A boy goes to a flea market to buy old music cassettes, but he takes pity on an old man selling an old suitcase, and this act of kindness changes his life.
Martin Farmer’s life was not easy and contained few pleasures. He was only seventeen, but he already carried a heavy burden of responsibility. His mother was ill, and his father had died two years before, leaving him as the man of the house.
Shortly afterwards, a motorcycle accident left Martin with a serious injury to his left leg, ending his brilliant football career, when he was relying on football to pay for his studies…
Since he didn’t have much money, Martin worked every day after school and all day Saturday to make ends meet and help pay for his mother’s medication. Every now and then, he would take $5 from his savings and go to the local flea market to look for old music cassettes from the ’80s and ’90s.
These monthly visits to the flea market were his only pleasure, his only pastime. That Sunday, Martin was recovering from a particularly difficult week. He had worked hard, but his mother’s medical bills had arrived in the mail.
His weekly wages weren’t enough to support them, Martin knew. He and his mother had a heated discussion on Saturday night. He wanted to leave school and work full time, but his mother didn’t agree.
This morning he got up early, made her breakfast, and then went to the flea market. In order to stop thinking about his problems for a few hours.
Martin’s leg was injured in a motorcycle accident | Source: Unsplash
It was a beautiful morning and the fair was full of people rummaging through trash and other people’s treasures, and Martin headed toward a particular vendor he knew well.
He was standing by the man’s table, rummaging through a treasure trove of old cassettes when an old man came over and set down a pile of old bags and suitcases next to it. The man immediately began advertising his products:
“Suitcases, bags and briefcases!” he shouted in his old, broken voice, “Five dollars each, the best deal of your life!”
A woman passing by stopped, looked, and sniffed. “Old junk, that’s what you got! There’s so much mold on that suitcase it’ll probably fall apart!”
Martin’s mother was sick and her medication was very expensive | Source: Unsplash
“Go ahead, lady!” the old man called out. “Help an old man! I’m getting rid of my old treasures and I could really use the money! Times are hard…”
Another man came by and kicked a briefcase. “Old man, I wouldn’t give a dollar for that piece of trash! You’re not going to sell anything!”
Miracles happen where and when you least expect them.
The old man shook his head. “You’re wrong. The right person will come along, because this suitcase is full of hope,” he said. “It looks like a suitcase, but I promise you it could make your dreams come true.”
Martin smiled. He turned to the man and said, “I could use a lot of hope right now! How much does it cost to make a dream come true?”
Martin went to the flea market to look for music cassettes | Source: Pexels
“Young man,” the old man said, smiling happily. “This beauty is 100% real leather, made in the 1930s, and it’s yours for only $5!”
Smiling, Martin digs into his pocket for his single $5 bill and hands it to the man. “Here you go,” he says.
The man smiled widely, and he grabbed Martin’s hand. “You’re a good boy,” he said. “And you deserve what you get!”
Martin laughed, picked up the old suitcase that was much heavier than he had imagined, and waved a regretful goodbye to the musician. He promised “next time” and went home for lunch.
Martin took pity on an old man who sold suitcases | Source: Pexels
When he got home, his mother immediately complained about the suitcase. “Martin! Did you have to buy junk? We’ve had enough of it! Put it in the garage or it’ll fill the house with dust!”
Martin obediently carried the suitcase into the garage. He was about to put it on an old table when he felt once again that it was very heavy. He opened the suitcase and was surprised to see that it was filled with packages wrapped in newspaper.
Curious, he tore open the newspaper and discovered a wad of $20 bills! Martin quickly unwrapped the other packages. There was only money! Thousands of dollars, hundreds of thousands of dollars!
Martin called his mother screaming and she came running. She was speechless at the sight of the piles of money. She didn’t complain about the dust…
Martin gave the old man his last five dollars | Source: Pexesl
That night, Martin and his mother counted and recounted the money. There was $300,000! “There’s enough for medical bills, and medications…” Martin said.
“Oh, and for college,” Martin’s mother said. “And maybe then we can pay the mortgage…”
“But Mom,” Martin said softly. “That’s not our money. The man sold me that suitcase for five dollars and he looked very poor. I’m sure he didn’t know about the money.”
Mrs. Farmer carefully put all the money back into the old suitcase. “In that case, you must find him, Martin,” she said. “And give it all back to him.
“Put it in the garage or it will fill the house with dust!” | Source: Unsplash
For the next three weeks, Martin haunted street markets and flea markets looking for the old man, but he was nowhere to be found. Then one day, he saw him at a bus stop, carrying another old suitcase.
“Wait!” Martin shouted. “Listen, remember me? You sold me an old suitcase? I have to give it back!”
“Give it back?” the old man asks. “I don’t want it back!”
“Please, you don’t understand,” Martin said. “The suitcase was full of money, your money!”
Martin couldn’t believe what he found in the suitcase | Source: Pexels
The old man laughed. “I know!” he said. “Remember what I told you? The suitcase was full of hope and it can make dreams come true. That’s what it’s for. Use it well.”
The old man turned and started to walk away, but Martin ran after him. “But I thought you were poor!”
The man smiled. “No, my son. I am a man who has spent his whole life earning money and now I find that I have more than anyone should have. So I give it to those who are kind enough to help those in need. And that’s you!”
Martin went home and told his mother the story of the old man. They decided to use the money to help him recover and pay for his college, and from that day on, they included the man with the suitcase in their prayers.
What can we learn from this story?
- Miracles happen where and when you least expect them . Martin and his mother were at the end of their rope when they found the money in the suitcase.
- Acts of kindness are always rewarded . Martin spent his precious $5 to help a man he thought was poorer than him and received a gift that made his dreams come true.
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