A Sleepless Night
He parked his cruiser on the side of the road and hurried over to her stall. He asked for the biggest cup of lemonade she had, and she quickly handed it over.
But while drinking, he noticed something that piqued his interest. He asked about it, not knowing the answer he’d receive would send him running back the next day.
Serve And Protect
Eric was eighteen years old when he enrolled in law enforcement. An enthusiastic teenager then, he’d known he wanted to spend the rest of his life serving and protecting his town.
Eric worked hard in the program, and by twenty-two, he’d become the sheriff’s deputy of Marietta, Ohio. His dream had finally come true. He had no idea what was waiting for him down the road.
Being Good
Eric was like every other officer in Marietta. He not only loved his job but always went out of his way to ensure he’d left a positive impact on the community.
Alongside his superiors and fellow officers, Eric had taken part in several charities that changed Marietta. Yet what would happen that day would make him feel like he’d done nothing for the town.
A Day In The Life
Eric’s duties as a sheriff’s deputy mainly revolved around patrolling the town and most of its outskirts. He would ensure the peace was at its best and help anyone on his way.
As far as he was concerned, he was doing good by the town and the promise he’d made to himself when he joined the force. But all this would soon change.
A Normal Day
The day that everything seemingly came to a standstill started as usual as any for Eric. After a quick early morning shower, he hopped into his cruiser and went straight to the station.
His mornings usually included going over the day’s activities before clearing some paperwork and embarking on his patrols. This day would follow that same route but end very differently.
Going On Patrol
It was almost noon when Eric left the station to start his patrol. He drove around the town for a few hours, assisting residents as much as possible.
He’d done the bulk of the work by three in the afternoon and was craving a soft drink, given how hot the day was. He was driving to his favorite restaurant when he saw the little girl.
Cravings
Eric was on his way to grab something to drink when he spotted the girl on the side of the road. A bright stall with yellow and orange cups on it stood before her.
As Eric drove closer, he noticed what the girl was doing. He smiled, salivating as he neared. His prayers would be answered today.
Something Cold
For the longest while that day, Eric had been craving a cold cup of lemonade. He was some minutes away from his favorite restaurant but knew he couldn’t wait.
As carefully as he could, he pulled the car to the curb and got out, looking to quench his thirst. He had no clue what was waiting for him.
The Biggest Cup
Eric approached the lemonade stand and asked for the biggest cup the little girl had on sale. Delighted by the officer’s request, the nine-year-old girl, who’d introduced herself as Kimmy, poured Eric his drink.
She handed it over, and Eric quickly sipped, almost groaning at the cold and refreshing juice. But as he drank, he realized something that didn’t seem to add up.
Concern
The girl’s stall didn’t have a shade for such a hot day. To add to this, judging from her cash jar, it looked like she hadn’t sold much lemonade that day.
Curious, Eric asked her why her jar was nearly empty despite her lemonade being among the best he’d ever drunk. The girl’s answer would leave his heart in pieces.
She Explains
“We didn’t have enough money to set up a proper stand,” the girl shared, revealing that her family was struggling financially, and they didn’t have enough for too much lemonade.
Eric’s heart broke. But there was more. Kimmy also told him that she was saving up money from the sales for a tablet. Her reason for needing a tablet would leave Eric speechless.
Why She Needs One
“I need one for school and video games,” Kimmy shared, and if Eric’s heart was broken before, it shattered into a million pieces.
He thanked Kimmy for the lemonade and left a generous tip as he left. But as the day went by, all he could think about was Kimmy and her need. He vowed he’d do something about the girl’s situation.
Trying To Help
Eric had always been a tech buff and had a few tablets under his name. He got out of bed and rummaged through his shelves and drawers that night.
But each of the three tablets he had was broken beyond repair. He sat down, distraught that he couldn’t do as much as he wanted. Everything he’d done for his town would be pointless if he couldn’t do this one thing. But then he had an idea that would change everything.
What To Do
Eric had been saving up some money for Christmas that year. He hurried over to his computer and checked the amount, glad that he could buy Kimmy a tablet and still have enough money for Christmas.
He hurried to the electronics store first thing in the morning and purchased a beautiful silver tablet he hoped Kimmy would like. Now all that remained was getting it to her.
A Smile Is Enough
Eric spent the better part of that morning wondering whether he’d find Kimmy at her stall. He started his patrol in her neighborhood, driving as fast as road rules could allow him.
