True at Heart

Don’t you just enjoy waking up early in the morning feeling fresh and free of all stress every day? Well, I don’t! That sure must be nice though. My body is just a bucket full of stress, anxiety and depression 24/7. Life in 2021 can be all sorts of stressful. My name is Clara Everly, and welcome to my life, where I enjoy meme hunting, job searching, even though I’ve had my masters degree for three years, working at my meaningless job to pay the rent, and my student loan debt skyrocketing past Mars.

Today , started out like any other day. I woke up just so I had enough time to roll out of bed, take my dogs outside, heat a bagel up in the toaster, lather on the cream cheese, and dash out the door like some crazy lady trying to avoid people at the local grocery store. Oh wait, that’s me. Never mind. Any who, I was driving along my usual route today when I saw a black man holding a sign. He looked homeless with his ragged clothes, holey hat, and a sign made out of old cardboard. Now, I have been driving this same route for two years now, and I have never seen this man before. His sign said, ‘Give me $10 dollars and I will change your life.’ I thought that was an odd sign. I was going to give him the money, but I couldn’t be late for the morning meeting and I was already running late. I drove past him hoping I would see him after work on my way home.

Arriving at work, I had to deal with my shitty boss; a 60-year-old white guy, who thinks the world revolves around him, and that the women in the office should be at home taking care of babies. Yep, if I wasn’t a poor millennial and could find another decent paying job, I would quit in a heartbeat. So, I just suck it up and power through, and then go home every night and watch the only thing that makes me happy, Doctor Who.

As the day ended and 6 pm was rolling around on this fine Friday, my “lovely” boss called me to his office. He wanted to let me know that I needed to deliver a package tomorrow to a house by noon. As much as I was screaming in my head about having to work on Saturday, I couldn’t afford to get myself fired, so I sucked it up and powered through. Taking the package back to my desk, I grabbed my purse and phone, then headed out to my car. As I drove home, I began to look for the man I had seen earlier this morning in hopes that I could help him. Even though it is not much, I could spare $10 for someone who truly needed it. I finely spotted him sitting on the sidewalk with his sign. I almost missed him because it was fairly dark out.

I pulled my car over and rolled down the window and said, “Sir, would you still like that $10 you were asking for on your sign?”

He looked at me with shock and amazement. He stood up and walked over to my open window. The man smiled and said, “Miss, you are the only person who has stopped for me today, and I want to say thank you.”

I told him he was welcome and gave him the $10 bill. I even offered to take him to dinner at the diner we happened to be exchange conversation in front of. He turned me down, but he wanted to give me something else instead. I told him it was okay and that I didn’t need anything back. He said he insisted. He reached into his raggedy coat pocket and pulled out a small black notebook. He told me to take it and open it whenever I got home safe. We said our farewells, and I did as he asked.

As I parked my car in front of my apartment building, I wondered what was written inside. I picked it up off my seat and put it in my purse. After taking my dogs outside, I settled into my soft, grey couch and held the book in my hand. I opened it to the first page and the only thing written was an address. I flipped through all the pages of the book, nothing. What did this mean? I had so many questions. Now, you’re probably thinking, that a young woman like me should not be going to a random address listed in a little black book. Then you would be correct, but something in my gut told me to go.

The next morning, I was a bit more relaxed, until I realized it was 11:15 am and I had to make a delivery by noon. One day I’ll wake up on time. As I rushed out the door with the package and purse in hand, I had completely forgotten about the book. I rushed and made the delivery on-time, yea me, and sat back in my car. The book had fallen out of my purse onto the seat. I decided that I would put the address into google maps, and if it was within a 10 minute drive I would go, but if not, I would forget about it. As google maps loaded, the address happened to only be a 7 minute drive from my delivery. I was now filled with anxiety and a tad bit scared. I told myself, “what the hell, why not?” I drove to the address it gave. To my complete surprise, I pulled up to a beautiful mansion home at the end of a cul-de-sac. I was still scared, but I sucked it up and powered through.

