Super Dad
Jacob's son was his pride and joy, that was why he was known in his family as a super dad. Jacob gave his son everything. He wanted him to be happy and healthy and he would stop at nothing to make sure he was. Everything was going well for the two of them until Jacob got fined for a sticker that was on his truck. This then resulted in his son's suspension.
Jacob was beside himself with anger. He went to the court with one goal in mind.
Typical Monday Morning
It started off like any other Monday morning. Jacob got up early and drove his son to school. The two of them were singing along to their favorite songs as they approached the campus, but that was when they heard the police sirens that stopped them in place.
It was like a scene out of a movie as school staff members began walking towards the, alerted by the sounds of the sirens.
Sorting It Out
Jacob stopped his care and quickly got out of it, telling his son to stay inside while he sorted out the situation. He greeted the officer with a friendly smile and asked him what was going on. The officer informed him that he had been fined and that he was expected to appear in court on Tuesday.
Jacob tried his best to keep the situation contained. Without a fight, he accepted the papers from the officer and tried to calm the situation as onlookers stared with surprised expressions. Things were slowly getting out of hand.
Helping His Son
When the officer left the scene, Jacob made his way to the passenger seat and smiled at his son, getting ready to drop him off at school peacefully. His plan was to get his son in school before he tried to figure out what on earth he was getting fined for.
He walked his son to the school's entrance when the principal caught up to him. What he said to Jacob made his blood begin to boil.
He Insisted
The principal informed Jacob that his son would not have to attend school for the day. He grew irritated as he insisted that there was no reason for his son to stay home from school. But the principal wasn't listening.
He didn't want to listen to Jacob, forcing him to take his son back to his truck. He had no idea what to do next.
Wit's End
Jacob was furious as he drove off with his son in his truck. He had to be at work in thirty minutes and no one was home to watch his son, who would take care of him while he was at work. Jacob now had yet another glaring problem to solve.
Jacob was unable to bring his son to work with him but he was also unable to leave him at home by himself. He was at his wit's end when he suddenly got an amazing idea.
Brilliant Plan
He already knew he was going to be late for work, but he came up with a wonderful idea to deal with this immediate problem. He knew just who to call when he needed someone who could look after his youngster.
He quickly called his parents, lucky for him, they lived just down the road. They loved spending time with their grandson. He knew that they would be happy to look after him until the workday was over.
Late For Work
As he had anticipated, his parents were delighted to take care of his son. He left him off at their home and then returned to his truck to retrieve the document the police had given him.
His eyebrows set into a stern frown as he skimmed through the paper. He was late for work and he didn't have the time to wrap his head around the ridiculous situation and to see what the commotion was all about.
Thinking About It All Day
He sighed and set the papers aside, rolling his eyes as he drove to work. He wondered why on earth the officer decided to pull him over in the first place. He couldn't stop thinking about it while at work. He was confused. He didn’t have any outstanding tickets and rarely broke traffic rules.
As the day came to an end, Jacob reached for the papers once again. Now he had the time to read through all of it slowly. If his brows had furrowed earlier, now they knitted with rage.
The Sticker
Jacob read it several times in an effort to understand it. He questioned whether he was misinterpreting something. He was furious about it. The sticker on the back of his truck was apparently the reason he was receiving a fine.
The situation for him and his son got worse when the officer acted out in the worst possible circumstances without even bothering to inquire as to why he had the sticker in the first place.
Going Home
Jacob picked up his son, thanked his parents, and drove home. That night, he sat with his wife, discussing the paper's contents.
His wife told him to appear in court as instructed, and although Jacob was still furious, he agreed with her view. Furthermore, he saw going to court as the perfect setup for getting his revenge.
Plan In Action
Tuesday afternoon could not have arrived any sooner. Jacob was ready and so was his son. He made his way to the courthouse with his head held high, for he knew that the entire situation was ridiculous and even disappointing.
