Jacob found himself abruptly unemployed after extending a helping hand to an elderly woman one morning. Little did he know, this seemingly sweet and helpless lady harbored a surprising side that would ultimately become the key to reclaiming his lost job.

In navigating the tumultuous challenges of life, Jacob embraced a philosophy that required him to weather the storm without succumbing to bitterness.

Residing in a modest apartment, Jacob maintained a semi-cluttered living space, anticipating that it would inevitably return to disarray the following day.

Jacob’s wardrobe consisted of two shirts, both missing a button, and their collars stained with a stubborn shade of brown that even the most potent detergent couldn’t bleach away. However, these imperfections were inconsequential to Jacob since every workplace he’d been in provided its own uniform.

Considering himself a bit of a renaissance man, Jacob had navigated a myriad of jobs in the past year—plumber, parking lot attendant, ticket taker, shampooer, and, a fact unknown to many, even a backup dancer in a music video. Finally, in the last month, he secured a steady position in town as an attendant at the oldest grocery store in the neighborhood. The prospect of adding another uniform to his backpack excited him, and he particularly liked the look of this one.

That particular morning, Jacob exuded an unusual cheerfulness. Proud of himself for tidying his room and making his bed, he had even rehearsed the perfect conversation starter with Rita, the cashier. His timing was impeccable as he arrived at the store five minutes before his shift.

“Finally, a good day!” Jacob exclaimed aloud, nodding his head to strangers passing by.

An older woman reciprocated Jacob’s enthusiasm with an equally warm smile, further brightening his morning. However, their pleasant interaction took an unexpected turn just moments later.

A resounding thud echoed, accompanied by a frustrated voice exclaiming, “Now, isn’t this just wonderful! $2 for a paper bag that can’t even hold groceries for a 10-minute distance.”

Turning around, Jacob recognized the source of the distress—it was the same woman who had shared a smile with him moments ago. However, her current situation was far from cheerful. Mumbling under her breath, she struggled to corral apples and potatoes now rolling along the pavement, all while contending with a broken bag brimming with groceries.

“Move it along, lady!” a stranger callously shoved the elderly woman aside, rushing past.

“Well, isn’t that a lovely attitude to live with?” Jacob retorted, speaking loudly enough for the indifferent stranger to hear.

“I have just the thing to help you, ma’am,” Jacob assured the woman as he reached into his backpack and produced two neatly folded cloth bags.

“Voila! Now please, stand back and let all that anger go while I pack these groceries up for you,” he said with a cheerful demeanor.

The woman was heartened by the stranger’s unexpected kindness and amused by his buoyant mood. “Thank you so much for helping this oldie out, Mr…”

“Oh, just call me Jacob. And you’re more than welcome. What I did for you is actually what I do for a living these days. I work at the Freshmart store.” Jacob grinned, pleased to extend his assistance beyond the workplace.

“Ah, you do? Sorry, but I stand by my opinion of their paper bags. Too flimsy!”

“I couldn’t agree more, ma’am.”

“Oh, please, call me Stacy.”

The conversation flowed effortlessly, and before they knew it, Stacy and Jacob had strolled all the way to her house. Jacob had willingly taken on the responsibility of carrying her groceries without her even needing to ask.

“This is incredibly sweet of you, Jacob. Come in, let me make you a coffee.”

“Oh no, ma’am, thank you. I’m already late for work. I’ll see you around!”

Despite his words, Jacob sprinted as fast as he could, propelled by a determination to make it to work on time. However, the blisters from his worn-out shoes hindered his speed, creating an unexpected challenge.

When he finally arrived at the store, huffing and puffing, an irate store owner awaited him with rolled-up sleeves.

“What time does your shift start?” The man’s voice was even grumpier than his face.

“12 noon, sir.”

“And what is the time now?” The store owner had raised his voice.

“12:10 p.m., sir.”

“So what does that say about you?” The boss was beginning to enjoy this quizzing format.

“That I’m… late?”

“That you are UNPROFESSIONAL!” the man yelled, balling his fists.

“With all due respect, sir, I might be many things, but not—”

The store owner wasn’t willing to entertain any arguments, especially not in front of a crowded store.

“You! Get out! You’re fired! I don’t want lazy people like you working at my store.”

The calm expression on Jacob’s face vanished. He couldn’t afford to lose this job.

