Two drunk teenagers started bothering an old lady on the bus until a homeless man stepped in to stop them – and it changed his life forever.
Molly, an elderly woman, struggled to climb the steps onto the bus. She was relieved when a strong hand helped her up. But when she turned to thank the person, she cringed.
The hand belonged to a tall, thin man who looked homeless and unkempt. Molly quickly pulled her arm away and stiffly said, “Thank you.” Despite her unease, she nodded politely before finding a seat.
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The man smiled sadly. He was used to seeing disgust on people’s faces and facing rejection. But Tom stayed true to himself. He watched as Molly sat down, taking up two seats.
Something about Molly reminded Tom of his mother. His mother would also have been upset to see him in his current state. Tom walked to the back of the bus and sat by himself.
He closed his eyes, thinking about his daughter, Daisy. Two years ago, his wife Valery was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and after her death, Tom’s life fell apart.
For 18 months, Tom used all their savings to pay for Valery’s treatments, even borrowing money against their home. But it didn’t save her, and Valery passed away. Tom sold their house to pay off debts.
Tom lost his job after missing too much work while caring for Valery. With his wife gone, he also lost his home, his job, and all that remained was Daisy.
After selling the house, Tom moved with Daisy to a tiny apartment in a rundown building. The place was awful, with graffiti on the walls and bad smells in the hallways.
When Child Services visited, they took Daisy away. Tom was devastated and could only visit her at the group home. Eventually, Tom ended up on the streets, and the only luxury he allowed himself was a bus ticket to see Daisy.
Tom was deep in thought when a loud voice interrupted him. “Hey, driver! This lady should pay for two tickets!” shouted a drunk teenager.
The teen had noticed Molly, sitting quietly. Another teen joined in, making fun of her weight. Molly held onto her purse, looking around, but no one came to her defense.
One of the teens stepped closer and poked Molly’s chest. “You need to move, lady! We want these seats!” he demanded.
Molly lifted her head. “There are plenty of other seats,” she said.
But the second teen sneered, “We want these seats, and you’re going to give them to us.” He leaned in as if to grab her.
Just then, a strong voice rang out. “Get your hands off that lady, or you and I are going to have a problem,” said Tom.
The teens turned and saw Tom approaching. He was thin and ragged, but he stood tall and firm. “You boys can leave quietly, or I can help you off,” Tom said calmly.
The teens, realizing Tom wasn’t someone to mess with, backed down. The bus stopped, and they hurried off, throwing nervous glances over their shoulders.
Tom turned to Molly. “Ma’am, are you alright? Do you need help?” he asked gently.
Molly, with tears in her eyes, thanked him. “I’m fine, thanks to you. Could you walk me home?”
Tom agreed. When they reached her stop, Tom helped Molly off the bus and walked her to her apartment building. Molly invited Tom up for a slice of apple pie and coffee.
As they talked, Molly learned about Tom’s hardships and his lost daughter. She picked up her phone, made a quick call, and smiled.
“My son has a farm, and he’s looking for a reliable worker. I think you’re the man for the job,” she said.
Tom was surprised. “But I don’t know anything about farming.”
“I told him that,” Molly said, “but I also told him you’re strong, determined, and can learn anything. And I know you have a big reason to succeed, right?”
Tom nodded, holding back tears. Molly explained that the job came with a cottage, good pay, and health insurance. She had a feeling he’d get Daisy back soon.
Six months later, Tom was working on the farm, and Child Services allowed him to bring Daisy home. Thanks to Molly’s kindness, Tom and Daisy started a new life together.
Newly-unveiled statue of Queen Elizabeth II includes her beloved pet Corgis
A great deal of people felt sorrow upon Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in 2022. She was adored by the public and the longest-reigning monarch in British history, having ruled for 70 years.
The late queen is now being honored with a monument that was recently unveiled, honoring her affection for her pet corgis!