Patiently waiting, Jacob watched as the judge ruled over several speeding tickets cases until his turn finally arrived.
The Time Is Now
In minutes, Jacob’s name was called, and the two stood up and made their way to the podium. The judge began by stating that the sticker on his vehicle was misinforming and even a form of mockery of the current president.
He informed Jacob that the sticker had already received complaints from Jacob’s neighbors. As the judge continued talking, anger welled within Jacob. His grip tightened on the edges of the podium table, and he got ready to speak.
Read The Sign
Jacob began by asking his son to read the sticker, barely maintaining his composure. “Let’s go Brandon,” his son spoke.
The judge looked at him, trying to understand what he was doing by including his son in this situation. Jacob then looked at his son and asked something that made the entire courthouse silent.
The Big Reveal
“Brandon, son, how does that sign make you feel?” Jacob spoke confidently. Brandon answered with a huge smile on his face, “It makes me feel really happy.”
The whole courthouse stared at the two in awe, already feeling bad about the hassle they had been put through. Jacob then resumed by addressing the Judge.
All For The Nomination
“Your Honor, my son wanted to be nominated as class president but wasn’t feeling confident enough,” he said. “I made sure that Brandon and everyone else knew that he could do it.”
The judge’s expression shifted from what it’d been at the beginning of the session. The judge then said a few words that shocked everyone, including little Brandon.
A Few Words
The judge spoke directly to Brandon, telling him exactly what the sticker read “Let’s Go Brandon!”. The judge then went on to apologize to the two for the misconception and let Brandon know that he will be one of his biggest supporters for the nomination, making the whole courthouse swoon.
The two left the courthouse that day with dropped charges, but that was not near being the end of things.
Report On It
After getting back home, Jacob shared his story on social media with the picture of the sticker. The story quickly made headlines with people getting their own stickers to support Brandon and posting them on their own social media platforms.
The incident made its way to Brandon’s school whose principal had a few words to say.
Let’s Go, Brandon
The principal formally released a statement to the press apologizing for the incident. Brandon won his candidacy by the end of the week and became class president with the goal to make sure everyone treats each other with kindness.
Such heartrending cases occur all over the country daily. An even worse scenario happened in the neighboring state where another man was penalized for something similar.
A More Heart Rending Case
Life had never been easy for Darren Cage, a twenty-year-old student, and librarian who was now facing a hefty fine because of a simple misunderstanding with the law.
Darren's case would've been easily solved if the concerned powers had only taken a few minutes to ask him a few questions concerning the sticker on the back of his car.
Growing Up Quickly
Darren had been forced to assume the parent role in his family at a young age. At only nineteen, his parents’ lives were claimed by a road accident, leaving Darren and his two little sisters alone in the world.
Darren stepped up to take care of his siblings with no close relatives around. He didn't know that darker days were coming.
The Hands Of Fate
Darren balanced school, being a dad to two twelve-year-olds and maintaining a job as a librarian. He was working in the library when he met Genevieve, a girl who’d help him acclimate to his new life.
Genevieve was an excellent friend to Darren, and for the year that followed, she helped him raise his sisters while also being the shoulder he always needed in his life. Then one day, it all went south.
The Call
Darren got a call from the hospital that his friend had been in a road accident. Although she survived, she was in terrible shape.
Darren didn’t attend class or go to the library that day. He asked a friend to pick his sisters from school and rushed to Genevieve’s side. What he found made his eyes water.
Seeing Her
Darren found Genevieve asleep in her hospital room. She was swathed in bandages, with the nurse claiming she’d needed several stitches when the ambulance brought her in.
Flashes of losing his parents barraged Darren. Bile rose up against his throat and his eyes stung with more tears. How could life be so cruel?
A Realization
Darren dashed his tears away and neared his friend. She’d done everything for him, expecting nothing in return. He would be a good friend for her now.
Looking back at the accident that claimed his parents, Darren realized something crucial. Something linked his parents’ passing to Genevieve’s accident. Darren’s teeth ground in anger.
