What Was The Boy Doing?
The last customers left the store, and he stood by the counter, glad to see the day coming to an end. His eyes were drawn to the boy hunched over a tablet at one of the many electronic stalls around.
His curiosity led him to approach him, and he eased around the counter. Seeing what the boy did left him speechless.
A Passion Worth Pursuing
Tyson was your average twenty-two-year-old boy living in Houston, Texas. A lover of everything technology, he’d worked hard to earn a place at the University of Texas, studying computer science.
During his first and second years, Tyson made a name for himself as the boy who could fix any broken machine across campus. By the third year, he'd attracted the attention of even the professors, a feat that would change his life for good.
He Is Gifted
As Tyson cleared his third year, the school invited him to attend one of the biggest technological expos in Brazil. He would be flying alongside a select number of students, each with unique gifts such as him.
Of course, Tyson agreed. A trip out of the United States was something he'd always dreamed of. He had no idea what was waiting for him across the Atlantic Ocean.
Hello, Brazil
The trip to Brazil was magnificent. The people, food, and culture took Tyson and his classmates by storm, pulling them into the best weekend they'd ever had.
When the tech expo started the following week, Tyson was all but ready to experience more of what the country had to offer. But what he got wasn't what he expected.
The Program
As part of their experience at the tech expo, the organizers awarded Tyson and his classmates a chance to work as electronics experts in a store in the city.
The position came with paid time, although the responsibilities were negligible. The program's focus was to immerse international students into Brazil's tech scene, which Tyson found very interesting. This is where the life-altering incident would occur.
Getting Down To Work
Tyson and his classmates started their hours with fiery zeal. Alongside them were some students from Europe, Africa, and Asia, making the experience even more engaging.
The first day came to a swift end. The experience was eye-opening, but Tyson noticed something that made his brows draw close as the second day started.
The Start Of An Awing Mystery
A boy no less than ten years old stood before one of the tablets on display at the shop. He wasn't merely admiring the gadget but scrolling through it.
Tyson didn't mind it since browsing through an electronic to test its potency before buying was regular. But then the boy was too young to buy any of the electronics in the store by himself.
A True Enigma
The boy spent a few minutes on the tablet and walked away. But he showed up the next day, taking the same amount of time with the tablet before disappearing again.
On the third day, Tyson's last day at the store, he didn't show up. Tyson had run through the tablet's settings to see if the boy had tampered with anything, but the gadget was fine. So what was he doing?
Evening
As the day neared evening, Tyson returned to his post behind the counter. He was convinced the boy wouldn't be returning that day, and the thought itself tore his mind apart.
Customers began vacating the premises, but as Tyson got ready to call it a day, he looked up to find the boy using the tablet.
His Chance Presents Itself
Knowing this was his chance to get to the bottom of this mystery, Tyson rushed to him. He's spent the last two days obsessing over what such a young boy could be doing in the store all by his lonesome.
He’d tried to formulate theories that would put his mind at ease, but he had nothing to go on. Nothing about the situation made sense, and he thought he'd lose his mind if he didn't get to the bottom of it.
Getting To The Bottom Of It
Now that a chance had presented itself, Tyson would embrace it with open arms. He hurried to the boy, only slowing once he was near enough so he wouldn’t spook him.
As he got closer, he noted new aspects about the boy that he'd been too far to see. But everything that he saw only made the situation more incomprehensible.
New Information
Tyson noted that the boy was writing on a book alongside scrolling a webpage on the tablet. He was engrossed in the activity and barely noticed Tyson looming behind him.
When Tyson tapped his shoulder, he whirled around, heaving as if he'd been woken from a deep sleep. But what was he doing that he'd be so lost in it?
The Truth Is Laid Bare
Tyson gestured for him to hand over the tablet, and the boy did, taking a step back and holding his book and pen against his chest.
Tyson ran his sight up and down the tablet, immediately realizing what the boy was doing. His lips parted, and he looked at the boy who stood quietly before him with furrowed brows.
A Heart-Breaking Reality
"You were doing your homework here?" Tyson asked in his barely comprehensible Portuguese. The boy nodded, explaining that his school had given them a lot of work that needed internet research.
Since he couldn't access the internet at home or in his neighborhood, he'd been coming to the store to spend at least twenty minutes researching. But that wasn’t all.
The Important Question
The boy revealed that he'd been spending a lot of time commuting to the shop as he lived far. His homework was almost due, and he was afraid he wouldn't finish it in time.
Intrigued by everything unraveling before him, Tyson asked the important questions. Where did the boy live that he made it here so late?