The Queen’s new statue, together with her dogs
On Sunday, a 7-foot-tall bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth was unveiled in observance of the monarch’s 98th birthday.
In Oakham, England, the sculpture was made by artist Hywel Pratley and is situated close to the Oakham Library. It is Queen Elizabeth’s first ever permanent memorial.
Rutland City Council said that hundreds attended the unveiling. There was music from local school bands and bagpipers.
The most priceless feature of this new memorial is that the queen’s cherished Corgis pet is also depicted, immortalized in bronze by the monarch’s feet:
The city authority claims that local schoolchildren created the designs for the Corgi monuments.
In contrast to the many stern and imposing monuments of queens like Queen Victoria, Pratley stated he wanted the statue to portray the idea of Queen Elizabeth as “an almost motherly figure,” according to the New York Times.
During the unveiling, local dignitary Sarah Furness remarked, “What most of us remember about Queen Elizabeth is her warmth.” “We demonstrate Queen Elizabeth’s humanity by showcasing her affection for dogs.”
The statue’s creator claims that he intended it to be hospitable to onlookers. Pratley said, “We designed it with a bench you can sit on.” “And there’s a corgi you can pet, and I do believe that this will eventually become a selfie-encouraging statue.”
The Times reports that a number of Corgi owners brought their dogs to the unveiling, indicating that a large number of people have already visited the statue.
The history of Queen Elizabeth’s Corgis pet
For many years, the Queen’s corgis were an iconic aspect of her life and a solace during tough political and personal times. Fans all throughout the world were likewise pleased by the cute pets.
The first Corgi was acquired by the royal family in 1933 when Dookie, a dog owned by Elizabeth’s father and predecessor George VI (who was then the Duke of York), was brought home.
Dookie was reportedly extremely cantankerous, yet Elizabeth and him appeared to have a unique relationship.
Then, on her eighteenth birthday, the Queen received a Pembroke Welsh corgi of her own, named Susan.
Susan reportedly slipped under a rug in the royal carriage to disrupt the wedding of the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, according to the BBC.
1959 saw Susan’s death at the age of almost fifteen. Her epitaph referred to her as “the faithful companion of the Queen,” and she was laid to rest at the royal estate of Sandringham House.
The Queen stated, “I had always feared losing her, but I am ever so thankful that her suffering was so mercifully brief.”
But Susan left quite the legacy; during the ensuing few decades, the Queen accumulated over thirty corgis, all descended from her original canine companion.
The Queen always had at least one corgi, and often had several at once, from 1933 until 2018. She traveled with the dogs in tow, and they resided in a designated “Corgi room” at Buckingham Palace with wicker beds. It is said that the Queen took care of them personally and baked them biscuits over the holiday season.
These canines undoubtedly received royal treatment and grew to represent the Queen throughout her life.
While Elizabeth valued the dogs greatly, Prince Philip apparently didn’t feel the same way. Like many others, she took great solace from the dogs, who served as a link to the simpler times in her early years due to their relationship with her late father and her upbringing.
According to Penny Junor, a royal biographer, “her corgis are hugely important to her.” Over time, they have become more intimate with her than any human has ever been. She has never been let down by the incredibly affectionate and devoted corgis.
It also makes sense that the Queen, who represents both Britain and the United Kingdom, would have a strong bond with a quintessential British dog. Wales, a member of the UK and a neighbor of England, is where corgis first originated. When corgis were adopted as royal dogs, the breed was rare in England; yet, the Queen had a major role in the globalization of the breed.
The Queen owned several “dorgis,” or corgis bred with daschshunds, in addition to purebred Pembroke Welsh Corgis.
When the corgis and dorgis appeared alongside Queen Elizabeth on the cover of Vanity Fair in 2016, they became well-known worldwide because to Annie Leibovitz’s photography. At the time, the dogs were Candy, Vulcan, Willow, and Holly.
A notable aspect of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and a significant aspect of her life were her corgis. Their inclusion in this first memorial statue of her seems so fitting.
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