On Christmas Eve, a wealthy but lonely Dennis stumbles upon a lost eight-year-old boy in the town square. Haunted by memories of his own childhood, Dennis soon finds his life changing in ways he never expected.
The square was alive with lights and laughter. Kids zipped around on skates, their cheeks red from the cold. Couples walked hand in hand, leaning close, bundled up, and smiling. A small group of carolers sang on the corner near the big tree, voices warm even in the chilly air.
A snowy street on Christmas | Source: Pexels
I took it all in, trying to feel… something. You’d think a successful guy like me, an orphan who grew up to be a businessman, wouldn’t feel out of place here.
But here I was, alone, like every other holiday season. I’d had a few relationships over the years, but my partners saw dollar signs, not me.
A sad man outside on a snowy day | Source: Midjourney
Suddenly, I felt someone collide with me, and I turned to see a young woman sprawled on the ground, looking up at me with a grin. Her laughter was contagious, and for a split second, I couldn’t help but smile back. She was beautiful, bright-eyed, with a spark that caught me off guard.
“Oops,” she laughed, still sitting there. “Sorry! Guess I’m not as good on skates as I thought.”
A woman on a skating rink | Source: Midjourney
“It’s alright,” I said, offering a hand to help her up. “You sure you’re okay?”
But just as quickly, a tall guy came over, scowling as he pulled her away from me. “Hey, buddy, what’s the deal here? Hitting on my girl?”
“No, I wasn’t,” I said quickly, backing off, with my hands up. “Just helping her up, that’s all.”
An aggressive man on a skating rink | Source: Midjourney
“Yeah, well, don’t,” he muttered, shooting me a glare as he led her away. She looked back once, mouthing a quick “Sorry,” and then they were gone, swallowed by the crowd.
I stood there for a moment, shaking my head. “So much for miracles,” I muttered. I turned to leave, ready to head home.
An upset man on a skating rink | Source: Midjourney
Then I felt a small tug on my coat. I turned around, half-expecting that girl again, but instead, I found myself looking down at a boy. He couldn’t have been more than eight, with wide brown eyes and a nervous look on his face. He clutched a small keychain, his hand trembling.
“Excuse me, sir,” he said, voice soft and polite. “I… I need some help. I can’t find my family. Haven’t seen them in days.”
A sad boy next to a Christmas tree | Source: Midjourney
The words hit me like a blast of cold air. “You… you lost your family?” I asked, lowering myself to his eye level. “When did you last see them?”
The boy looked down, shuffling his feet. “I’m not sure. I been lookin’ for a while, though. But… but please, sir, don’t call the police.”
“Not the police?” I asked, puzzled. “But if you’ve been lost for days—”
A serious man talking to a boy | Source: Midjourney
He shook his head vigorously. “No, no police. I heard people sayin’ that sometimes, when parents don’t have much money, the police take kids away. And… and my family doesn’t have much. They’re poor. I’m afraid they’ll… well, they’ll take me away, too.”
I looked at him, feeling a pang of something I hadn’t felt in years. I knew what it was like to be a kid worried about getting taken away.
A sad boy in an orphanage | Source: Midjourney
“Alright,” I said gently, resting a hand on his shoulder. “No police, I promise. We’ll just… we’ll figure this out. Okay?”
He nodded, relief flashing across his face. “Thank you, sir. I didn’t know who else to ask.”
“Call me Dennis,” I said. “And what’s your name?”
A smiling man talking to a young boy | Source: Midjourney
“Ben,” he replied, clutching his keychain a little tighter.
“Alright, Ben,” I said. “Let’s get you home. Do you know where you live?”
He nodded. “It’s a little ways from here. I can show you. I think I remember.”
A sad blue-eyed boy | Source: Midjourney
I called my driver, and we waited in the cold as he pulled up to the curb. Ben climbed in first, tucking himself into the back seat. I followed, shutting the door and glancing over at him. “So,” I said, trying to make conversation, “what kind of keychain is that? Looks pretty special.”
He looked down, fingers wrapped around the tiny silver heart on his keychain. “It’s… well, it’s just a keychain they give you at this place I stayed at once.”
A small silver keychain | Source: Midjourney
I looked at it more closely, realizing that it looked familiar. Very familiar.
“So, you like Christmas?” I asked instead.
“Yeah, it’s nice,” he mumbled, still looking out the window.
When we reached the address he’d given, I got out and walked with him up to the front door. He knocked once, then again. Silence.
A sad boy near a door | Source: Midjourney
“Maybe they went to my grandparents’ place,” he said, though he didn’t sound convinced.
I glanced back at the square, its lights twinkling in the distance. “Alright, Ben,” I said, kneeling down to his level. “Maybe we’ll give it some time. How about we head back to the square and enjoy a few things while we wait? Have you ever been skating?”
A smiling man looking down | Source: Midjourney
He looked at me, his eyes lighting up. “I haven’t! Can we?”
I stood up, smiling. “Sure. Why not?”
As we headed back to the square, Ben’s face lit up with excitement. The whole place was glowing, with lights strung up on every tree and children darting around. I hadn’t done much for the holidays in a long time, but tonight felt different.