Where He Comes From
The boy explained where he came from, and something became clear at that very moment. The boy did indeed come from far, trekking for miles across the bustling city to get to the shop.
He'd explained that he didn't take the bus here or a taxi and was doing it all by foot and that alone opened another can of worms that withered Tyson's insides.
A Messy Affair
The thought of the boy crossing countless busy streets as he hurried to the shop made Tyson's anxiety shoot through the roof. He knew how unsafe cities were, especially for kids.
This boy's issue was even more harrowing as he was making the trip to and from the shop, leaving the shop in the evening as Tyson and his team were closing up. This was a messy affair.
A Heartbreaking Story
Tyson's heart broke as he heard the boy's story. He had a little brother back home, and imagine him crossing through the streets at odd hours so that he could do his homework.
The boy kept talking, and as his words continued to dig through Tyson, a realization washed over him. He had to do something to help, or this trip would have been for nothing.
Making Work Easier
"The main reason we have electronics in the world, computers, tablets, and smartphones is that we can make work easier," Tyson said, recalling the moment.
"We engage these machines because we need help. Life without them can feel suffocating, especially in this age where everything necessitates their usage." He would do something for the boy, leaving everyone at the store speechless.
This Is The Way
Smiling at the boy, Tyson asked him to follow him back to his station. He asked the young fella how good he was with the tablet, to which the boy only grinned.
Seeing himself in the boy, Tyson mirrored his grin with a bright smile. He looked at the tablet's make and price. It was apparent what he was about to do.
Let’s Buy It!
Tyson had already decided to buy the boy the tablet. But before taking such a drastic step, he had a few hoops to jump over.
He'd already taken care of the first, ensuring the boy could use the gadget. But as he looked through the machine, he realized he was about to make a grave mistake.
This Won’t Do
Tyson checked the machine repeatedly to ensure that what he was staring at was factually correct. But everything before him was as clear as day.
The tablet was not only a very old version of the ones in the market but also ran on outdated software. As someone steeped in the best technology could offer, Tyson could let this pass over him.
Up The Chain Of Command
Checking his watch to ensure he still had time, he asked the boy to wait for him at the counter and rushed into the back offices to look for his supervisor.
He found him, quickly explaining that he wanted to buy the latest version of the tablet if the shop had it in stock. The supervisor's answer would break his heart.
Coming Clean
The supervisor listened carefully before asking Tyson why he wanted to buy the tablet. Tyson came clean, explaining everything that had been happening for the week he'd been at the store.
He pointed at the boy waiting for him and said he wouldn't leave Brasil until that boy received the help he needed. Nothing could've prepared him for his supervisor's answer.
A Hoax
The supervisor told Tyson that such cases were common in their city. There could be a high chance that this was a hoax by the boy, who was scoping out the shop for some unsavory individuals looking to make a quick score.
He explained a similar incident some years back, hoping Tyson would call off his quest. But, of course, none of it worked.
Where It All Started For Him
Tyson had seen the boy's homework and felt his need to work on the tablet as the minutes counted. He had seen how frantic he was, knowing the shop was about to close and he hadn't finished his homework.
Tyson knew that feeling well. That need to have a computer to make everything easier made him start fixing them. As a kid, he'd found an old, broken one at a yard sale that needed fixing and had to teach himself to bring it back to life.
He’s Still Buying It
Tyson thanked the supervisor for his view but insisted he'd still be buying the tablet. But the supervisor informed him that even if the machine was available, and the boy's story was true, the price tag on the tablet wasn't small.
Tyson wasn't the most well-off kid in school, but he'd saved a few bucks from fixing computers all over campus. That money would finally find good use.
Those Can Wait
"I was saving it for the new-gen Xbox or a PlayStation, but that can wait," he shared. He told his supervisor that he had some cash on him, an amount that would help solve the boy's issue.
Seeing how determined he was, the supervisor decided to hear him out. He would share a few things that would show Tyson how complicated the matter truly was.
More Problems
The supervisor told Tyson that although the shop had the latest version of the tablet in stock, the kid would still need a stable internet connection to operate it.
Given the neighborhood he was from, this would be a big problem. But Tyson was still adamant, finally prompting the supervisor to show his true colors.
The Extra Mile
"Fine," the supervisor said, and Tyson bought the tablet for the boy. But the supervisor chipped in to buy him a portable WiFi router for a good internet connection.
He also shared the story on social media, snarring the attention of a tech company that stepped in to buy the boy a year's worth of internet subscription while also starting an internet installation program in his neighborhood. Truly, a good deed deserves another! Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.