It's never too late to grow as a person

Francis was on his shopping. He had already bought some and then he walked into his favorite boutique. He was about to shop more. But suddenly he stepped on a wet floor and slipped. He got angry and said, "Damn. Why is it wet?" This was outrageous. 

The young janitor who had just mopped the floor came to him after she heard his yelling. He showed all of his anger on her. He asked her if she was out of his mind. He told her that she should have mopped the floor when there were no customer. He screamed in pain and said that his leg might be broken. The janitor apologized but said that it was not her fault. He somehow managed to stand up and asked her whose fault it was then. He told her that she was a stupid mopper. For her his suit became dirty. He threatened her that he would file a complaint about her. But the girl didn't say a word in response. She was frozen as if she had recognized someone in him. 

Francis noticed that too and so he asked her why she was staring at him. He reminded her that she was just a cleaning staff. Then he ordered her to get away from him and start doing her job properly. He said,"The nerve of people" and left. Still the janitor didn't say any word. She kept looking at his departure. 

The encounter stirred something in her soul. She knew the man, but he didn't recognize her. All day she thought about him. And at night when she returned home, she said that he had changed a lot. She was tensed and asked herself what had happened to him.

However, Francis was a regular customer in that boutique. After two weeks of that incident, he had returned to shop there. He was paying cash and then the salesman gave him a box. He told him to take that because someone had left it for him. Francis took it but asked what it was. The salesman replied that he actually didn't know but their janitor asked him to give it to Francis. He was surprised and felt strange that a janitor could send him something.

He then went to a coffee shop. There he opened the box and his face changed. He no longer felt grossed out. He asked himself how that could be possible. It was a small crucifix on a chain. It made his mind go back in time. 

Francis was 5 years old then. And his neighbor was Sophie. He had no friend and so always played alone. One day Sophie came to him and suggested him that they should go to the lake. Francis was very happy and asked her if she really wanted to hang out with him. He added that other kids were always laughing at him. Sophie hold his hands and said that she was his friend and she would not let them to hurt him. 

She was his only friend when they were children. When she went out with him, their agemates asked her why she was hanging with that sissy Francis. But she made shut them up and made them never to call him that again. 

But when he was 11, his parents decided to move. He hugged her and said that he would be missing her because she was his best friend. Sophie also said that she would be missing him too and will never forget him. Then he gave her a crucifix on a chain as a keepsake. He also told her that he wanted her to keep it to feel like he was always with her. 

Holding the crucifix, Francis could not hold back his tears. He felt ashamed because he had done misbehave with her. He could realize that he was no more a kind person he used to be. 

However, he found her the very same day. She was then mopping another floor. He asked forgiveness and said that he was so sorry because he could not recognize her. Sophie was happy that he at least could recognize her. And when he requested her to go out that evening, she was surprised. 

When they were having dinner, he told her that big money had changed him. He even didn't know how he had turned into that kind of person. He said that he was really ashamed of his behavior. Like childhood, Sophie supported her. She told him that she knew he could turn into his former self. She added that she missed that boy he used to be. 

They started hanging out together. One day they were walking by a riverside. She told him that it was just like in the old days. He also admitted it and said that wit her he felt different. 

She told him that she was working as a janitor to save up money for college. So, Francis wanted to help her. He told her that he could pay for her tuition in full. But she refused to take it and said that all kinds of work should be appreciated and she wanted him to understand that.

And with time they gradually fell in love and started dating. Moreover, she changed him. One day, Francis told her that he was sorry because she saw him act that way in the mall. But he assured her that he was a different person then. He also said that he had learned a lot by that time and thanked her. 

So, it's rightly said that love and care can ignite kindness even in the most withdrawn people. And it's never too late to grow as a person!