A rich black man named David helped a blind old man in an airport. David had no idea who the old black man was, and what happened afterward left him in great shock. The situation at the airport was noisy and disorienting, especially for first-time travelers, but not for someone like David. As the state general manager of one of the biggest law firms in the country, he was accustomed to frequent air travel for numerous business meetings and conferences. That particular day, David was on his way to the National Association of Lawyers’ annual conference in another state capital.
The 36-year-old rich attorney was sitting in the airport lounge reading a newspaper while waiting for his flight when he glanced up and saw an old and shabbily dressed man walking into the airport lounge. The old man was clearly blind, as he wore dark shades and carried a walking cane in his right hand. He was struggling to make his way through the maze of people. On the old man’s left shoulder was slung a small traveling bag that was even more shabby-looking than his clothing.
David glanced around; everyone else in the airport was too engrossed in their phones, magazines, or personal chats to even notice the blind man, let alone help him. A wave of empathy for the old blind man surged through David at once. Yes, he was rich, but he had a humble background, and his poor parents had inculcated the spirit of kindness and humility in him.
So without thinking twice, David got up from his seat, strode over to the blind man, and offered to help him to his seat. The blind man smiled at David and accepted his offer with a “Thank you.” David gently held the old man’s frail right hand and carefully led him to a seat. He sat beside the old man, and the duo got talking at once.
The old man, Michael, told David that he was on his way to his nephew and godson Pat’s wedding in a faraway city. Pat had paid for Michael’s flight to save the blind old man from the hassles of traveling on such a long trip by train or bus.
According to Michael, he would spend only three days with Pat before flying back to the city. As the two men talked further, David felt an instant connection to Michael with each passing second. Soon enough, David’s flight departure time was called on the airport’s public announcement system, so he had to promptly leave to catch his flight, but not before exchanging contacts with Michael and promising to visit him once he came back to the city.
David indeed visited Michael on his return, just like he had promised. You won’t believe what he discovered about the old blind man’s true identity.
David was born into a poor black family. His father, Jonathan, was a manual laborer, while his mom, Rachel, was a lowly paid cleaner. David had three younger siblings. Though the couple was poor, they worked really hard to provide their four kids with the necessities of life. David and his siblings cherished their parents and appreciated their sacrifices. The family was a textbook example of a poor but happy and contented one.
David wasn’t an exceptionally brilliant student who excelled in school right from his childhood days. He majored in arts while in high school and was able to top his classes. But Jonathan and Rachel called David aside one night after dinner when he was in his senior year in high school. They bluntly told him that they couldn’t afford to see him through college. This moment of truth dealt a heavy blow to the young aspiring David, who dreamt of graduating from college and becoming a lawyer someday.
Luckily for David, though, the school authorities soon announced that a wealthy and popular lawyer named Barrister John, who was an alumnus of the high school he attended, had met with the school board. John had pledged to start offering a full scholarship program to the best graduating arts student every academic year, starting with that particular session. David was elated at the news. He saw the scholarship program as his only hope of achieving his lifelong dream, so he studied extremely hard to win the scholarship.
The final exams came and went, and David was happy with himself, knowing he had done his very best. However, he was worried that Helen, another brilliant student, might win the scholarship. Finally, it was the graduation day ceremony, and the hall was filled to the brim with dignitaries, parents, staff, and students alike. The principal, Mr. Richards, mounted the stage for the awaited announcement at the tail end of the ceremony. When it came to the art category, David’s heart started beating so fast and loud. This was it or nothing, David anxiously thought. It was either he won the scholarship and proceeded to achieve his lifelong dream of becoming an attorney, or he went back home with nothing, a scenario that would certainly mean he would start searching for menial jobs to make a living.
David was still deep in thought when the principal called out the best graduating art student. David was stunned. He was still trying to recover from his shock when he heard his name ring out from the loudspeakers: “David Jackson.” There was an eruption of thunderous applause and cheers from the crowd as David slowly and nervously walked to the stage to shake the principal’s hand and receive a certificate.
Some of the guests even stood on their feet to catch a better glimpse of the little star in the making. The young, handsome Barrister John, who was undoubtedly in his early 30s, was standing by Mr. Richards, eager to congratulate the boy who had just won a scholarship program. John was dressed in an immaculate, white, expensive tailor-made three-piece suit and smiling from ear to ear as he shook David’s hand, whispering, “Congratulations, my boy,” into his ears.