The Plan
People driving under the influence had caused all the pain Darren was feeling now, both old and new. His mental scars burned at the thought, and he knew he had to do something about it.
Darren went through Genevieve’s files with one of the doctors to ensure she was fine for a day before he drove to a car tuning shop. He knew exactly what he wanted.
A Sign Like No Other
Darren got a sticker plastered on the back of his car, and not five minutes later, a police officer stopped him on the highway.
Unlike Jacob, Darren wasn’t taking a son to school or late for work. He was hurrying back to his friend’s side. But the officer handed him a slip, which claimed Darren would need to appear in court soon.
Causing A Stir
Darren sat in his car, his fingers firm around the wheel. He felt like screaming out loud. He couldn’t understand why the world was being unfair to him.
The slip the officer had handed Darren stated that his sticker flagged him as someone affiliated with a gang. But what was it about the sticker that would cause such a stir?
Studying The Sticker
Darren got out of his car and looked at the sticker, seeing a picture of a bottle with a red strike running against it. He thought it would be a clear message to all drivers to never drive under the influence, but maybe he was wrong.
Darren’s court date came, and he quickly explained his life to the judge. He also explained his intentions with the sticker. Would the judge hear him out?
The Court
Like Jacob’s case, the judge listened attentively. She informed Darren of the city’s increased crime rates and gangs with similar stickers on their vehicles. She also sympathized with Darren, commending him for stepping up to take care of his family and friend. Incidents like these come to show that things aren’t always as they seem.
Another perfect example of things not always being what they seem is officer Eddy Macintosh’s story. He was sitting in Denny’s, minding his own business, when a 9-year-old slipped him a note than made him jump out of his chair.
Late Breakfast
He sat at the diner, sipping his coffee as the slow music played. The morning was cold, and he was finally glad to fill himself with something hot and comforting.
He’d already cleared his plate of pancakes, eggs, and bacon strips. As he got ready to leave, a boy no older than ten ran to him, handing him a note. What he read inside made him jump into action.
Serving And Protecting
Officer Eddy Macintosh was among the many deputies serving in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. A native of New Orleans, Eddy had been an officer throughout the last decade.
Serving for such a long time had ensured Eddy had seen all his county had to offer. But what he’d see that fateful morning would blow all these things out of the water.
A Cold Morning
That morning began as normal as any other for Eddy. It was a cold Tuesday plagued by a light downpour in the deep of January. As usual, Eddy went for a run around his block and returned home for a shower.
Afterward, he got dressed and left for work. He’d decided at the last minute not to have breakfast, knowing he’d quickly grab a bite at midday after checking in at the station. He had no clue what the day
Leaving For The Station
The station was nearly empty when Eddy clocked in. The sun was only rising, and most other officers were yet to report.
Eddy ran through the day’s objectives and got into his cruiser to start his daily rounds around the parish. If everything went according to plan, he’d have some free time between eleven and noon for breakfast.
Breakfast Time
The patrol went as well as Eddy hoped. He’d cleared most parts of the parish by ten, and as the hour hand neared eleven, he knew he’d have breakfast as he’d earlier planned.
Eddy drove to his favorite diner as fast as road rules could allow. He greeted the owner with a friendly hug and took a seat at a booth near one of the windows. But as he was perusing through the menu, something caught his eye.
This Is Odd
The diner was almost empty despite the day leaning toward noon. Eddy found this detail a little odd as this was one of the most beloved eateries in the neighborhood.
His sight landed in one of the diner’s corners, where a woman sat with a boy enjoying their breakfast. Aside from them and Eddy, a group of bikers sat enjoying some beers with their breakfast. But there was more.
Patches On Jackets
Eddy noticed something about the bikers that made his brows rise. The patches on their jackets depicted a fist against a red oval. Blurred words surrounded the red oval, and although Eddy couldn’t see them clearly, he knew what they read.