Christmas fair | Source: Pexels
“So, skating first?” I asked, nodding toward the rink.
Ben’s eyes went wide. “Really? Can I?”
“Absolutely. Let’s get some skates.”
A boy on a skating rink | Source: Freepik
Minutes later, we were on the ice. Ben took off, shaky at first, his little arms flailing. I was no expert, but I managed to stay upright. We slipped, stumbled, and laughed. I felt lighter than I had in years.
“Look, Dennis! I got it!” he shouted, gliding a little more steadily, a grin stretched across his face.
A man smiling after he fell on a skating rink | Source: Midjourney
“You’re a pro already,” I laughed, half-joking. “I’m gonna need lessons from you!”
After skating, we tried one of the carnival games—throwing rings onto bottles. He didn’t win, but he nearly knocked over the whole stand with how excited he was.
“Can we get hot chocolate?” he asked, eyeing the stand nearby.
Hot chocolate | Source: Pexels
“Of course,” I said. We got our steaming cups, finding a bench to sit and watch the crowd. As he sipped, Ben looked so content. His cheeks were flushed, and there was a peace in his expression that felt like a gift.
I looked at him, a warmth growing in my chest that I hadn’t felt in years. I’d only known this boy for a few hours, yet I felt connected to him. And I didn’t want the night to end.
A happy boy holding hot chocolate | Source: Midjourney
But eventually, I cleared my throat. “Ben, maybe… maybe it’s time to head back to the shelter.”
He looked up, surprised, and for a moment, his face fell. “How did you know?”
I smiled gently, pointing at his keychain. “I recognized that keychain the second I saw it. They gave out the same ones when I stayed there.”
A man talking to a boy on a Christmas fair | Source: Midjourney
His eyes widened. “You… you were at the shelter?”
I nodded. “A long time ago. I was around your age. So, I understand. I get what it feels like to want a family, even just for a night.”
Ben’s eyes dropped to the ground, and he nodded slowly. “I just… I wanted to feel like I had a family, you know? Just for Christmas.”
An upset boy | Source: Freepik
“Yeah,” I said softly. “I know. And I’m really glad I got to spend Christmas Eve with you, Ben.”
He looked up, and I saw the gratitude in his eyes. “Me too, Dennis.”
We walked back to the shelter in silence, the warmth of the evening settling between us. When we arrived, a familiar face was waiting outside. It was her, the young woman who’d bumped into me earlier. Her eyes widened with relief as she spotted us.
A concerned woman sitting on a street | Source: Midjourney
“There you are!” she exclaimed, rushing over to Ben and hugging him tightly. “We were so worried about you. We should notify the police you’re back.”
Ben squeezed her hand, mumbling, “I was okay. Dennis helped me.”
The woman looked up at me, her expression softening. “Thank you so much for bringing him back.” She let out a breath, then added with a tired smile, “I’m Sarah. I volunteer here. We’ve been searching for him since this afternoon.”
A smiling man talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney
“Nice to meet you, Sarah,” I said, realizing this must be more than a chance meeting. We stood there for a moment, caught in a quiet, shared relief. She looked exhausted, her face a mix of worry and something else—hurt, maybe.
I hesitated, then asked, “Rough night?”
A man talking to a woman on a Christmas fair | Source: Midjourney
She nodded, looking away. “I found out my boyfriend… well, he was cheating on me. Tonight, of all nights.” She laughed sadly, brushing a tear away. “But I guess that’s how it goes.”
On impulse, I blurted, “Well… would you maybe like to get a coffee?”
She looked down at Ben, then back at me. “Actually… I’d love that.”
A smiling woman outside | Source: Midjourney
Over the next few months, I found myself at the shelter often. Sarah and I would meet there, talking for hours and helping out together.
The more time we spent, the closer we grew, both to each other and to Ben. He seemed to shine whenever we were all together, and soon the shelter felt like the home I hadn’t realized I’d been missing.
A happy family on a walk | Source: Midjourney
By the time the next Christmas rolled around, everything had changed. Sarah and I were now married, and Ben had officially become our son. That Christmas Eve, we went back to the square, the three of us hand in hand, surrounded by laughter and lights.
We watched the skaters, sipped our hot cocoa, and felt at peace as our own little family, a miracle in the making.
A happy family together | Source: Midjourney
Liked this story? Consider checking out this one: When Sutton is on a business trip, the last thing she expects to discover is that her husband is having an affair, resulting in a pregnancy. But after Jacob moves out, and the months go by, Sutton plans her revenge.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
A boy mows lawns to earn money and help the school janitor pay off his mortgage and retire
A rowdy teenager caused trouble for the school janitor and felt guilty. He learned about the man’s life and decided to do something remarkable for him, and only then did he realize something essential.
“Jeez!” Holden spat when he saw the mess he made on the floor. He and his friend were only going to play a prank on another student and paint his locker. However, he dropped the paint can in the middle of the basketball court, which would certainly be noticeable.
“Come on, Holden! Let’s go! Let’s go!” his friend, Andrew, yelled, and they both dropped everything and ran away.