He pulled around the corner to find the nine-year-old selling her lemonade. After buying a refreshing cup, Eric presented his gift. Kimmy couldn’t believe it. She grinned and ran to show her family. To Eric, nothing could ever top the look of happiness he received that day. But Kimmy wasn’t the only kid trying to sell refreshments during a heatwave.
Adam Houssami
Adam Houssami was 5-years-old and lived with his family in Dearborn, Michigan. One particularly hot summer’s day, he decided to set up a Kool-Aid stall to make some extra cash for the summer holidays.
He thought that if he sold each cup of Kool-Aid for 50c, he would soon have a moderate amount of pocket money.
Heatwave
Adam’s mother encouraged his entrepreneurial venture and said that he could set up a stall on the pavement outside the house.
There were bound to be passersby who would want a cold drink on a day as hot as this. But Krista never expected anything out of the ordinary to happen that day.
A Stranger
Krista went inside for her sunglasses as she intended to keep watch on her son from the porch.
She had no intention of leaving him alone for more than a minute, but when she glanced out the window, she saw that a stranger had appeared out of nowhere and was talking to Adam. Then, she saw the van.
“What Did He Want?”
Rushing outside, Krista just missed the stranger. Krista was sweating. It was so unbelievably hot outside. Relieved, she turned to Adam and asked casually: “Did you sell some Kool-Aid?”
Adam replied that no, he hadn’t. “Well, what did the man want then?” Krista asked. What Adam then told her made her heart ache for her young son.
Thirsty Work
Adam mumbled a few words and Krista didn’t understand what he was saying, at first. Then he recounted what had happened and she was taken aback.
Adam told her that the man was the mailman, and he must be hot from having to walk from house to house to deliver his mail. So, he had asked him if he wanted to buy some Kool-Aid.
Cold Kool-Aid
Krista’s heart had leaped in her chest when she heard what the mailman had said to Adam, and she felt terrible for her little boy who had only wanted to make some pocket money.
She had begun to wonder if Adam’s Kool-Aid stand had even been a good idea. Then, Adam continued recounting what had happened with the mailman.
Trying Hard
Unfortunately, the mailman had no money on him, so Adam poured him a big, cool glass of Kool-Aid and gave it to him for free. Krista started to grin. What a sweet thing for her boy to do.
And then, she thought no more about it. But she never could have imagined what would happen just one week later.
Encouragement
Adam continued to man his Kool-Aid stall, but even during the heatwave, it hadn’t been very successful. Krista’s heart went out to her young son for trying so hard to make extra money for himself.
She kept encouraging him. She even told her friends and everyone she met about Adam’s Kool-Aid stand, hoping that they would come to support him. Then, one morning, something unexpected happened.
Krista was going about her usual routine one morning when she went outside to check the mailbox. She opened it and saw a letter addressed to Adam.
What could this be? she thought as she carefully unfolded it. Who would write a letter to her son? As she read on, it was soon apparent who the letter was from. And then, she started to cry.
Repayment
The letter read: “Adam. Remember last week when you were selling Kool-Aid on a hot day? I didn’t have any money but you offered me Kool-Aid anyways.”
“Thanks, man! I was really thirsty. Good things happen to good people like you. Stay cool, dude. Mailman.” Krista was touched. But that wasn’t all the letter contained.
Faith In Humanity
In an interview later, Krista said: “It makes me feel really good to know that there are still people in this world that care.” Her faith in humanity had been restored by the mailman’s act of kindness.
And she was so impressed that she immediately recounted the whole story on Facebook for everyone to see.
Facebook Post
“Adam was selling Kool-Aid in the front yard last week and he asked the mailman to buy some. He didn’t have money on him, but Adam said, ‘It’s okay, you can still have some,’ and he poured him a cup.”
“Today the mailman put this in our mail. This seriously brought tears to my eyes. What a kind thing to do.”
Viral
Krista’s post quickly went viral — everyone was touched by the small act of kindness, and the entire community was proud to see people who showed such compassion.
Soon, over 500 people had shared Krista’s post, and the positive comments kept flooding in. But netizens weren’t the only ones impressed by the uplifting story.
The News
The story was quickly picked up by news networks, and shortly after, people all around the world had heard about the sweet interaction between the little boy and the mailman.
WXYZ news in Detroit released the story on Youtube, and it garnered over 64,000 views!
Comments
A commenter on Youtube wrote: “Help your fellow human with compassion and you will be rewarded,” and another added: “Children will save us all.”
Eventually the story had gained so much traction on social media that Nebraska’s WOWT 6 News Facebook page featured a segment on Adam and his kind gesture, too!