Tyler wanted to buy the fruit bag for his grandmother but he wouldn’t give it to him. The grocery store owner noticed Tyler’s stubborn and brilliant nature and decided to help him in an unexpected manner.
“What is always in front of us, but we can’t see it?”Tyler was silently watching the video on his mom’s phone. He was sat on her porch swinging on rocking chairs with his grandmother.
Tyler’s grandmother told Tyler something funny, but the breeze made it sound like a whooshing sound and the pair burst into laughter.
Tyler laughed again as he watched his grandmother laugh on the screen.
“Meemaw is so beautiful when she smiles!” He thought to him.
Tyler, aged eight years old, was close to his 60-year-old grandmother. As any grandmother would, she watched over the child and cared for him during times when his parents were trying to make ends met.
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Martha was a different kind of person. He learned from her to be unapologetically inquisitive, to read books he couldn’t understand, as well as to ask questions that left her speechless at times.
Martha taught him that medicine was food and that illness was the body’s way of telling you what it needs.
Tyler shared stories from grandparents about princesses or warriors with Tyler’s classmates, but Tyler would tell real stories about Martha’s courage and kindness.
One of his favorite things was to be able to answer her riddles. Martha was able to keep a whole lot of them in her head, and Tyler had to find the answers on his own, even though it might have taken hours.
Finally, she gave him a 50-cent prize when he had the correct answer.
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Tyler sat up, thinking about his grandmother that night and looked at the piggybank on the nightstand. It was heavy, containing 50 cents coins. He lifted the coin, taking care not to wake his mom with even the slightest clink.
“What can I do to help Grandma get better?” Tyler asked. Tyler stared at the box.
Tyler remembered what the doctor said that day.
“She will recover slowly, but there is a real danger of contracting pneumonia. If she does, it will complicate things.”
Tyler knew this word because he had suffered from pneumonia once. Tyler could only recall a fleeting memory of how his grandmother never left him bedside in those difficult days. She would sing him his favorite lullabies while feeding him plenty of soups and fruits. There were fresh orange slices on the table twice daily.
“They’re rich in Vitamin C, Ty. They’ll help you heal super-quick, and you’ll be back on your feet in no time!”
‘That’s it!’ Tyler was astonished when an idea struck him. He knew exactly what he was going to do with the money.
He whispered, ‘Tomorrow’ under his breath. Grandma, I’ll bring you a bag full of the sweetest oranges!
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His father drove Tyler to the hospital the next morning to see Martha. Although it was only a short drive to the hospital, Tyler begged him to stop as they approached the local grocery store. “Please, dad. Just for a few minutes. Don’t ask me what this is about; it’s a surprise for grandma. I promise it won’t take too long. You can even stay back in the car.”
His father pulled up right in front of the shop. “Make it quick, Ty. Do you need any mon—”
“No, dad. Thanks, though!”Tyler was already in the car and had his backpack with him. He closed the door behind himself.
He ran to the fruit section and started picking the best-looking fruits that he could. He bought boxes of blueberries, strawberries, apples, kiwi, oranges, and blueberries.
After being satisfied with his fruit selection, he ran to the cashier. “Good morning! I would like all of these, please! And a paper bag, too. Paying by cash. How much would that be?”
Tyler was impatiently shaking his leg as he saw his father outside the store.
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Stella, the owner of the store, was looking at it from afar. The little boy displayed a grown-up confidence and thoroughness that she found amusing. She was shocked at what the child did next.
Tyler said, “Tyler handed his piggy bank” to the cashier. “There are 42 dollars and 50 cents in here. You can count it if you like. Will this be enough?”
One of the employees began to count the coins. Stella began talking to the little boy while Stella counted them.
“That is a lot of fruit. Who are those for?”
“For my grandmother. She’s in the city hospital. Fruits are going to help her get better!”
Stella heard the store employee counting the coins whisper something into Stella’s ear.
“What’s your name, young man?”She asked.
“Tyler.”
