The man in the Wheelchair

 

“Son, can you drive me to the mini market to buy some eggs?” “Certainly mom”, this young man never refused any of his mom's requests. What a strong woman she was! In her early 20s, she was thrown on the train tracks after being held up. Having to live without a limb was not an easy task for her, however, she had more life in her than people who had two legs.

As they reached the mini market on this rainy day, they saw a relatively young man in a wheelchair trying to go up the steep street. He looked as if he were in his mid-30s. “Son, can you push my chair up the street? My arms are tired and because of the rain my chair feels like it weighs a ton”. How could they say no to this man? Better than pushing the chair up the street, the mother and her son decided to drive the man in the wheelchair home. For a person with two legs, walking to his house would be tiring, but not as hard.

During the drive, he told them his story. “I was in a motorcycle accident and one of my legs had to be amputated. I was abandoned by my family and the government won't give me a pension because they say I can still work behind a desk. However, no one will hire me. I sell these key chains,” he took them out of his pocket and showed it to them, “there is a man who gives me them so that I can support myself . I make enough money to pay for the room I live in and still pay a bit of child support; I have a young daughter”.

The mother’s and son’s eyes started to well up. “ I  have also lost a leg but decided to use crutches to help me walk instead of a chair”, replied the mother. “You were quite lucky crutches hurt my armpits. I was blessed to be given this chair. I leave my room early in the morning and stay out selling my key chains all day long. That's when I return home, but today, because of the rain, I didn't sell so many and decided to come home a bit earlier. Wouldn´t want to catch a cold.”

When they reached the house where he rented, he thanked them and asked the son to choose a keychain for he wanted to give him a gift. “That's OK, you don't have to pay me”. “I know that. I want to give you a gift. I cannot pay you for your kindness. Kindness is priceless”. After choosing a keychain, helping the man get out of the car and into his wheelchair, as they were saying goodbye the mother asked him whether people usually helped him out. “Not really. I usually don't ask but something told me I had to ask you”.

 

Written: December 8, 2022 - a true story that happened to a dear friend of mine and her son.

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