As an officer, Eddy had run into several biker gangs in the parish. He’d met benevolent bikers and others who only wished to cause trouble. So which group did these bikers belong to?
Angels On Motorcycles
“BACA,” Eddy said lowly as a waitress served his breakfast. The acronym stood for Bikers Against Child Abuse, a charitable worldwide motorcycle organization he’d worked with on many occasions.
As he dug into his eggs and pancakes, he recalled days when he dusted off his motorcycle and joined the bikers in raising awareness against child abuse. With a smile on his face, Eddy chowed down his food, unaware of what was about to happen.
Second Breakfast
Eddy greeted the bikers as they left. His plate was nearly clean, but he wasn’t full. With a knowing look toward the waitress, he asked for another round of coffee and pancakes, requesting some bacon on top.
He received his meal and dug in, savoring the exquisite breakfast. But as he was clearing the second plate, he realized something about the table with the woman and boy.
Recognizing Her
Eddy recognized the woman and even remembered her name - she was Heather Jennings, and he’d given her another ticket for illegally parking outside the cemetery just a few days ago.
She’d been furious, but he had just been doing his job. Of course, Eddy couldn’t have known that that last parking ticket would send Heather over the edge.
Too Obvious Not To Notice
The woman was discussing something with the boy, staring directly at Eddy. There was a sparkle in the boy’s eyes that Eddy couldn’t place. Something was afoot.
Eddy finished his breakfast and requested his receipt, but instead of bringing the piece of paper to him, the waitress shuffled over to the woman’s table first.
Conflicted
Little did Eddy know, the boy at the table with his mother was extremely conflicted. He’d recognized the cop instantly and knew he was the one who had contributed to his single mother’s financial hardships.
At just nine years old, he wanted to approach the police officer and confront him about all his mother’s parking tickets. He’d watched his mom struggle, and this cop had only made things worse for them.
Hardships
Heather Jennings was a single mother with two kids and life had not been good to her so far. Just a few days ago, she’d received the tragic news about the untimely passing of her own father.
While it was hard enough to organize the funeral amid the grief and attend the funeral ceremony, things got even worse when a cop gave her a parking ticket on her way out the cemetery.
Injustice
For Heather, the timing of that fateful parking ticket couldn’t have been worse. She didn’t have the money to pay it, so she called the authorities and tried to get it thrown out in court.
However, things took an ironic turn when she got another parking ticket when she was leaving the courthouse. And things only got worse from there.
From Bad To Worse
Although Heather thought things couldn’t get worse for her that day, they did. When she got home from the courthouse, her landlord was waiting for her. When the landlord informed her that he was evicting her and her children, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Heather had tried to rectify her housing issue in court as well, but all she’d come home with was another parking ticket stuck to her car.
The Whole World Was Against Her
Heather was trying to make ends meet, but it felt like the whole world was against her. She’d received three parking tickets in a row, had been in and out of court, and she’d also just lost her father.
But the universe wasn’t done making life hard for Heather yet. The day after her father died, she found out that her son was sick.
15 Dollars
Heather took her son Donald to the doctor and couldn’t believe what his treatment was going to cost her.
After paying off her parking tickets, going into overdraft for her son’s medical bills, and scraping to secure a deposit for a new place to rent, the struggling mom only had 15 dollars to her name. At an all-time low, she decided to take that last 15 dollars and treat Donald to breakfast at Denny’s.
The Source Of Her Misery
As Heather sat in the booth at Denny’s with her son, she looked over and couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Sitting there calmly eating breakfast was a major source of her misery - it was none other than the cop who had given her all those parking tickets.
Ironically, Donald wanted to be a cop one day. But he recognized the man as the one who had caused his mom so much pain and knew he had to do something.
A Turn Of Events
Eddy’s eyes narrowed as he watched the woman and the boy converse with the waitress, who’d handed them the receipt Eddy was sure was supposed to be his.
