Since she paid for her grandson’s training, the mother who raised him after his parents died is now broke. One day, she wakes up to find a big amount in her account.
Dorothy Perkins died a terrible death at the age of 49, her second in as many months. At first, her husband or wife died of cancer.
After six months, her son and his wife died in a head-on accident on their way to pick up their four-year-old child from kindergarten. Jim was the only thing left for Dorothy. He was all she had.
It wasn’t easy. Dorothy had to “reset” when she became a mum after being a grandmother. Since she could no longer care for Jimmy like a devoted grandma, she had to start over as a teacher. She was now in charge of Jimmy. She started right away to save money for Jimmy’s college. Now, all she could think about was her little boy.
She started looking for the best school right away, but it turned out to be a private one that cost a lot of money. Dorothy was sure, though, that Jimmy was going there.
Jimmie was a smart and nice little boy. He was young and missed his parents a lot, but he was able to get over it and move on with his life. No matter how much we’ve lost, we have to face the future. Dorothy did just that.
Jimmy was growing up so fast! He quickly turned ten, twelve, and fifteen. But his love for Dorothy, whom he called Granma Dolly, stayed the same. Jimmy grew up to be a nice kid who did really well in school and sports. He was also on the way to becoming a great man that his parents would have been proud of.
Jimmy was about to start college soon after he graduated from high school. As Granma Dolly read the letters from the schools Jimmy had applied to, she got red in the face. If you got a scholarship, it would still cost a lot.
Dorothy was sure that Jimmy would go to Yale because he had a partial athletics scholarship there. She used her savings, pension fund, and bank account money to keep Jimmy from taking out college loans that would follow him around for the rest of his life.
By the time Jimmy got his Magna Cum Laude graduation, Dorothy had no money. This meant that she would have to keep working after she was supposed to retire. She didn’t go on the trips or flights with her friends to Europe or Asia. Instead, Dorothy stayed behind.
Still, she didn’t feel bad about what she did. She had her beautiful boy, who was now an adult. Jimmy was 29 years old, working as an associate and becoming a rising partner at a well-known law company. He was still very close to Grandma Dolly, and he went to dinner with her every Sunday.
Just one week before she turned 75, Dorothy found out she could no longer make the loan payments. If she had to file for bankruptcy, she probably would lose her house.
Dorothy kept Jimmy from knowing what was going on with her. She didn’t want him to know how much she had given up for him to succeed. She chose to have one last party at the house she loved, where she had lived with her husband and raised her child. She asked Jimmy and his girlfriend Rita to come to her birthday dinner.
When Jimmy showed up by himself with a bunch of roses, it scared her. “Hey, have you seen Rita?” Dolly asked, startled. She liked Rita. Jimmy sighed and gave a shaky nod. “We broke up,” he said. “But…”I saw you two two weeks ago!” Dolly yelled. “You loved each other so much!”
Jimmy said it more clearly: “Rita said…she said I was cheap.” “She said I never wanted to go to a fancy place, that I never wanted to…” It doesn’t matter, Grandma. The job is done. Grandma Dolly moaned, “Oh, honey.” “I’m really sorry…” Before showing Jimmy where to eat, she gave him a hug. She had made him all of his favourite foods and a big red velvet cake.
“Hey!” Jimmy yelled. “Your birthday, not mine!” Dorothy smiled. She said, “When I spoil you, I please myself!” as she served the delicious roast potatoes. As they were finished their dessert, the phone rang. James’s best friend Mark was there. Dorothy said that Mark said, “Jim, my man.” “Listen, I’m making plans for us to go fishing in Mexico for a week…” “Wait up!” Jimmy yelled. “That sounds good. Where are you guys going?”
“Two months from now, from the second to the ninth,” Mark answered. Jim said, “Let me look at my calendar,” but Dorothy saw that he hadn’t done it yet. I’m sorry, but I have a meeting in London that week. Maybe another time!”
Dorothy asked Jimmy, “Jimmy, why did you lie to Mark?” after he hung up the phone. Jimmy told her, “I don’t like fishing, Grandma Dolly,” and then he told her a funny story about his job. They had a great time together that night, but Dorothy had to deal with the music the next day.
Along the way to the bank, she asked to talk to the manager. “Mr. Durrel,” she said in a low voice. “I don’t have any money, so I can’t pay my loan this month.” The boss went right to Dorothy’s file on his desktop. He scowled. “I think something is wrong, Mrs. Perkins!” he responded.
He made it clear: “All of your loans were paid off yesterday.” “And you have $110,000 in your bank account!” “That’s not possible!” Dorothy yelled. “I owed more than $200,000…” The bank boss agreed, “You did.” “But, as I said, your debt was forgiven.”
“But who?” Then Dorothy found out that Jimmy had paid back the loan and put the money in her bank account! He thought his lover thought he was cheap because of this. He didn’t want to go on a fancy vacation with his friends to Mexico because of this! He had been saving money to pay off her bill and give her back the money she had given him to go to school.
Dorothy went up to Jimmy’s desk and asked to come over. “Grandma Dolly, what’s wrong?” Jimmy asked, surprised. “Is everything okay?”
Dorothy sobbed, “Oh you silly boy.” Her cheeks were wet with tears. “You didn’t have to give up everything for me!” Jimmy gave her a hug and asked, “Sacrifice?” I just did something for you that you did for me a long time ago. You taught me to put the people I love first, and I did what you said.
What can we learn from this story?
Families give us a reason to live, even when we’ve lost something terrible. Dorothy loved and cared for her grandson Jimmy very much, even though she had lost her husband and children.
Good people put the people they love first. He did what Dorothy did and put Dorothy’s health ahead of his own joys.