“Tyler, that is an impressive amount of money you’ve saved up, but you are actually $14 short. But that’s alright. You go on and take these fruits to your grandma.”
“No, no. I don’t want to take any of it for free,”Tyler looked at his shoes with disappointment and said, “I believe you.”
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“Well, maybe you can skip the bag of oranges? Then you have just enough to pay for the other fruits.”
“No, that won’t work. My grandma needs Vitamin C to fight pneumonia!”
Stella was amazed by Tyler’s intelligence and determination. She was about suggesting that he receive it free of cost. Tyler’s eyes lit-up at that point.
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll ask you a riddle! If you know the answer, I will ask my father for $14 and pay it to you. If you do not know the answer, you have to pay me $14.”
Stella accepted the 14-dollar-riddle within a matter of minutes. A few other customers and staff members sat around the counter listening intently, too.
“What is always in front of us, but we can’t see it?”
Tyler’s audience was a hive of confusion, laughing and chatting among themselves to find answers. Stella looked confused, too.
“Air?”
“No.”
“Spectacles?”
“No, think again. Last chance.”
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“Hmm…tiny little specs of dust?”
“No, it is something that you can’t see at all – not even under a microscope!”
“Oh no! I lost! What’s the answer?”She asked animatedly, with a frown.
“The future!”
Tyler’s small crowd applauded the answer.
Tyler carried the large bag of fruits with him and walked as fast as he could to the car.
Martha was immersed into Tyler’s narrative of the events that had occurred that morning, as she walked to the hospital. She clapped with pride at the end and declared, “That’s my boy!”
Tyler’s parents were equally shocked and proud of Tyler. The family enjoyed a delicious afternoon of fresh fruits and desserts, when someone opened the ward doors gently.
Your kindness will always come back to you in some way.
Tyler was finally recognized by a young lady who looked around the room. Tyler finally recognized her after a while.
“That’s the grocery store owner from this morning!”
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“Hi, Tyler! I just thought I would come to visit your grandmother personally. I wanted to tell her what an incredible grandson she has!”
Tyler didn’t blush when he held the hand of his mother and then hid behind her.
“I’ve got more news for you! You want to hear the good news first?”
Tyler’s parents looked at each other as they pondered what the stranger might have to say.
“There will be a bag of fresh fruits ready for Tyler at the grocery store every week, free of charge.”
Martha was overcome with joy, and she hugged Tyler tightly. She kissed his cheeks several times. Tyler hugged his grandmother. He was delighted, but he was too curious not to wait. “And the bad news?”
“Who said anything about bad news? The ‘better’ news is this: I was deeply moved by this brilliant child and wanted to do something for him. So as a token of my love and appreciation, I will be taking care of all of Meemaw’s medical expenses! I just spoke to the hospital authorities – it’s all done!”
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Martha couldn’t believe her ears. As if to calm her, she placed her hands on her chest.
“Thank you! You have no idea what this means to us!”Tyler’s mother told Tyler, “I am tearing up.”
Stella found it heartwarming to see family members hugging each other and crying out of joy. She allowed them to be, and then she walked out the ward, holding back her tears.
In truth, Stella was immediately transported back to when Tyler asked her that riddle.
Her grandmother would often ask her questions and give her 50 cent coins every time she answered correctly.
Tyler asked Stella the same riddle she had given Stella just before her death. Stella still had the 50-cent coin in her pocket.
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What can we learn from this tale?
- Do everything you can, no matter what it takes.Tyler was nine years old and had just a few dollars in his savings. He didn’t stop trying to help his grandmother.
- Your kindness will always be returned to you in some way.Tyler’s kindness toward his grandmother was well-received by his family.
Tell your friends about this story. It may brighten their day or inspire them.
If you enjoyed the story above, you may enjoy this one about a little girl helping an old lady to buy groceries. In return, she gets exactly the reward she was looking for.
This article is inspired by real stories and was written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to real names or actual locations is only coincidental. Images are used only for illustration. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. Please send us your story to [email protected].