David always made sure to secure a window seat on the school bus ride home. Once settled, he eagerly opened the window to feel the refreshing afternoon breeze brush against his face. With each passing moment, he replayed the day’s game in his mind.
“Unbelievable performance out there today!” exclaimed one of David’s teammates.
“We might have a national-level player among us, guys. Better get his autograph while you can!” teased another teammate, giving David a hearty pat on the back.
David couldn’t help but dream of one day playing for his country and making history like his soccer heroes. He could almost taste the sweet victory and pride of holding the golden championship trophy and posing for photographs.
He constantly rehearsed in his mind what he would say to the cameras and the papers after the match, telling the story of his rise from humble beginnings and expressing gratitude to his mother for all she had done for him.
“May I sit here, please?” asked the classmate, interrupting David’s deep daydream.
David snapped back to reality and noticed the boy standing beside him. He quickly nodded and gestured towards the empty seat.
After settling down beside David, the boy clutched his backpack and drifted off into his own world of aspirations. He longed to become the top soccer player in the school, just like David. The mere thought of sitting next to his idol filled him with excitement.
David’s skills on the soccer field were a source of inspiration for the boy, who wanted to emulate his every move. He dreamed of having as many friends as David and wearing the same stylish soccer shoes that he had on.
Looking down at his own shabby shoes, the boy felt a twinge of embarrassment. But he consoled himself, thinking, “For now, these old shoes will have to do.” He quickly tucked them away under the seat, hoping that no one would notice.
***
Guillermo had always been a shy boy who found it difficult to make friends. But one day, he summoned the courage to approach his hero.
“Hi, David! I’m Guillermo, your biggest fan!” he said with a nervous smile.
David replied with a polite nod, “Oh, hi Guillermo. Thank you.”
As David drifted off into his daydreams, an awkward silence filled the air. Trying to break the ice, Guillermo blurted out the first thing that came to his mind.
“I really like your shoes!” he said, pointing to David’s sneakers.
“These? They’re quite old, and the soles are already coming off,” David replied, looking down at his feet. “I’m actually saving up for a new pair that I can’t wait to get. They’re neon orange and have unbeatable grip.”
Guillermo’s eyes lit up with excitement, “Tell me more about them!” he said, quickly tucking his own tattered shoes under the seat. He didn’t want David to see them and feel embarrassed.
David had spent the last seven months raising money to buy the perfect pair of sneakers he had been eyeing. As a responsible 12-year-old, he didn’t want to burden his mother, who was already struggling to provide for him and his two younger twin sisters.
“Mom, you don’t have to contribute. Tracy and Katie’s birthdays are coming up soon, and you need to save up to throw them a tea party, remember?” David had told his mother.
With the help of a short paper route he did every morning and savings from the lemonade stand he had set up during the last vacation, David had finally saved up enough money to buy his dream shoes.
On the bus ride home from school that day, David couldn’t contain his excitement and kept talking about his new sneakers with his friend Guillermo.
He even invited Guillermo to come with him to the store and see the best sneakers in town. But their happiness was cut short when the bus hit a pothole, causing one of Guillermo’s shoes to fall off, revealing a worn-out, blackened shoe with holes in the sole and the canvas coming apart.
David was taken aback by the state of Guillermo’s shoes. He knew how embarrassed Guillermo must have felt, and he couldn’t stand to see his friend in such a situation.
***
David’s eyes welled up with tears as he gazed at his friend, his face buried in his hands as he silently wept. The two boys sat in silence for the remainder of the journey, unsure of what to say to each other.
“Remember, we’re meeting at 5 o’clock,” David reminded Guillermo of their plan to visit the store, unwilling to go alone after what he had witnessed.
“Ah, David! Are you here to collect your new soccer shoes? I have them ready and packed right here,” the shop owner, Mr. Manning, greeted them.
“Just a moment, sir. Could you show me a smaller size of those comfortable boots?” David requested, gesturing towards a pair of boots.
Mr. Manning was puzzled. “But I’ve packed the exact size that you asked for, David.”
“Not for me, for my friend here,” David replied, pointing at Guillermo.
Guillermo was taken aback by his friend’s generosity. He couldn’t possibly let David do that.
“No, David, I don’t need—” he protested.
David squeezed Guillermo’s hand and gently hushed him. “I’ve got this, Guillermo. You always call me your hero. Let me try to be one for you.”
After overhearing the exchange between the boys, Mr. Manning’s heart swelled with love and affection. He knew exactly what he had to do.
“Wow, these boots look amazing on you, my friend. They’re the best ones in the store,” David exclaimed as Guillermo’s embarrassment was replaced with overwhelming gratitude and pure joy at the unexpected gift.
As the boys cycled away from the store, Mr. Manning signaled his staff. “Listen up, we need to do something right away…”
“David! There’s someone at the door for you! He came in a whole truck!” David’s mother was confused by the strange visitor.
Rushing to the door, David was surprised to find Mr. Manning, the owner of the shoe store. “I heard you talking to your friend at the store, Dave. I know what you did.”
David’s mother looked at Mr. Manning suspiciously.
“I know how much you wanted those spiked sneakers, and I’ve seen you working hard to save up for them. But today, you put your own desires aside to help a friend in need.”
David looked down bashfully, while his mother beamed with pride.
“I believe acts of kindness and friendship like this should be celebrated in today’s world. So, come on! Hop on the back of the truck and pick out as many pairs of shoes as you want. For you, your mother, and the twins… Don’t worry about the money, it’s on me.”
David hesitated for a moment, seeking his mother’s approval. After she nodded, he dashed towards the truck, his eyes shining with excitement.
“Hurry, we need to go to your friend’s house! There are free shoes for him and his family too!”
