone wrong.
Why had Chad suddenly shut me out all those years ago? He had ghosted me just before graduation, leaving me confused and heartbroken.
I hadn’t spoken to him since, but the memory of him still haunted me, even after all this time.
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Just as I started to sink deeper into my thoughts, the doorbell rang, pulling me back to the present.
I set the photo album aside and went to open the door. My best friend Lora stood there, her usual bright smile lighting up her face.
“Ready for the school reunion, bestie?” she asked, her excitement contagious.
I hesitated, leaning against the doorframe.
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“Honestly, Lora, I’m not sure I want to go.”
She raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
“Why not? What happened?”
I let out a deep sigh.
“I was just going through my old photos, and it brought back a lot of memories. You know, about Chad.”
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Lora rolled her eyes dramatically, crossing her arms.
“Chad Barns? You’re still hung up on that after 20 years?”
“I know it sounds ridiculous,” I admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“But it still stings. We were so close, and then he just stopped talking to me, like I didn’t mean anything to him.”
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Lora stepped closer, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
“Look, maybe he won’t even show up tonight. And even if he does, don’t let it ruin your night. This reunion is about catching up with old friends and having fun, not reopening old wounds.”
I forced a smile, trying to push my insecurities aside.
“You’re right. But if he’s there… I’ll make sure he remembers exactly what he missed.”
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Lora grinned.
“That’s the spirit.”
I was nervous the entire drive to the school reunion. My fingers tapped nervously against my lap, and I kept glancing out the window, lost in a whirlwind of emotions.
What if Chad showed up? What if he didn’t? A part of me wasn’t sure which would be worse.
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My heart felt like it was lodged in my throat, and the closer we got, the harder it was to breathe.
As we arrived at the venue, I glanced at my reflection in the rearview mirror one last time, adjusting my hair and smoothing down the fabric of my dress.
I couldn’t shake the nerves that clung to me like a second skin.
“Joan, you look gorgeous. Seriously, stop worrying about Chad—this is your night,” Lora said, her voice soft but firm.
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“We’re going to have fun, okay?”
I gave her a weak smile, but the knot in my stomach wouldn’t loosen. “Thanks,” I muttered, still fidgeting with my dress.
“But what if he doesn’t come? I feel like a fool getting all worked up over this. It’s been so long, Lora.”
“You’re not a fool,” Lora said, rolling her eyes as if I had said something ridiculous.
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“Honestly, if he does show up, don’t waste your energy on him. Let him see what he missed, and let’s make this night about us, not him.”
Her confidence was contagious, and for a moment, I felt reassured. We stepped out of the car and headed toward the entrance, but with every step, my heart pounded harder.
The school loomed in front of me, bringing back a flood of memories—some good, some painful. I couldn’t believe I was walking back into this chapter of my life.
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The reunion felt like stepping into a time machine. Familiar faces greeted us, people I hadn’t seen in years, some who had barely changed, others I barely recognized.
Laughter filled the air as old friends caught up, shared stories, and reminisced about the good old days. I was starting to relax, even enjoying myself, until I saw him.
Chad Barns.
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My heart skipped a beat as I spotted him across the room. He looked different—older, yes, but still handsome in that rugged, confident way I remembered.
He had a neatly trimmed beard now, and as soon as our eyes met, he smiled. A warm, familiar smile that hit me harder than I expected. All the anger and confusion I had buried deep inside for years rushed to the surface.
Why did he shut me out all those years ago? Why had he left me hanging without a word?
Before I could do anything—before I could even process what I was feeling—Lora grabbed my arm, gently but firmly pulling me in the opposite direction.
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“Remember what I said,” she whispered, her voice steady. “Don’t talk to him.”
“Okay,” I muttered, trying to follow her advice, but part of me was screaming to finally confront Chad, to demand the answers I had been waiting for all these years.
Later in the evening, after we had chatted with a few more classmates, Lora accidentally spilled her drink on her dress. “Oh no!” she exclaimed, looking down at the dark stain.