“No, sir, please. I actually left my home earlier than usual this morning. But there was an old lady who needed help on the way. She was carrying a heavy bag of groceries, and the handle of the bag snapped, throwing all her things onto the pavement. I just…”

“Oh, so kindness is the excuse of your choice, is it? Very original! That changes nothing. If you want to stand on the pavement and help passers-by carry their groceries, do that. Don’t waste my time and money.”

“But, sir—”

“Save it. Put on that stupid cheerful smile again and get out of my store!”

‘Another lost opportunity,’ Jacob thought as he stood outside the shop and lit a cigarette. ‘Why can’t I manage to stick to one job? Why can’t I seem to make something out of my life? Maybe my father was right. I am a horrib—’

“Hi, Jacob! I was hoping I’d see you here!”

Jacob nodded with an empty smile, putting out his cigarette. It was the old woman, Stacy, from earlier.

“I brought you a fresh batch of cakes from the apples you helped me salvage this morning.”

Jacob was moved by Stacy’s kind gesture.

“Go on inside. There’s plenty for you and all your colleagues.”

Despite Stacy’s warmth, Jacob’s face grew grim again.

“What’s the matter?” Stacy was concerned.

“I just got fired. The store owner sent me away for being 10 minutes late. I told him why I was late, but it didn’t seem to matter.”

“What? Arnold fired you?”

Jacob was surprised to hear his boss’s name out of the woman’s mouth.

“You know my boss?”

“WE NEED MORE KINDNESS IN THIS WORLD – STAND UP FOR IT WHEN YOU CAN.”

“Of course I do! He can be a real pain sometimes, with his anger always at the tip of his nose. But this is not done!” Stacy switched from sounding like a sweet, caring old lady to a fierce teacher.

“Arnold? Arnold!” Stacy created a scene with her shrill voice and quick steps. Jacob tried to stay as far behind as he could.

“Aunt Stacy, hi! How can I help you today?” Arnold was surprised to see her for the second time that day.

“Oh, don’t give me that!” Stacy blurted impatiently.

“Did you terminate this young man for his tardiness today?” Stacy pointed at Jacob, who was avoiding direct eye contact with his former boss.

“I don’t understand. How do you—”

“He mentioned helping an elderly woman on the street, didn’t he? Well, guess who that woman was, Arnold? Me!”

The store employees had paused their tasks, and even the customers were captivated by the unfolding drama.

“I’ve been cautioning Cindy that her son was heading down a troublesome path. First, he neglects to call her for two consecutive weeks, claiming he’s too busy, forgets his mother’s 70th birthday, and now this? Is this how you occupy yourself, Arnie? Dictating to people and dismissing them for displaying a shred of kindness? Do you even recall what kindness is, Arnie? Is this the person you’ve grown up to be? I question if this is the same boy I assisted my friend in raising…”

“Alright, alright, aunt Stacy!” Arnold interjected, clearly taken aback by the unexpected confrontation.

“I had no idea it was you he was helping. And anyway, it shouldn’t have mattered. I’ve just been so stressed with work here that I…I took it out on this well-intentioned man. It wasn’t right of me. I realize that now.”

“Are you sure you do? Because I’m ready to lecture you for another hour if that’s what it takes!” Arnold held her, pleading for her to calm down, much to the amusement of the staff.

“Jacob, I apologize for how I acted earlier. You can have your old job back. Actually, I’m also going to take a look at your salary. You deserve more than I pay you because you have much more work experience. Let me fix that in the coming week. For now, would you please join back?”

Jacob stood frozen, right by the frozen foods section. He couldn’t believe what had just happened and that a kind old lady had persuaded his boss to rehire him.

The key lessons from this story are:

1. Don’t judge a book by its cover: Jacob never anticipated that Stacy would have such a significant impact on his boss, ultimately aiding in him regaining his job. It serves as a reminder not to make assumptions about people based on appearances.
2. We need more kindness in this world: The story highlights the importance of kindness and standing up for others. Stacy’s intervention showcases the positive influence one person can have by celebrating acts of kindness and supporting those in need.
3. Share the story: The narrative encourages sharing the uplifting tale with friends, emphasizing its potential to brighten someone’s day and inspire kindness. It serves as a reminder that stories of compassion and support can have a positive ripple effect.