This is one of the reasons men are created to protect women, not to abuse them. Please, let’s appreciate men. May God bless every good man out there. Amen. 🙏
Turns out, for 23 years, every morning he’d pick up a blind kid at the same stop. Kid’s name was Jamal. Dad learned his name week 1, even though Jamal never said a word back.
Dad would describe the weather, the traffic, what song was playing on the radio. Just narrating the ride so Jamal wouldn’t feel lost in the dark.
The letters were from Jamal. All 23 years’ worth.
Last letter said:
“Mr. Chen, you were the first person who made me feel like I wasn’t alone in the world. I’m a teacher now. I do the same thing for my students who won’t make eye contact. I tell them about the weather. Thank you for teaching me how.”
At the funeral, a guy I’d never met walked up and said:
“My dad taught me that kindness doesn’t need a reply to be real.”
That was Jamal.
I had no idea my quiet dad was someone’s reason for speaking.