“Thank you, sir,” was all that the dazed-looking David managed to reply to both the principal and the barrister. That was how David proceeded to one of the most prestigious colleges in the country to study law. He was just 19 then. His benefactor, John, provided him with everything he needed to be comfortable. They rarely met in person as David’s patron was always too busy, but they frequently spoke on the phone. John never refused anything David asked for; he even had a tendency of sending David more money than he asked for. With time, David grew to cherish John, whom he came to see as a role model and second father.
While in college, David shunned every other extracurricular activity to dedicate himself to his studies. Time flew by, and four years later, David graduated from college as a top student in his law program, much to the delight of his family and John, who attended his graduation. David proceeded to law school, where he honed his skills as a lawyer and distinguished himself as an outstanding and brilliant student. Three years later, David finally qualified as a certified lawyer. The boy born without a silver spoon had finally realized his lifelong dream of becoming a lawyer through sheer hard work, grit, and determination. Of course, he couldn’t have done it without the support of John.
Upon graduating from law school at 26, David had initially planned to work for his patron’s law firm. John had made the offer while David was still in college, and he had accepted it without hesitation. However, barely a week after finishing law school, David received a lucrative job offer from one of the biggest law firms in the country. The firm offered triple the salary package John had proposed, along with an expensive SUV, an official apartment, and a host of other perks. Although David would have loved to work for his mentor, this offer was far too enticing to pass up, so he accepted it. Fortunately, John had no issues whatsoever with his decision.
Two years after David began working with the second firm, he lost all contact with John as all his phone numbers stopped working. David exhausted every possible means to locate him, but all his efforts were in vain. Just when he was beginning to worry that something bad had happened to his benefactor, David heard from a colleague that John was hale and healthy. The colleague had run into him at the airport in another country. David believed that John would someday reach out to explain his sudden disappearance. Until then, he still held the man in high regard. However, years passed, and David never heard from his mentor. Still, not a day went by without David thinking of him and wishing him well in his endeavors.
In his workplace, David excelled. Thanks to his successful career, he completely changed his family’s once-hopeless situation. They now all lived in a well-furnished apartment. David also took responsibility for his siblings’ education. With his intelligence and outstanding performance, David quickly rose through the ranks. Within four years, he was promoted to the city’s branch manager, and six years later, he became the firm’s state general manager. David was just 36 years old then, and his already humongous salary almost tripled. It was in that capacity as his firm’s state general manager that David met the old blind Michael at the airport.
Once he was back from the conference, David made good on his promise and visited Michael on a late Sunday afternoon. Michael was so happy to see David. Once he opened the door, after warmly greeting him with a hug, Michael took David’s right hand and led him into his dining area with the help of his walking stick. David noticed immediately when he stepped into Michael’s home that the old man’s living conditions were rather basic, but his apartment was also quite clean. Michael served David a meal he had specifically prepared by himself for the big occasion, as he called David’s visit. After the delicious meal, washed down with tall glasses of homemade smoothie, both men got talking.
It was during the conversation that David discovered something truly astonishing about Michael’s true identity. David began the conversation by asking Michael why he chose to live alone despite being blind. Michael explained that his nephew and godson Pat had offered to have him move in, but he
didn’t want to be a burden to anyone, so he declined the offer and learned to survive on his own. Pat sent him a monthly allowance, which, although not large, was decent enough to cover his basic needs.
David then asked Michael if he had ever married. The old man remained silent for a long while as if he were trying to remember something. According to his story, Michael wasn’t born blind. He told David that he was doing quite well for himself and was married with a son until he was struck by glaucoma and lost his sight. Michael further disclosed that he had tried his very best to restore his vision, but all his efforts had been in vain. David offered some words of consolation for his blindness. Then he asked the old man about his career and what happened to his wife and son.
Michael remained silent for a while before he suddenly blurted out, “I… I was a rich lawyer just like yourself. My son Johnson followed in my footsteps and became a rich and famous lawyer too, but he and my wife Nancy made away with all my remaining fortunes once I went blind.”
“Your son Johnson is a rich and famous lawyer?” David asked Michael, with shock written all over his face.
