I initially thought I was just going on a simple fishing trip with an older man I had met by chance, but the letter I received months later revealed a secret that would forever change my life and offer me a gift I never could have dreamed of. I convinced myself that living in an old trailer wasn’t as bad as it seemed. It was just Mom and me. Dad left when I was six, and we’ve been making it on our own ever since. Honestly, I don’t remember much about him, and Mom rarely brings him up. It’s a topic we both tend to avoid.

“Adam, can you get the mail?” Mom would call from the couch. She often had her legs elevated on pillows, grimacing with every movement. Years ago, she had been in a car accident, leaving her with a limp that made it difficult for her to stand or walk for long stretches. Despite her pain, she worked long hours at the gas station to provide for us.

I would say, “Sure, Mom,” reaching for my coat. I didn’t mind lending a hand in small ways. Even if all I was doing was getting the mail or cooking, it gave me the impression that I was having an impact.

After school, I typically found ways to occupy myself outside the trailer to pass the time. Little did I know that my life was about to change drastically when I turned 13.

On that particular day, I had lined up some bottles like bowling pins and was tossing an old, flat soccer ball at them. It wasn’t much, but it kept me busy for a while.

Then this flashy black SUV appeared out of nowhere and pulled up next the trailer. I took a moment to look at it through the tinted windows, wondering who in the world would come around here dressed so elegantly.

The door creaked open, and an elderly man—possibly in his seventies or eighties—stepped out, smiling warmly and relying on a cane. He gave a wave.

He remarked, “Hey there,” as he approached gently. “Mind if I take a shot?” He gestured to the bottles I had arranged in a row.

I gave a blink. I answered, not really sure what to make of him, “Yeah, sure, I guess.”

He chuckled and said, “How about we make this more interesting? If I get a strike, you can’t say no to a favor I ask. But if I miss, I’ll give you a hundred bucks. Deal?”

My eyes seemed to burst from my skull. One hundred dollars? I could practically hear my brain’s register ringing. “Agree,” I blurted out.

With a quick movement of his wrist, the man threw the deflated ball after bending down to pick it up. It rolled right into the bottles, toppling each and every one of them. I just stood there, speechless. Not in a manner.

The old man laughed, obviously happy with his situation. He declared, “Looks like I won.” “Now, for that favor.”

Curiosity made me swallow. “What do you want me to do?”

As if it were the most normal thing in the world, he offered, “Come fishing with me at the old pond tomorrow.”

“Pennining?” I rubbed my forehead. Was it just that? Although that seemed like an odd request, it wasn’t quite as difficult as I had anticipated. “Well, I guess that’s okay. I’ll just ask my mother.”

He nodded with a smile. “I’ll be here.”

I quietly made my way back into the trailer and gently opened the door. Mom was curled up on the couch, sound asleep, her chest rising and falling steadily. I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to disturb her after her long shift at the gas station the night before. I bit my lip as I stood there, contemplating my next move.

“She won’t even know,” I whispered to no one. “I’ll be back before she notices.”

After deciding, I quietly stepped back outside. I looked at the elderly man and said, hoping I hadn’t misunderstood, “Alright, I’ll do it.”

“Excellent,” he exclaimed, grinning even more. “Tomorrow am, we’ll get together. Avoid being late.

The elderly man picked me up early the following morning in his black SUV. At first, we drove out of town in silence. The area had the appearance of having been abandoned for years; the water was motionless, and there was tall grass all around. Not a single person could be seen.

“Why here?” Glancing around to pick up the fishing rods he had brought, I asked.

The elderly man adjusted the apparatus with a gentle smile. His voice softer than usual, “This place… it means a lot to me,” he continued.

We sat side by side and threw our lines into the sea. We had a long silence after that. But I had to inquire after an hour or so when there were no bites on the line.

“So, what made you want to come here to fish?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

The elderly man offered a wistful smile as he gazed at me. “I used to bring my son here many years ago. He was about your age at the time.” His voice softened, becoming even more gentle.

“Like you and your mother, we were poor. Not much, yet we always managed to make time to visit this place. The odd thing is that despite our best efforts, we were never able to catch a single fish.”

I gave him a look. “Where’s your son now?”

He remained silent for an extended period while gazing over the ocean. I saw tears well up in his eyes.

“He’s gone,” the elderly guy eventually stated in a shaky voice. “He became ill. He needed an urgent procedure, according to the physicians, but I couldn’t afford it. I was unable to save him.

My chest constricted. “I’m sorry.”

