Boy Spends Last Money to Pay For Dirty Woman’s Bus Fare, She Speaks to His School Principal Next Day – Story of the Day

A poor boy spent the last $3 he had for lunch to pay for an unknown woman's bus fare. The next day, she unexpectedly met him in his school and took him to the principal, moving him to tears by revealing something he had never imagined.

"Bye, mom! Don't forget to make my pie!" shouted 12-year-old Jake after kissing his mother, Susan, goodbye.

He was late for school and was anxiously waiting for the bus. Moments later, the bus pulled over, and Jake hopped in, assuming it was just going to be an ordinary ride to school.

"Thank goodness mom gave me $6. Or else I'd have to walk all the way to school when I'm already late," he thought. The bus came to a halt, picking up Christel, a 56-year-old woman from the next stop...

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The bus quickly filled up, and Christel looked around for an empty seat. She smelled funky and looked dirty and wet. Some passengers frowned at her, but she was least bothered about them. Moments later, she wobbled through the crowd toward an empty seat, just two seats away from Jake.

"Tickets, please?!" said the conductor to the new passengers on the bus. "Tickets...tickets...Where to?...$3 please...."

The conductor gave away tickets and collected money from the passengers until he finally reached Christel's seat.

"Ticket?!" he said again, staring at her. The man was sure he hadn't collected money from her yet and that she hadn't bought a ticket from him. "Hurry up...What are you digging in your bag, lady? Make it quick. Gimme $3, hurry up...."

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Christel's face slowly started to flush red. "One second, I'm looking for my purse," she replied. She was so loud that the others around started staring at her.

"Be ready with the change. I'll be right back!" the conductor retorted, walking further inside to tend to the other passengers.

Five minutes later, he returned to Christel and stared at her, extending his hand for the money. "Make it fast, lady. Give me the change and take your ticket."

"I...uh...I don't have money. I forgot to bring my purse," Christel stammered, embarrassed. The conductor frowned. "I'll just get down at the next stop. I'm sorry, I have no money to pay."

"YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR THE TICKET?" yelled the conductor as the crowd of passengers turned toward Christel all at once.

"Lady, this is not a charity ride that picks up beggars for free. I'm stopping the bus right now. Get out!"

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Christel was startled. She had never met anybody before who was so rude and unkind to her, let alone in public.

"Are you deaf, lady? Didn't you hear me? Take your bag and move it! We ain't running a charity here. Driver, pull over!"

Jake witnessed everything and was disappointed at how the conductor treated the poor woman. Then he remembered he still had some change.

"HEY, WATCH YOUR WORDS, CONDUCTOR! And hey there! Your ticket is on me!" yelled Jake, amassing all the attention from onlookers. "Here is your $3... Give her a ticket," he said to the conductor, beating through the crowd and hurling the money in the his hand.

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"Dear, come sit beside me," invited Christel after the person near her got down at the next stop. "Thank you, sweetheart. I am forever grateful to you!"

"Ah! That's okay...I don't have a grandma, and you must be her age. I just did what I would do if she was here," replied Jake, taking Christel's words of gratitude casually.

"Still, nobody stepped forward for me, and they were all just watching. Only you had the heart to take a stand for me. What is your name, dear?"

"I'm Jake."

"Please to meet you, Jake. I'm Christel...Are you going to school?"

Yes!" sighed Jake. "That's a long story, and I'm grateful I'm even going to school now."

"Why do you say that, sweetheart? What happened?" interrupted Christel, curious to know more. "Is something wrong?"

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"Long story short—I wanted to go to a private school where they have a nice ballpark. I want to become a baseball player, but my current school isn't private. It does not have such amenities that rich schools have," revealed Jake.

"So you want to be a baseball player? That's cool," Christel said, intrigued.

"But I don't want to trouble my mom. She's already working hard in the restaurant to raise my sister and me. I'm grateful that she can still send me to school."

"Your dad, what does he do?"

"

Dad's no more. He passed away in an accident two years ago when I was in 5th grade."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that, honey."

"That's okay. Alright, grandma! We've arrived at my school. I'll leave now. 'Twas nice meeting you. And you can keep the $3. Think that it was from your grandson! B-Bye...!"

Christel was touched by Jake's warm heart. She stared a second time at his school, watching his silhouette disappear inside the gate.

"I'll come back for you. I will be here soon, Jake!" she said and kept her word the next day when she paid the school a surprise visit in her expensive Mercedes.

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"Grandma! What a surprise?! What are you doing here?" exclaimed Jake after seeing Christel outside his class the next day.

"Well, well...! I came here to see you. Please follow me to your principal's office," said Christel, confusing Jake, who had no idea how his life would change.

Christel greeted the principal and told him about her encounter with Jake.

"....My car broke down. I was waiting to get a lift from someone when a car splashed dirty, muddy water on me. Then I boarded a bus, forgetting to take my phone and wallet from my car. I didn't know what to do when I realized I had no money for the bus fare. That conductor was so mean. Thank God Jake stepped up for me."

Christel turned out to be a wealthy woman and a retired architect, contrary to what the people on the bus must have thought of her — a poor, dirty woman. "You must be really proud of your student!" she told the principal.

Jake was speechless and teary-eyed, unaware that the bigger part of Christel's surprise was still waiting for him outside the principal's office.

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"Jake, honey, do you mind visiting your field? I have a surprise for you there!" said Christel. Jake did as she told him. He hurried to the school playground, only to gasp in astonishment.

Christel had hired top-class planners to transform the barren ground into a massive baseball ballpark with A-class amenities that private schools had.

"This is unbelievable!" exclaimed Jake, staring at the latest equipment being installed for the new ballpark in his school.

"Do you like it, Jake?"

"I LOVE IT...!" he said, tears filling his eyes.

Christel helped the management hire an experienced baseball coach as an added bonus. She also offered to sponsor and represent the school in all state-level matches.

"Thank you, Mrs. Warren. We don't know how to repay you!" said the principal.

"Well, you don't have to repay me with money. But you can do it by raising wonderful kids like Jake!" replied Christel, watching Jake and his friends running about in joy in the field.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pixabay

What can we learn from this story?

• When you see someone in trouble, step up for them instead of just watching. When Jake witnessed the conductor mistreating and humiliating Christel for not having money for her ticket, he stepped up for her. He bought her the ticket with his last money and helped her.
• When someone does you good, be grateful to them. After learning of Jake's story and dream, Christel visited him the next day. She praised him and transformed his ordinary school playground into a massive baseball ballpark to fulfill his dream.

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This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers 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.