“Yes,” the old man replied.
David then went ahead to describe everything about his old patron for Michael. Then he asked the blind man, “Is that the son you’re talking about?”
“Yes,” Michael simply replied.
David collapsed back into his seat in utter shock. Johnson, his benefactor who sponsored him through college and law school and indirectly made him a wealthy and influential lawyer, was Michael’s son. Most shockingly, Johnson had made off with his blind father’s fortunes in connivance with his mother. David then recalled losing all contact with Johnson several years ago. He also remembered hearing through the grapevine that Johnson had ceased the scholarship program and moved to another state.
“Your son Johnson was actually my patron who sponsored my full scholarship from college to law school,” David almost screamed in shock and confusion at Michael.
“I see,” was all the old blind man replied.
Michael’s short reply both surprised and confused David, so he continued in a tone that he had already employed in the courtroom to win countless cases, “I’m not doubting your story, sir, but it’s quite hard to believe that your son, who is rich enough to sponsor such a costly scholarship program, would make away with his old blind father’s fortunes.”
Michael let out a short laugh before he answered David with a smile spread across his wrinkled but handsome face, “I can see that you’re a very good lawyer, but I forgot to tell you something,” Michael said softly. “I was the one that actually sponsored the scholarship program in my son Johnson’s name.”
As Michael said those words, David felt like he was about to collapse. He was simply stunned beyond words. Michael then further explained to David that he was an alumnus of the high school he attended, just like Johnson was. He had always dreamed of sponsoring a scholarship program at his alma mater, but because of his unassuming and quiet nature, he had chosen to do that in Johnson’s name.
David was flabbergasted. So this old blind man was the one who made him who he was and not even Johnson, as he had always thought. It was quick and spontaneous, but without thinking twice, just like he had done the very first time he sighted Michael at the airport, David got up and reached out to Michael. Then he knelt before him, kissed his forehead, and started thanking him profusely for all he did for him. A visibly moved Michael told David to get up off his knees and then hugged him tightly, telling him that he deserved the scholarship. The two men remained entangled in the tight embrace for what seemed like ages, with David trying his very best to hold back his tears.
David finally left Michael’s home, but not before he vowed to do everything within his power to bring Johnson and his mom to justice. As the well-connected and rich lawyer that he was, it didn’t even take David more than three days to find a private investigator to handle the mission he had in mind. The private investigator’s name was Dan, and he was the best in the business. David paid Dan handsomely and gave him all the information he got from Michael about Johnson and Nancy. Dan’s job was simple: he was to track down Johnson and Nancy and alert David about their whereabouts. Dan immediately got to work.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, and there was no positive feedback from Dan. Meanwhile, David placed Michael on a handsome monthly allowance and visited him almost every weekend. The blind old man was like David’s second father.
Then, about four months later, David was increasingly getting frustrated with Dan’s slow progress and was thinking of reassigning the job to another private investigator when his phone rang one evening. It was Dan calling. The private investigator went down to business at once and informed David that he had tracked Johnson and Nancy down to a lonely suburb of a backwater city in another state. David immediately sprang into action. He pulled some strings and contacted someone he knew in the city who contacted the cops.
Two days after Dan’s discovery, a police patrol car was speeding down to the house Johnson and Nancy were hiding in. Mother and son were arrested and repatriated to Michael’s home state to face charges of fraud. David represented Michael during the court proceedings, where Johnson and Nancy finally confessed to stealing and eloping with Michael’s $78 million after he went blind. They returned the $55 million they still had and were each sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison for fraud.
Michael tightly hugged David after the final ruling and kept crying into his ears, “You’ve paid my sacrifices back tenfold, my dear son.”
“Thank you, my beloved father,” David replied with a smile.
David couldn’t believe that just one act of kindness had led him to his real benefactor. He was glad that he was able to get justice for a man who had improved the lives of many families by sponsoring the education of their children. Through him, many had dared to dream. It’s a shame that such a kind man could have ended up living in pain and loneliness for the rest of his life if David hadn’t come to the rescue.
While Johnson and his mom served their sentence, David took Michael on trips to beautiful places. Although the old man couldn’t see any of them, he was simply glad to be traveling around with someone who truly loved and respected him.