They weren’t bad kids, but they were undoubtedly rowdy and rebellious, skipping classes all the time and trying to prank others. However, they weren’t bullies and didn’t have any malicious intent. Holden just hated school and wanted anarchy like many teenagers did at that age.
“Wow. That’s terrible,” the teenager commented before widening his eyes. “Sorry. That was rude.”
Fortunately, no one discovered what they had done, but Holden passed by the basketball court later and saw the old school janitor cleaning things up and heard the screams of the principal, Mr. Figgins.
“We have the prep rally tomorrow, and scouts from all over the country are coming! This needs to come out immediately!” the principal yelled at the poor old man, who hung his head and tried to clean the mess. However, the paint was oil-based, and it was an arduous task.
“Yes, Mr. Figgins. I’ll make sure it’s ready for tomorrow,” the janitor said and kept scrubbing. The principal threw his arms around some more, yelled some demands, and walked off in a huff.
Holden felt terrible, watching the old man on his knees trying to fix his mistake, so he did something completely uncharacteristic. He walked into the court, grabbed a rag, kneeled, and started cleaning with the janitor.
The old man looked at him for a second. “I guess you did this, right?” he commented and kept scrubbing.
“Sir, please. I’m so sorry. It was a mistake. I didn’t know you would get in trouble for it,” Holden apologized sincerely and continued moving the rag up and down. “Please don’t tell the principal. My mom would kill me.”
The old man sighed and shrugged. “I won’t tell anyone, but you have to help me until this floor is back to normal,” he negotiated, and Holden nodded rapidly.
While they worked, they talked. The janitor’s name was Fred. At first, their conversation was about basketball and football, as the school has some of the best teams in the state. But then, Holden asked the old man why he was working at his age. Based on the wrinkles on his face and his frail arms, he had to be way over 60.
“Well, I need to pay a mortgage, kid,” Fred responded with pursed lips. “And I’m 76.”
“You haven’t paid your mortgage still. Wow. That means I can never dream of having a house of my own,” Holden commented.
“Well, things are hard now, kid. But actually, I never wanted to own a house. I rented most of my life. I bought that house for my daughter. She needed her own place, and I wanted to give her something,” Fred revealed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “I put a down payment for her and helped her with the mortgage for years. But then, she died in a car accident, and it was all on me.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Holden muttered, and they stayed quiet for a while. “Why don’t you sell the house now?”
“Where would I live, kid? With rent these days, I would be homeless. And I have to keep working to eat,” the janitor continued. He wasn’t bitter or sad. He was just realistic.
“But you might not ever retire!” the teenager added.
“That’s true. I just hope I can pay the mortgage before I die,” he continued.
“How much is it?” Holden asked boldly.
“Well, I believe it’s a little under $30,000.”
“Wow. That’s terrible,” the teenager commented before widening his eyes. “Sorry. That was rude.”
But Fred laughed. “Let’s just work, kid.”
They finally removed all traces of the paint, but they both went home late that night… and Holden couldn’t sleep. He wanted to do something nice for the old man who hadn’t gotten him in trouble.
A few days later, he confessed what he had done to his mother and told her everything; then, he asked her how they could raise money for the old janitor. Maybe, if they paid his mortgage, Fred could retire.
His mother said that he could mow lawns around the neighborhood. It was mowing season, and tons of people were looking for help. So, Holden did so and surprisingly got a ton of clients. He grabbed his dad’s lawnmower and worked hard.
But after a few days, he realized the task was almost impossible. He would have to work for years, just like Fred, to raise the money, so he talked to his neighbors whose kids also went to the school. He took a picture of Fred from the school’s website and posted it online, telling his story, and finally decided to open a crowdfunding link for the janitor.
To his shock, the money started coming in, and $30,000 were raised in just a week.
After that, Holden and his mother talked to the school principal about having a special ceremony to honor Fred and surprise him. The teenager also had to come clean to the principal about the paint on the basketball court. Finally, Mr. Figgins agreed.
The whole school heard the story, and they all gathered at the basketball court and cheered when Fred came in. The old janitor had no idea what was going on as he didn’t have social media. But Holden presented him with the money, and many in the crowd cried as the two of them hugged. Fred officially retired that week.
Holden later learned that Fred had a granddaughter, Erin, who was only a few years younger than him, and the janitor wanted to pay off the house so she could have it when he was gone. She and Holden became great friends as he started visiting the old man after school and helping out.
He stopped hanging out with Andrew and started taking his classes seriously. The entire experience taught him that you had to work hard for everything.
His rebellious ways wholly disappeared, and he actually graduated at the top of his class a few years later. The entire school staff was shocked and pleased by his 180º turn, as it was something teachers rarely ever saw. And it was all due to Fred and that afternoon spent cleaning some paint off the floor.
What can we learn from this story?
You must apologize and do your best to atone for your errors. Holden got the old janitor in trouble, but he readily apologized and tried to make things better.
It only takes one experience or person to change someone’s perspective on life. After meeting Fred, Holden changed for good, as he learned that life was hard and only those who worked hard and honestly could live happily.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
Leave a Reply