When Megan returned home from buying a jacket at the thrift shop, she discovered a note with an address and the words, “Help my grandkids.” She decided to go to the address and couldn’t believe what she discovered there.
Buying a new outfit can change your outlook for the day. At least, that was Megan’s opinion. No matter how hard her day was, something new in her closet could be a total mood-changer, especially if her find was a bargain.
When Morgan went into her local thrift/pawn shop one day, she wasn’t expecting to find much. However, a used jacket embroidered with gold thread was calling to her. It was beautiful and cheap enough. Megan loved the idea of buying used stuff because she was very green-minded. She cared about the environment, and fast fashion was a huge problem. So anything that could be upcycled was perfect for her.
She took the jacket home without a second thought and started thinking of all the different outfit combinations she could use it with. It was in such good condition that she couldn’t imagine why anyone would even sell it. She must have needed the money badly, she thought as she reached her room and started taking things out of her closet.
Megan was puzzled. “I don’t understand. Couldn’t you call any family to help out?”
Her bed was littered with fabric as she planned outfit combinations and twirled in front of the mirror with her new jacket. She grabbed her phone for a selfie and stuck her other hand in her pocket. That’s when she felt something and took it out. It was a piece of paper with an address not far from her house in Norfolk, Virginia.
But something else caught her attention. It was a message that read: “Help my grandkids!”
What could this mean? she wondered and shrugged her shoulders, crumpling the piece of paper and throwing it on the floor.
She took some selfies and started to retrieve the clothes she had laid out in her bed, putting everything back in order in her closet. She hung the jacket on a rack near her front door where she could quickly grab it before leaving, then she headed to the kitchen to make some lunch.
As she ate, Megan’s mind wouldn’t let her forget the message on the piece of paper. “It could be some sort of joke,” she said quietly, munching on her sandwich and browsing through her phone. “But what if it isn’t?”
The question plagued her until she couldn’t take it anymore. She grabbed the note from her room floor, flattened it out, and reread the address. “Ok, let’s do this,” she said psyching herself up before rushing out the door with the jacket.
***
A little kid answered the door. “Hello?” she said in a small voice.
“Hmmm… hi,” Megan started, not knowing why a kid would just be allowed to answer to strangers. “Is your grandmother or grandfather here?”
“We only have a grandma,” the little girl replied, opening the door further and gesturing toward a hallway. Two other kids were standing there with wide eyes and confused expressions. Megan was probably just as baffled as them. But she entered the house and discovered a disaster.
The house didn’t smell bad or anything, but it was clear that no one had cleaned up in a while. There were tons of toys lying around, and the kitchen had dishes littered all over the floor and the sink. It finally sunk in that the note was probably not some prank. These children need help.
Megan asked the little girl again about her grandmother, and she guided her to a bedroom. An older woman was lying on the bed looking too pale for comfort, and as her eyes laid on Megan, she coughed, a sound that resonated in the entire house and seemed to last for a whole minute.
When the woman finally stopped coughing, Megan decided to explain herself quickly. “Ma’am, excuse me for coming in like this. But I bought this jacket and found a note inside.”
“Oh, thank God. Thank you for responding to the note. That’s so kind of you,” the older woman said, covering her mouth with a handkerchief but gesturing for Megan to move closer. “I made a huge effort yesterday to reach the shop, sell it, and buy something for my grandkids to eat. But I was afraid that my disease would progress, so I wrote the note, hoping that someone would see it and help.”
Megan was puzzled. “I don’t understand. Couldn’t you call any family to help out?”
“We don’t have anyone else, and I’ve had to spend my pension on medication that’s not working very well,” the older woman explained between intense bouts of coughing. “I’m sorry. I’m Erica, and I have chemical pneumonia. The doctors don’t know exactly how I got it, but they said it’s not contagious.”
“I’m Megan, and I just bought this jacket and decided to come. Do you need me to call 911 or something?” Megan moved closer to the older woman.
Erica shook her head, and tears gathered in her eyes. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t want my grandkids to end up in the system, but I feel so weak now. I don’t know if I’ll ever recover. I just needed someone to listen, I guess.”
Her actions didn’t make sense, but somehow, Megan understood the older woman’s plight. She was simply scared of dying and leaving her grandkids behind without any help. She grabbed Erica’s hand, nodding at her. “It’s going to be alright. You’re going to rest and get better.”
Erica looked directly into the younger woman’s eyes, and her tears finally came. Her mouth puckered in a painful expression, and she said, “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“I’ll be back,” Megan said, standing up from the bed and leaving the room.
The kids were right outside and stared up at her expectantly. “Ok, kids. My name is Megan, and we’re going to surprise your grandma! How about it?”
The children smiled, nodded their heads, and followed Megan around. She gave them easy tasks and did the complicated stuff herself, like cleaning the kitchen, putting dishes in the washer, and arranging everything.
Eventually, the house was livable, so she ordered them a pizza, then she Googled home remedies for Erica’s condition. At the least, she wanted to ease some of that terrible coughing so she prepared a refreshing, calming beverage for Erica from what she found in the kitchen.
Megan left their house that night, feeling great about helping out a strange family. She returned for several hours each day afterward. Erica was in bed for most of those days, and Megan worried about what steps to take for her grandchildren. But luckily, the older woman started getting better a week after Megan came around.
Soon enough, Erica was back on her feet and gave Megan the biggest hug in the world. “You’re a saint. You helped us although it really wasn’t your responsibility. You could’ve called CPS on me, and you didn’t. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Erica, sometimes, we all just need a little help. And next time you do, you don’t have to leave a note in a jacket. You can call me anytime,” Megan laughed, and Erica joined her.
They became close friends despite their age difference, and Megan always told this story to anyone who would listen.
What can we learn from this story?
Some people ask for help in the oddest ways. Erica didn’t have anyone to call for help, so she resorted to an odd method that worked, only because Megan was a kind soul. Always watch out for signs of someone calling for help.
Doing good can feel fantastic, so it’s great to do it often. After helping that family, Megan felt amazing and bragged about it often after.
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