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Old Lady Who Has No Money for Footwear Finds a New Pair of Red Shoes on Her Doorstep – Story of the Day

Roshanak Hannani
Apr 26, 2022
12:00 A.M.
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May and Richard were old and poor, and they couldn't afford much. May often got sick from getting her feet wet in the rain and she was even hospitalized for it. When the nurse asked what happened, Richard broke down in tears. A surprising person heard the story and did something shocking for them.

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Richard was sitting next to his wife's hospital bed and lamenting his situation. They had been married for many decades, but they never had children, and now, they were both living on their pensions. They could barely afford their lives. Their only solace was that their apartment was rent-controlled in New York.

Most of their money disappeared on rent and food, leaving them with no income for anything else. They were down to their most shattered pieces of clothing and the weather in the city was getting colder.

They received a pair of red shoes from someone unexpected. | Source: Shutterstock

They received a pair of red shoes from someone unexpected. | Source: Shutterstock

May's shoes were barely together, and as a result, she was always cold. Her feet got wet during rainstorms, and one day, it led to her latest hospital stay. She acquired pneumonia, which shouldn't be so bad, but her age didn't help. Richard thought that maybe if they had children, they wouldn't be so alone in the world.

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There was a strange package sitting on the front step of their apartment. It was odd because they didn't know anyone who could have sent them anything.

His grim thoughts were interrupted by the nurse, who finally came to check in on his wife. She had been busy with other patients.

"Hello, Mr. Mason. How is she doing?" the kind woman asked.

"The doctor gave her something and told her to rest. I think she's better now, although her breathing is a little chunky still," Richard replied.

"That's to be expected. But she'll get better soon enough. I'm Nurse Becky, by the way. Can you tell me why she might have gotten sick?" she asked.

Richard broke down in tears. | Source: Pexels

Richard broke down in tears. | Source: Pexels

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Richard had no idea what came over him, but it was like a dam opening up. He started crying desperately, his hands unable to wipe the tears quickly enough. Nurse Becky moved closer and patted his back. "It's going to be alright," she comforted. "Just tell me what's going on."

He started speaking through the tears. "We have no money for new shoes. She really needs a sturdy new pair because hers get wet and cold all the time. It's a disaster," he began but soon enough, he told the kind woman all their troubles, including how they might have to sell something to pay for May's hospital stay.

"Don't worry. We have a program for low-income people. It's going to be alright. We'll take care of May. Your wife will get better soon enough," Nurse Becky assured him and left.

Doctor Ross came in for a quick examination. | Source: Pexels

Doctor Ross came in for a quick examination. | Source: Pexels

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Just then, their physician, Dr. Ross, came in, checked on May, and left after noting some things on her chart. He didn't speak to Richard, and the older man was too ashamed of his outburst to say anything else. Breaking down in front of the nurse had been bad enough. The doctor didn't need to know his worries.

***

Luckily, May got better sooner than expected and was discharged. The nurse told them they didn't have to pay right away. Instead, they would receive a bill in the mail soon.

Richard took his wife home, and they were surprised when they got there. There was a strange package sitting on the front step of their apartment. It was odd because they didn't know anyone who could have sent them anything.

There was a package on their doorstep. | Source: Unsplash

There was a package on their doorstep. | Source: Unsplash

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Richard grabbed the package and opened the door. "You need to rest," he told May, but she stopped and took the box from his hands.

"I want to know what's inside. It's been ages since we've received anything in the mail," she said and sat down on the couch to open the package. He indulged her because she looked so happy and healthy.

"Oh my," she breathed, and he sat beside her to see what was inside the packet. It was a pair of beautiful red shoes. They were sturdy and looked expensive. "These are amazing! But who would send me shoes?"

"I don't know," Richard muttered, grabbing the envelope on top of the red shoes. He thought that it might be Nurse Becky as she was the only one who knew they needed the money. But as he opened the envelope, he saw a letter and read it aloud.

There was a letter on top of the shoes. | Source: Pexels

There was a letter on top of the shoes. | Source: Pexels

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"Mr. and Mrs. Mason,

I sent you these shoes hoping that your wife never gets sick again. I accidentally heard you speaking to Nurse Becky, and I had to do something. My grandmother died of the same illness many years ago, and something about your story made me think of her. I took better care of Mrs. Mason and gave her a different treatment. It was expensive, but I paid for everything, so you don't have to worry about that anymore. If there's anything else you need, you can call me directly. We all have to help each other every once in a while, right?

Sincerely,

Doctor Ross."

"Oh, Richard! What a kind man! I've never met a kinder doctor!" May gushed while Richard's eyes watered. He only nodded and hugged his wife.

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"Try them on!" he said, although his voice broke slightly. They fit her perfectly. They were so happy for one moment.

What can we learn from this story?

  • Be kind to the elderly because you never know what they're going through. Richard broke down after Nurse Becky showed a little concern for them. And an angel was listening.
  • We should all help each other every once in a while. Like Doctor Ross said in his letter, people should help one another if they're able.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a mom who scolded her son for skipping school but changed her mind when an old lady showed up at her house.

This account is inspired by our reader's story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.

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