Milkshake, New Shoes, Dreams
What’s something that made you smile today?
This is the prompt my journal app on my phone gave me for my entry today. I have something that has been making me cry, laugh, smile and everything in between.
On Wednesday at 3:50 pm while I was packing up my stuff for track practice, Mr. Mike, who by the way technically got me this job I have on campus right now, asked me if I had a few minutes to spare so he could ask me a question.
He asked me if was okay for him and his wife, Mrs. Lucy, to pick me up after practice to go get new running shoes for me. They had been worried about me since my shins were hurting so much from being an amateur athlete and using the worst shoes simultaneously. The shoes in question were $9 from Walmart and are one of the only three shoes I own. The other two are a pair of boots and a pair of sandals.
“You don’t have to say anything”, he said. Consider this an early birthday gift”. “Plus, you should be able to do something you love comfortably”.
In that moment, I knew the word ‘Angel’ needed a new meaning added to it in every dictionary. I wanted to cry. I was happy. I hadn’t been that happy in a long time. I didn’t know how to express it. I couldn’t comprehend it. I thought I was going to die last night. I was convinced I was alone in this new world and nobody saw me.
2 hours later, Dyamond who drove Dheaven and I to and from practice took me to Academy sports store to get new cleats, the running shoes with spikes underneath them. The coach had secretly given her money to buy me new shoes suitable for track meets and competitions.
I didn’t know what to say. I still don’t.
Mr. Mike and his wife took me to Dick’s Sports store to get me the shoes the promised 5 minutes after Dyamond dropped me off. They even had to wait for me because I got back from Academy Sports store 19 minutes past 7 pm.
I don’t think I have met a woman sweeter than Mr. Mike’s wife. I could only think about how lucky her family was to have her in their lives. They spent about $200 and priceless quality time with me. They listened, they encouraged and they cared.
They bought me my first milkshake ever in all my life and it was glorious.
My heart is broken wide open. Because even if I wrote a million words to describe how thankful and grateful and happy I felt, still feel and will always feel for the gifts I received Wednesday, I couldn’t express it enough.
I couldn’t write this the same day because all I could do was cry. I called my mother and my brother and told them everything.
I felt like the kid who walked in the snow with destroyed shoes then suddenly got a pair of brand new warm ones for their birthday.
I hope I can make their efforts and support not go in vain. Now I have to do even better at track. I need my shins to heal quickly.
