“Wow, you’ve got an incredible voice! You should totally consider performing at one of the local pubs in the city. It’s been ages since I’ve heard someone this talented!”
“Even better, I happen to know someone in the music industry. Next time we meet, I’ll connect you with him!”
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Steve exclaimed, “Thank you all so much! I can’t express how grateful I am!” The commuters in the subway burst into applause, unaware that Steve had once dreamt of a career in music but had fallen on hard times, resorting to playing the accordion and singing songs to survive as a homeless individual.
As the saying goes, everyone’s life takes a turn eventually. Although it came late, Steve’s moment finally arrived…
One day, after his musical performance, Steve swiftly packed up his belongings, eager to disembark at the next stop and treat himself to a meal with the unexpectedly generous earnings he had accumulated. Little did he know that fate had a different plan in store for him.
As the train pulled into the station, Steve hastily gathered his things and made his way toward the subway stairs, anticipating a delightful day ahead. Unbeknownst to him, a twist of destiny awaited him.
In his rush, Steve accidentally dropped something and quickly turned around to retrieve it. Suddenly, his attention was drawn to a perplexed and tearful little girl, no older than six, stepping off the train. She wore two pigtails and carried a small bag on her shoulders, with no adults in sight.
Steve’s heart went out to the young girl. “Oh my, she seems so young and all alone. Could she be lost?” he wondered, stepping closer to her.
“Hello there, little miss. Is there something I can do to help you?” he gently inquired, his voice filled with warmth and concern.
Sniffling, the girl nodded. “I-I lost my daddy. I can’t find him anywhere.”
“Is that so?” Steve sighed, feeling a pang of helplessness as he scanned the surroundings. “What’s your daddy’s name? Or can you describe how he looks? I’ll do my best to help you find him.”
“Mummy calls him Andrew, but I call him daddy, and he’s very handsome,” she replied, and Steve nodded attentively.
“Alright, alright. We’re going to find Daddy Andrew in no time! But before we do, it’s important that you stop crying because daddies don’t like seeing their precious daughters in tears, okay?”
“But how will we find daddy? I can’t see him anywhere!” she fretted, her tears persisting.
The chilly weather made Steve reluctant to leave the little girl alone at the station. He made up his mind to take her to a nearby cafe, where he could treat her to something warm and comforting. He hoped that sharing a hot beverage would help ease her distress and encourage her to share more details about how she became separated from her father. Once they had gathered more information, he intended to notify the authorities about the situation.
“By the way, my name is Steve,” he introduced himself. “And what’s your name? How about enjoying a delicious cup of hot chocolate before we go find your daddy?”
“But my daddy told me not to accept anything from strangers! What if you’re a bad man?” she hesitated, expressing her concern.
Steve chuckled softly. “Well, don’t bad people harm kids? I have no intention of hurting you. My only goal is to assist you in finding your daddy.”
The little girl gazed at him for a moment, pondering his words, before eventually nodding. “Okay. But we have to return quickly. I really like hot chocolate, but finding daddy is important too…”
“Absolutely, miss. We’ll do as you say,” Steve replied warmly, his smile comforting and reassuring.
At the cafe, Steve had spent all the money he had earned that day, knowing that he would have to go to bed hungry that night. However, observing the girl enjoying her meal somehow brought him a sense of satisfaction, as if he had done a good deed.
As little Mia eagerly devoured her burger and hot chocolate, Steve continued to inquire about her father. Thankfully, her tears had subsided, allowing her to share the details of what had happened.
It turned out that Mia’s dad had decided to take the subway to drop her off at school. However, they had become separated due to the overwhelming crowd at the station. When Mia couldn’t find her dad anywhere, she felt lost and began to cry.
Although Steve now knew the circumstances, he was still concerned about how he would locate Mia’s dad. He contemplated calling the authorities, but reasoned that her father would likely be searching for her at the station. Therefore, after leaving the cafe, he returned to the subway station with the intention of reporting the incident to the authorities. However, before he could do so, an announcement came over the intercom, revealing that Mia’s dad was actively searching for her.
“Mia! We’ve found your daddy! Come on!” Steve gently lifted her into his arms and hurried toward the announcement booth.
Suddenly, Mia burst into shouts and vigorous waving. “Daddy! I’m here!”
“Grab him! He’s right there! He’s trying to take my daughter!” Andrew exclaimed, rushing towards Steve with the security personnel and snatching Mia from his arms. “How dare you lay a hand on her? Stay away from my girl!”
“But sir…”
“Daddy!” Mia interjected. “Steve found you! Don’t be mad at him. He got me a burger and hot chocolate. Steve is nice, just like you, daddy!”
“He didn’t harm you?” Andrew asked, bewildered, and Mia shook her head.
“He’s not a bad man, daddy.”
“I may be homeless, but I have a good heart, sir,” Steve defended himself.
At that moment, Andrew felt a wave of guilt for doubting Steve and realized he shouldn’t have accused him in such a manner. As a token of gratitude for taking care of Mia, he wanted to reward Steve, but Steve adamantly refused to accept any money.
“It’s alright, sir,” Steve assured him. “I’m just glad I could help. While I may not have much, I still have compassion. You don’t need to repay me.”
Before departing from the station that day, Mia bid farewell to Steve, and Andrew expressed his gratitude once again.
***
The following day, Steve returned to his usual spot on the subway, singing his songs. As he finished his performance, he noticed a small hand reaching into his begging hat and dropping a little box into it.
Steve looked up and grinned. “Mia?”
This time, she was accompanied by her parents, which brought a sense of joy to Steve.
“Hello there, sweetheart. What brings you here?” Steve inquired.
“I came to give you a gift, Steve. You helped me, so now I want to help you. But there’s a rule: you can’t refuse my assistance!” Mia declared.
“Oh, is that so?” Steve chuckled and picked up the box, ready to unveil its contents.
Carefully, he unwrapped the box and discovered a set of keys inside. “What is this?” he asked, puzzled.
“It’s your new home, Steve!” Mia exclaimed with excitement.
“No way!” Steve’s eyes welled up with tears. “Is this truly…”
“You deserve it, Steve!” Andrew spoke, joining Mia. “You’re a selfless man who came to my daughter’s aid. This is just a small gesture of appreciation. It’s a mobile home. My company specializes in them. I hope it can be of help to you!”
“And it can take you to different places!” Mia chimed in. “Good things always come back to you when you do good, Steve! That’s what my mommy and daddy taught me! You did something good, so now you’re receiving something good!” She hugged him tightly, causing Steve to smile through his tears.