He blinked back tears and shook his head. “I made a self-promise at that point to never put myself in that situation again. In order to ensure that I would never feel that powerless, I hustled, worked, and grew. However, I never had any more kids.”

At first, I wasn’t sure what to say, but I had a gut feeling that he needed to hear. I got up and went to stand next him, putting my hand on his shoulder.

I whispered, “Your son is watching you from heaven.” And he’ll see you catch that fish one day. It’s impossible to give up.”

With tears still in his eyes, he grinned at me. “I’m grateful, Adam. You really do make me think of him.”

Suddenly, the bobber on one of our fishing rods plunged beneath the surface of the water.

“Hey, the float!” I shouted.

The elderly man’s eyes grew wide, and we simultaneously grasped the rod and pulled firmly. However, as we wrenched, we both lost our footing and fell loudly into the pond. The old man appeared next to me, laughing like he hadn’t laughed in years, and I gasped when the cold water touched me.

As I assisted in pulling him up, he yelled, “Well, this is one way to catch a fish!” and struggled to hang onto the pole.

When we at last succeeded in dragging the rod back to the coast, we were shocked to find the largest fish I had ever seen connected to the end. The elderly man got up abruptly, drenched in water but beaming broadly like a child.

He said, raising his fists in victory, “We did it!” “We actually caught one!”

As I watched him dance around as if he had just won the lotto, I couldn’t help but giggle. Even though we were drenched to the bone, it didn’t matter at that time.

He took me back to the trailer later. He turned to face me as we drove up, his expression kind and thankful.

He said, “Thank you, Adam,” in a very emotional voice. “Today meant more to me than you’ll ever know.”

I grinned in return. “I appreciate you taking me fishing. It was enjoyable.”

He extended his hand to massage my shoulder while a tear trickled down his cheek. “Be careful, my son. And keep pursuing those aspirations.”

He left me standing there feeling strangely warm in my chest and drove gone.

Our trailer door was knocked on the following day. When I opened it, there stood a man carrying a parcel who was dressed in a suit.

“Adam?” he enquired.

“Yeah, that’s me,” I said while casting a skeptical glance at him.

“I’m Mr. Johnson, the assistant to Mr. Thompson. “It was his request for me to bring this to you,” he continued, passing the parcel to her.

More money than I had ever seen in my life was inside when I opened it there and then. My mouth fell open. “W-what is this for?”

Mr. Johnson gave a nice smile. For you and your mother, that is. Enough for her to move into a good home, receive medical attention, and undergo rehabilitation so she can walk pain-free. To assist you in getting ready for college, there is also a private tutoring option. Your entire education will be paid for, including attending one of the top universities in the nation.”

It was unbelievable to me. I was trying to take in all he was saying, and my head whirled. “But… why?”

“You touched Mr. Thompson deeply, Adam. You remind him a lot of his own son. He expresses his gratitude in this way.

Tears filled my eyes as I stood there, overwhelmed by the kindness of a man who had been a stranger but had now irrevocably impacted our lives. I couldn’t find the words to express my gratitude, so I simply nodded in acknowledgment.

It had been some months since that fishing excursion. When I got home one afternoon, there was a note addressed to me on the table. I quickly recognized the penmanship. I trembled my hands opening it.

“If you’re reading this,” the letter started, “then I’m already watching you from heaven with my son.”

I took a deep breath and continued reading.

“I had heart surgery the day following our fishing excursion. I’m not sure why I lived, but it’s okay. I never would have imagined that meeting you would bring me more peace. You made me think of my kid and demonstrated to me that happiness can endure even in the face of sorrow.

I’ve given you what you require for success. Do you still recall what you told me at the pond that day? Don’t give up, and you’ll catch that fish too, right?

I dabbed at a tear from my cheek while focusing on the text. By the lake, I could practically see him grinning next to me and hear his voice again.

Fifteen years later, I watched Mom laugh with my kids in the yard while standing on the porch of the house I constructed for her.

“You never gave up, Adam,” she remarked, smiling as she met my gaze. “He’d be proud.”

“I think about him a lot,” I said hesitantly. “I hope I’ve made him proud.”

“You have,” her voice was soft. “He gave you everything, and look at you now.”

Grinning, I glanced at the house next door. Mom, it wasn’t just about the money. It served as a reminder to keep trying. I’ll always remember that.”

She gave my hand a squeeze. “And he is observing. I am aware of that.

I felt the same peaceful warmth that I had felt all those years ago as I glanced up at the sky.