Poor Busker Spends All His Money to Console Stranger after Which She Makes Him a Star – Story of the Day

A young boy who aspires to be a musician spends all of the money he earns from his performance on comforting a crying stranger. That compassionate act eventually changes his life in ways he never expected.

If there was something 13-year-old Simon's heart had ever fluttered for, it was music. The boy wanted to become a famous musician one day and would save all of his limited pocket money to rent albums from a nearby music store.

Unfortunately for Simon, his parents were small bakery owners, so they couldn't fund his talent. He shared a small house with them and his ailing grandmother, and they barely scraped by each month.

Once on his birthday, Simon requested his mother to get him a guitar, but she refused him, saying, "Honey, you need to concentrate on your studies. People rarely make a living in these creative fields...Thousands of people try to become musicians every year, but just a few succeed!"

Simon's parents owned a small bakery. | Source: Pexels

Hurt by the refusal, Simon approached his high school music instructor, Mrs. Murphy, and told her everything. She saw the fire in Simon's eyes and made him an offer.

"I happen to have an old guitar with me, Simon, and I can teach you how to play it. But in exchange, you must promise me that you would work hard for your goal and never give up, no matter how difficult it gets!"

"I promise that...." Simon's eyes welled up with tears. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Murphy! You're the best!" he exclaimed, eager to begin his training.

A few days later, Simon started going to Mrs. Murphy's house for music lessons every day, and within two years, he had mastered more than just the basics of the art. He would take some time out in the evenings to practice the lessons at home, and soon, he decided to help his parents through his talent.

Mrs. Murphy helped Simon learn to play the guitar. | Source: Pexels

One evening, Simon dashed to a nearby restaurant with his guitar and hat and began performing a song he'd recently learned. People simply passed him by at first, paying no attention to him. But gradually, he was noticed...

After listening to him for a bit, an older woman approached him and left a few cents in his hat. Then a few people came out of the restaurant with their spouses, and some even danced to the song Simon played for them.

Overall, Simon didn't make a lot of money that evening, but it was his first earning ever, so it was special.

As time went on, Simon continued his modest musical performances around restaurants and taverns, and he was soon able to bring money home for his parents. Of course, his mother didn't mind his passion now that he was assisting them financially.

Simon started doing small performances around his town to earn money. | Source: Pexels

One evening, Simon was performing a romantic song near a cafe when he noticed a young woman crying on the streets. He'd never consoled a crying baby, let alone a girl. But then he had a silly but cute idea to brighten up the desolate stranger's mood.

After wrapping up his performance, Simon counted the money in his hat and discovered he had $11. He knew he could spend the money on himself, but instead, he decided to get flowers from a neighboring flower shop and approached the woman.

"Hey, my name is Simon... Uh, I know we're strangers, and I shouldn't be meddling in your affairs unnecessarily, but I guess these might help," he said, handing her a posy of three roses he'd bought. The florist had wrapped it in cellophane paper and ribbon and charged Simon extra, taking advantage of his naivety and the fact that this was his first time buying flowers.

When Simon offered her the flowers, she pleasantly smiled through tears and accepted them. "Thank you very much, Simon. That's really sweet of you."

Noticing she was calmer, Simon said, "Look, I know I have no idea what happened, but it's okay. You'll be fine. We all have difficult days, but we all get through them."

Simon bought flowers for the young woman. | Source: Pexels

The woman wiped her tears and stopped crying. "You seem like a nice person, Simon. Mind if I talk to you for a while? I just feel like I need to take it out of my system to feel a little better."

"Oh sure," Simon said as he sat beside her.

The woman revealed her name was Carrie and that she had had a rough day at work. "You see this cafe across the street?" she asked, and Simon nodded. "I work as a cashier there. My boss yelled at me because I misplaced some bills, and it was embarrassing….Everyone was just staring at me, and it felt weird."

"Well, in that case, you should know that I've played out of tune many times, and people laughed at me for that," he replied, pointing to the guitar. "Some have even mocked me for my terrible mistakes, and one day I met this rude dude who said a lot of mean things to me.

"But the truth is, we all make mistakes and learn from them and get better," he continued, smiling, and Carrie was extremely impressed.

"I don't know if someone's told you this before, but you are very mature for your age, Simon," she replied, returning his smile. "Thanks, I feel much better talking to you. And yes, I noticed you play the guitar really well. Would you like to play for the customers at my cafe? Maybe I could get you a part-time job there…."

Simon brought a smile to Carrie's face. | Source: Pexels

"Really? Wow, that would be cool. I would love to! Thanks, Carrie…" he said, springing to his feet in delight. "Yes, yes, this will be my first official gig!"

Carrie couldn't stop laughing at the excited kid. "By the way, Simon," she asked. "Where did you get the idea about getting flowers? I love roses. Just saying…."

In an exciting turn of events, Carrie's boss indeed hired Simon after listening to him, which officially kickstarted Simon's musical career. He was offered a small salary and was supposed to perform four days a week, including weekends. Eventually, people began to recognize him, and Simon rose to fame in his hometown, becoming a local celebrity and performing special shows at the cafe and around town.

One day, a music director happened to stop by the cafe and was impressed by Simon. He offered him a contract as a side guitarist, and Simon would soon make his musical debut. All thanks for this goes to Mrs. Murphy, who encouraged Simon's passion, and Carrie, who became his close friend by coincidentally crossing paths with him after a rough day at work.

What can we learn from this story?

• Sometimes, making a small sacrifice can bring a smile to someone's face. Simon gave up the money he'd made to get roses for Carrie, which not only made her feel better but also forget about her worries and smile.
• Deeds like being kind and considerate are like boomerangs; they always come back to you. Simon helped Carrie when he saw her crying without expecting anything in return, but in the long run, she indirectly became a supporting factor for Simon's talent and helped his music career blossom.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a bride who banned her poor father from her wedding and learned a lesson the hard way in return.

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.