I got out of my car and walked up to the door. I wrung the bell, and a maid answered the door. She asked who I was and what I was doing there. I told her I was given the little black book by a homeless man and the address was listed inside. She told me to come in. The house inside was even more gorgeous on the inside. She lead me to a study. She told me to wait here and she would get the owner of the house. As I waited, I looked at amazement at the beautiful study.

From behind me a voice said, “My maid said that you have brought me a book with my address in it?”

I turned around to answer the man, and said “Yes, I….did.”

I stared at the man for a minute for he looked quite familiar. After a minute I realized that this man standing in front of me, dressed in a polished and expensive blue suit, and clean shaven, was the homeless man I had given $10 to the previous night. I tried to speak, but words just stumbled out of my mouth.

He laughed and said, “I guess you realize who I am now.”

I shook my head yes, unable to speak still. He walked over and sat in the chair behind the desk and asked me to take a seat as well.

In a calm, soothing voice he said, “I bet your wondering what the hell’s going on right now.”

Finally able to respond I said, “Yes I am. Your were homeless last night, but now you live here. I don’t understand.”

He let out a chuckle and said, “First miss, tell me your name.”

“Clara Everly sir,” I sad with a shaky voice.

“Well then Miss Clara, let me tell you why you are here.”

“To begin, my name is William Thomas, and I own one of the most powerful companies in this city, Riverdon Technologies. I built my company from the ground up, and as a black man, I had to work harder than most. But with great determination, I was able to achieve my dream. As a multi-millionaire I have plenty of money, but I was raised by one of the most generous and strong black woman I have ever met in my life, my mother Cecilia. After my father passed when I was 10, she had to work even harder so that I could one day achieve my own goals. I decided that I would not only donate to many different charities, I would also seek out individuals who were true at heart and offer them money, so that they too could one day achieve their dreams. So I came up with many different ways to seek out people true at heart, but what better way than to see who would be willing to give $10 to a homeless black man.”

He paused for a minute to drink from his glass of water then continued.

“You see, you passed my test, and you are here so that I may offer you $20,000. What say you?”

I stared at the man with such amazement, and I even think my mouth was open. I thought about what he said for a moment, but there was now way I could let someone just give me free money, even though I could surely use it.

So I said, “As much as I appreciate the generous offer, I cannot just take money from you sir. My parents taught me to work hard for what I want in life. I cannot lie, that money would be of great help, but I can’t accept. I am sorry sir.”

Your probably thinking I’m the craziest person for turning down free money, and $20,000 at that, but in my heart I could not accept such a gift for free.

Mr. Thomas looked at me with gentle eyes and said, “Well, you would have to pass my second test, which you already have, so now you must accept.”

“Second test sir?,” I said with a confused tone.

“The second test was to see if you would accept my offer or not. Most people would leap at the chance for that money, but a person true of heart would decline it. Miss Clara, I can see you are true of heart and I absolutely insist that you take this check for $20,000 and do with as you see fit,” he said with a kind smile.

I smiled at him and I did as he told. I took the check and just stared at it. We both stood up and he motioned me to the door. Neither of us said a word as we walked to the front door. Before he could get a word out I gave him the biggest hug I had ever given anyone. I began to tear up as I hugged this kind and generous man. We said our goodbyes and I thanked him for the last time. As I sat in my car, I was still in amazement.

I drove home knowing I had this money, but I also felt relief for the first time in my life. The presence of the money helped, but it was the first time I felt like I had been truly seen for the person I was by Mr. Thomas. He helped me see myself in a positive light and not for the total mess I felt like all the time. I realized that even though I was a crazy millennial, had student loan debt, and mental health issues, but through it all I was always the person I wanted to be, true at heart. One day I will hope to pay it forward, as it was done for me. That’s my story of my crazy life and how I came to realize who I was at heart. So go out everyday and always be your true and authentic self, and one day kindness may find you as it did me. For you never know when you too will find out who you truly are at heart.