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“I just bought this! I’ll be right back, Joan, I need to go clean this up.”
I watched as she hurried off to the bathroom, leaving me alone for the first time that evening.
I glanced around, feeling a bit lost without Lora by my side. The reunion was in full swing, laughter and music filling the air, but I suddenly needed some space.
Without thinking, I made my way outside, toward the quiet bench in the schoolyard that used to be my favorite spot.
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It was the place where I would sit after classes, lost in my daydreams or writing in my journal. Tonight, it felt like the perfect place to clear my head.
Sitting down, I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the cool night breeze wash over me.
The memories of high school flooded back—how carefree I was back then, how hopeful. And then, the memories of Chad. I shook my head, trying to push them away, but they lingered, just like they always had.
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Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. I opened my eyes and turned to see Chad walking toward me, his familiar smile lighting up his face.
“Hey, Joana,” he said, his voice warm but tentative.
“Chad,” I replied, feeling my heart race in my chest. “It’s been a long time.”
“It has,” he said, stopping a few feet away from the bench. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to talk to me. You’ve been avoiding me all night.”
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I laughed nervously, unsure of how to respond. “I wasn’t sure you wanted to talk to me after how things ended in high school.”
Chad looked genuinely confused. “What do you mean? I thought you didn’t want to see me after that letter.”
“Letter?” I repeated, frowning. “I never got a letter, Chad.”
He sighed, his expression turning serious.
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“I wrote you a letter asking you out to the park for a date. I left it in your locker, and when you didn’t show up, I figured you weren’t interested. I thought that’s why you stopped talking to me.”
I shook my head, completely stunned.
“Chad, I never got a letter. I thought you stopped talking to me out of nowhere. I couldn’t figure out what I did wrong.”
Before Chad could respond, I heard footsteps again. Lora appeared, looking flustered, her cheeks slightly flushed.
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“What are you two talking about?” she asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice that I hadn’t noticed before.
“Lora,” I said slowly, piecing things together. “Do you know anything about the letter Chad sent me?”
Her face turned pale, and for a moment, she looked like she was about to deny everything. But then Chad stepped forward.
“Lora, you gave me Joana’s reply. You told me she wasn’t interested.”
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I turned to look at Lora, my stomach sinking as I saw the guilt in her eyes. “Is that true?” I asked, my voice shaking.
Lora looked down, her face flushed with embarrassment and regret. “I… I was jealous,” she admitted, barely above a whisper.
“I liked Chad, and I didn’t want you two to get together. I thought you’d forget about him if I made sure you never saw that letter.”
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My chest tightened with a mix of disbelief and anger.
“You lied to both of us? You ruined everything because you were jealous?”
“I’m sorry,” Lora whispered, tears forming in her eyes. “I never thought it would matter after all these years. I just didn’t want to lose either of you.”
“Go away, Lora,” I said, my voice trembling with the weight of all the emotions I had kept bottled up for years.
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As Lora hurried off, a mix of sadness, anger, and relief washed over me.
Chad stepped closer, his arms wrapping around me in a gentle hug. I leaned into him, feeling the warmth I had missed all these years.
“All this time,” I whispered, my voice shaky, “I thought you didn’t care.”
Chad sighed, his voice soft. “I thought the same about you.”
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For a moment, we stood there in silence, holding onto each other, letting the weight of the past slowly slip away.
“We can’t change the past,” Chad said, his voice calm, “but we can decide what happens now.”
I looked up at him, wiping away my tears with a small smile. “You’re right.”
We spent the rest of the night sitting on that familiar bench, talking and laughing. We had lost so much time, but I felt hopeful we wouldn’t lose any more.
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If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Jim had just seen his girlfriend of ten years in bed with her best friend, and now he was sitting in a bar, drinking with a woman in a wedding dress. He thought his life was over. Ten years felt wasted, but who would have thought that one random meeting could end up saving both of their lives?
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