We all have days or points in our lives where we need some help from a friend or even a stranger! And, sometimes we make the dearest of friends in the most peculiar ways! In our story, today, which was inspired by the readers of AmoMama, a strange noise, and a crash ended up creating a beautiful friendship.
Saying Goodbye
Andy arrived at his childhood home in a cab. He had flown from New York that morning because it was time to say goodbye to the beautiful house he held so many cherished memories in. Andy’s mom had passed away, and he had decided to sell up. There was not much point in keeping a big house hours away from where he stayed. He had debated renting it out, but again, living so far away meant management was difficult.
As he walked into his old home, he looked around at all the things he remembered from his younger years. He shed a small tear thinking about his mother. And went to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. Andy sighed, at least he could keep the contents of the home, those are the things that reminded him of his mother the most.
What’s That?
Andy opened the tap and was about to fill his glass when he heard a thump coming from above him. He was startled and dropped the glass. He muttered to himself that the house was old and old houses made noises. As he was about to get the broom to sweep up the broken glass, Andy heard a yelp and a thud just outside the kitchen window. Alarmed, he rushed to the kitchen door and looked outside the window.
A man was lying on the ground holding his back holding his leg, clearly in agony. Andy opened the kitchen door and yelled. The man was dirty and appeared to be homeless. He tried to get up but had clearly broken something so he could not get away and run. He started crying and begged Andy not to hurt him, assuring him that he meant no harm.
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The Stranger
Andy approached the man on the ground, he looked up towards the house and noticed that the upstairs window was open. The man had clearly fallen from there. Andy calmly asked him what he was doing in his home, and why he’d tried to escape from his window. First, however, he wanted to know who on earth he was!
The stranger looked up at Andy, very much in pain, and replied that his name was Jackson. He told Andy he promised to tell him everything if he could please help him. Andy nodded and headed back into the house to fetch his phone to call an ambulance. Making his way back outside, Andy assured Jackson that help was on the way. Jackson seemed upset, he could not afford a private hospital and told Andy that he did not think that was the best idea. Andy told him not to worry about the bill, as long as he was not trying to rob his house, it would be covered!
Jackson
The ambulance had come to pick Jackson up, he’d broken his leg. At the hospital, he was given some pain medication and was starting to feel a little better. Andy waited for him in the ER waiting room, eager to find out what he had been doing in his home. He had already checked and nothing had been stolen. Eventually, Jackson came out with a pair of crutches. Andy offered to take him home so they could chat, to which Jackson replied that he had no home.
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It suddenly made sense, and Jackson confirmed it. He had been living inside Andy’s childhood home! Jackson explained to Andy that he’d lost his job a few months ago and had nowhere to go. He had no family and eventually ran out of money. He had realized that Andy’s mom’s house was empty and found the door unlocked. In desperation, he took shelter in the house and had been staying there ever since. He had tried to get out of the house unnoticed when Andy arrived and fallen from the window upstairs while trying to climb down the terrace.
An Unlikely Friendship
Andy was mortified, not because Jackson had lived in his home, but because he felt so sorry for him. He told Jackson that he could come home with him anyway. Of course, he tried to refuse, embarrassed, but Andy insisted. He wanted to help him. Jackson was exactly the same age as he was and he had so much in comparison, the least he could do was share and help where he could.
Over the next couple of days, Andy and Jackson got to really know one another. They played cards, drank beer, and ate good food. It made Andy feel excited to watch Jackson eat and be happy, knowing it must have been so hard not knowing where his next meal was coming from. The two of them quickly bonded as they realized how much they had in common. Andy even took extra time off work in order to stay longer. Eventually, Andy had to tell Jackson that he was planning on selling the house.
A New Plan
Andy felt awful knowing he was going to sell his house and Jackson had no place to go. Of course, when he did tell Jackson, he was not upset. After all, he had been living there secretly! But then, Andy had an idea. He asked the homeless man if he would be willing to live there a little longer and fix up the house. By luck, Jackson was a tradesman and it all seemed like it was fate the way things were lining up. Andy told him that he could keep living in the house rent-free and that once he was healed, he would help set him up with some work. He even told Jackson he would give him a small salary so that he could afford to eat. Jackson gratefully accepted the offer. He was not able to fix much at first because of his broken leg, but once healed up, he would get right on the job!
Andy felt fulfilled, he had made a friend and helped someone in need. Eventually, Jackson was able to walk and work again. Andy found him a job with a childhood friend’s construction company and he allowed Jackson to keep living in the house rent-free. Jackson spent two years living in Andy’s home, saving every cent he made. Eventually, he was in the position to buy the house from Andy, which meant that Andy never had to say goodbye to his beautiful home!
This story was inspired by an original piece of fiction that first appeared on AmoMama. Any similarities between this story and actual people is purely coincidental
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