A generous neighbour brings newspapers to an old lady every day until he notices that no one is taking them. He knocks on her door to find out what is going on, but when no one answers, he decides to call the police.
Michael Green stood on the porch of his house, waiting for the newspaper man to bring him the morning news. He sighed, checking his watch in anticipation of reading the paper, and to his relief, a few seconds later he noticed a man walking down the street.
“Good morning, Mr Green. I hope I’m not too late!” – exclaimed the newspaper salesman, stopping outside his house and throwing the newspaper into the yard. Then he went to Michael’s neighbour, an elderly woman called Agnes, and did the same.
After the newspaper dispenser left, Michael went to his house and picked up the newspaper, then did the same for Agnes’s house and left the newspaper on her doorstep.
Agnes was an 88-year-old widow who lived alone. Her husband and son had died in a car accident many years before, so the old widow had no family. Michael was a kind man who loved to help his neighbours, especially Agnes.
Every morning he would bring the newspaper to her doorstep after she complained to him that her knees were bothering her in her old age.
“See, dear,” she said. “I am an old woman who has seen enough in this life. I hope that on the day when the Lord decides to take me to his Heavenly Home, I will die peacefully in my sleep. I don’t want to suffer anymore, Michael. I don’t want to….”.
Agnes’ words touched Michael’s heart, and he did everything possible to help her. In winter, when everything was covered with snow, Michael raked the ice in front of his neighbor’s house and often offered her hot broth or tea.
The old lady smiled in reply and said: “If my son were here today, he would take care of me as you do. You have a loving heart. Someday, maybe I’ll return your kindness!”
Michael laughed and replied, “I don’t want anything, Agnes! I’m not doing this to get something from you; I’m doing it because I genuinely want to help you….”.
One day, as usual, Michael hurried to Agnes’s front door to drop off the day’s newspapers. But when he reached her porch, he noticed that the previous day’s newspapers were still lying there, untouched. Michael thought this was strange because Agnes never left anything unattended.
“Has she gone somewhere?” – he wondered. He realised that he hadn’t seen Agnes for a long time. But then he noticed that the light in her house was still on and her clothes were still drying in the garden.
Concerned, Michael knocked on her door and called out: “Agnes? Are you all right? Please open the door! It’s me, Michael!” But there was no answer.
The door to the backyard was also closed, so Michael had only one solution. He called 911 and asked for help.
A few minutes later, a group of officers arrived at Agnes’s house and broke down the door. As they entered the living room, Michael saw an arm sticking out from behind the sofa. He rushed to the sofa and found Agnes pale and unconscious.
“Jesus! Agnes! Somebody call 911! She’s unconscious!” – he shouted.
A police officer on the scene called an ambulance and Agnes was taken to the hospital. Michael accompanied her and she was immediately admitted to the emergency room. The doctor informed him that Agnes had lost consciousness due to dehydration and fatigue.
“It will take her some time to recover, but she will get through it. In a way, you saved her life. The consequences could have been serious had she been brought here a little later,” said the doctor.
Later that day, when Michael came to see Agnes, she continued to thank him. “Thank you very much, Michael! If you hadn’t come, I would have died and no one would have known. Thank you for saving me!” – she said in a weak voice.
“What’s wrong, Agnes? Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?” – Michael asked, concerned.
“I was just about to, darling,” she replied softly. “I was going to call you, but then I couldn’t think of anything. Everything went black and when I woke up I was here. But as you can see, God sent you to help me. Don’t worry, this old lady won’t be leaving you any time soon ….,” she added with a faint smile.
“You’re too careless, Agnes!”, Michael scolded her softly. “I swear to God! After you are released, you will stay with my family until you are fully recovered! Do you understand?”
By this time tears had appeared in Agnes’s eyes. “I don’t know what I did to deserve a neighbour like you, Michael. Thank you so much, darling. Thank you so much….”
Michael did what he promised. He took Agnes to his home after she was discharged from hospital. His wife, Stella, and children, Ryle and Jess, loved having her near. She became family to them. She also gave Stella her old cookbook with wonderful recipes.
Agnes was supposed to stay with Michael and his family until she fully recovered, but she enjoyed their company so much that she ended up staying with them for a year. Then, one day, she left for her heavenly home.
Michael and Stella organised her funeral. Michael was upset when he returned home after the ceremony. Without Agnes’s laughter and presence, the house seemed strangely empty.
After a while, he went to their guest room, where Agnes was staying, and cried, looking around. Everything was so different when Agnes was here, he thought.
Suddenly a letter on the bedside table caught his eye. He immediately recognised Agnes’s handwriting and opened the letter to read it.
“Dear Michael,” the letter began.
“Thank you for being the family that God took from me years ago. I don’t know why I’m writing to you now, but I have a feeling I’ll be gone soon. I know I will never be able to repay you for your kindness, but I have a modest gift for you which I hope you will not refuse.
Old Agnes has not forgotten her promise. Not that it makes up for the love and care you and your family have given me, but I leave you my home and my possessions. I have left the details of my lawyer at the end. I hope this will help you and your family. I will forever be indebted to you for your kindness, Michael. Please send my love to your family.
– Agnes.”
Michael could not stop crying. He wiped away his tears and went downstairs to show Stella the letter. The couple were grateful to Agnes and used the inheritance from her to open a modest grocery shop named after her, in her memory.