He didn’t know what to make of the situation yet and thus sat back to assess everything before stepping in. Was the child in danger, or did the woman need some help he could offer? Eddy was deep in thought when he saw the boy approach him.
He Comes To His Table
As the boy’s mother looked on, the boy silently walked over, handed Eddy his receipt, and took a few steps back.
Eddy didn’t know what to make of the strange gesture at first, but quickly realized that his bill had been paid for. But there was more. Across the receipt was a message written by the boy. Eddy’s lips parted as he read it.
The Note
“I want to be you when I grow up,” the message began sweetly enough. “Thank you for your service, Donald.” Eddy was completely taken aback.
The cop’s breath caught in his chest. He had to do something. His immediate reaction was to return the favor somehow, but then he remembered who the boy’s mother was.
His Gesture
Overwhelmed by the message, Eddy lowered to his knee as the boy reached up to hug him. “Hi,” Eddy greeted him, and the boy responded with a bright smile.
“I’m Deputy Eddy Macintosh, and you must be Donald!” he exclaimed as he released the boy. Above them, Donald’s mom smiled proudly. What she revealed made Eddy’s eyes run wet with tears.
A Giving Soul
“He’s always talking about how he’ll be a great deputy when he grows up,” Heather said. “He saw you and insisted on paying for your breakfast.”
But that wasn’t all that she revealed. Little Donald’s birthday was less than a week away, and he’d used the money he’d been saving for the occasion to pay for Eddy’s meal. Eddy’s heart melted at this revelation, and he did the only thing he could on the spot.
His Hero
Before he’d gotten a change to speak with Heather, Eddy asked the waitress to take a picture of him and Donald. He also shared what happened with his fellow officers and family members.
Donald, despite the fact that the officer was partially responsible for his mother’s shortcomings, was thrilled to get a chance to speak to one of his heroes. But what Eddy did next was about to change everything.
Going Viral
Heather also posted the photo of her son and Eddy on her Facebook account, accompanied by the caption “One proud Momma. When your child asks if we can pay for an Officer’s Breakfast!!!! Writes him a message on his receipt.”
But Heather could never have imagined how much traction her single photo would get. Before long, her post had spread like wildfire.
Reactions
The reactions Donald, Heather, and Eddy received for the Facebook post were totally overwhelming. People applauded Donald for his kind gesture toward the police officer.
Even though he had been the cause of his mother's hardships that week, the little boy saw the bigger picture. But, although Donald took action to connect with the police officer, it was all part of a bigger plan.
Gaining Traction
The positive feedback for the now-viral post just kept rolling in. Despite her hardships, it was obvious to most that Heather had raised her boy well.
But it was only when the post made its way around other officers that things became wild. Eddy posted the photo on his own social media page, where it took the police department by storm.
Touched
“Well Noah you touched all of our hearts today,” LakeLand PD wrote on their Facebook page. “Your support means so much to all of the men and women who put on the uniform every day. We wish you the happiest of Birthdays!”
But Eddy wasn’t done. Now that he knew her situation, Eddy felt absolutely terrible. He knew he had an obligation to give something back to Donald’s struggling mom.
Redeeming Himself
Eddy contacted the captain of the Lakeland Police Department and begged him to drop some of Heather’s unpaid parking tickets.
Of course, the captain was touched when he heard the story and decided to waive all of Heather’s fines. But it wasn’t just the captain who was touched by what had happened in Denny’s that day.
Appreciation
It wasn’t long before Donald’s heartwarming note had spread to police departments in almost every state.
Police officers from around the country took to social media to thank the boy for his act of kindness, and they all told him he’d make a fine officer one day. But the story wasn’t over for Eddy yet.
Changed His Life
The moment Donald handed Eddy the note, the gesture changed his perspective on life forever. “It meant everything,” Eddy said.
“It meant that I’m supposed to wake up every morning and put on this uniform and go out there and do what I do. You know? It means that I need to keep trying to be a good example to all these young guys.”