A Young Mother’s Unexpected Gift.

Jessica wanted to buy a $250 washing machine but couldn’t afford it. She had to ask the seller for a discount, and to her surprise, he agreed. However, when she got home and opened the machine, she discovered something even more surprising inside.

When Jessica and her husband, Edward, had their first child, Kathy, they quickly realized that parenthood wouldn’t be easy. The young couple faced financial struggles, and money was always tight.

Edward ran a textile business in Texas, but it was in trouble. Meanwhile, Jessica worked as a babysitter on weekends while Edward took care of Kathy. With a baby in the house, expenses had increased, but their income remained the same, or sometimes even less.

As she drove home one weekend, Jessica couldn’t help but reflect on the struggles of her neighbors. She saw Sandra, who had three children, even though her husband was only a truck driver. Sandra worked on a farm to help financially, and this was the only way they managed to pay the bills.

Jessica and Edward were doing what they could to make ends meet. Edward had stopped going to bars with friends to save money after Kathy was born, and Jessica had given up on little luxuries she had previously enjoyed.

Luckily, one month, things seemed to be improving. Edward’s business was slowly growing with stability, and Jessica had managed to save a little money. But just when it seemed they would have a less stressful month, another problem arose: the washing machine broke down.

After considering her options, Jessica realized that it wasn’t worth repairing the machine. The cost of labor and replacing the motor would be almost as much as a new one, and there was no guarantee that the repaired machine would last. After all, this was the fourth time that year it had needed repairs.

Knowing there was no other option but to buy a new machine, Jessica sat down at her computer to find an affordable option. After an hour of searching, she found a suitable machine, but it cost $250, and she could only afford $150.

In the end, she decided to visit the seller in person and ask for a discount. The listing said the owner’s name was James Carter, located at 1216 East Madison Street, Brownsville, TX. She wrote down the address.

When Jessica arrived, a man her age opened the door. There was a calmness in his eyes, but the dark circles beneath them revealed inner stress and fatigue. “How can I help you?” he asked in a deep, but weary voice.

“Hi, are you James Carter? I’m Jessica Turner. I messaged you about the washing machine. Can I take a look at it?”

“Oh, Jessica. Yes, of course. Come in,” James said, and Jessica followed him inside.

The whole house was in disarray, and Jessica guessed that James was preparing to move, which was why he was selling the machine. When she walked into the next room, she saw the white washing machine, looking just like the one she had seen online.

“Well, I hope you remember that I wanted to talk about the price,” Jessica said, looking at the machine. “I can’t afford $250! I agree that it looks almost new and everything, but I can’t go beyond my $150 budget. We just had a baby, and as you know, things aren’t going well financially, so I was wondering if you could give me a discount?”

James paused for a moment, thinking, and then nodded. “Sure. I don’t mind. $150 sounds like a fair deal to me,” he said distractedly and turned to lift the machine.

Jessica’s eyes widened in surprise. “Really? Thank you so much! Thank you so much!”

James gave a slight smile, and she noticed his thoughts drifting off for a moment, but she didn’t mind because she was celebrating her good fortune.

Five minutes later, the two of them struggled to carry the heavy machine to Jessica’s car, sweating and out of breath, without gloves or straps. She had already paid James and was eager to get the machine home.

As she prepared to leave, she reached out to say goodbye and suggested they meet again sometime. James simply said, “I’m leaving this place for good, and I won’t be back. So I don’t think we’ll meet again. Anyway, I hope the machine works out for you,” he said with a quick, honest smile. Jessica smiled back at the strange response, thanked him once again, and left.

When she got home, the first thing she did was check the machine’s functionality. However, when she opened the lint filter, she was shocked to find $150 inside.

There was also a folded piece of paper in the corner with a note: “This is a gift for your baby. I didn’t think it was fair to take money from someone already facing financial struggles. So, I chose to return it. Someone very close to me once told me that if I have the means, I should help those less fortunate.”

Jessica was stunned. When had he put this in the machine?

Then, it hit her. She had asked him to help her move the machine to the backyard while she got some ropes from the car to secure the machine properly. It was likely during that moment that he placed the money inside.

Jessica wanted to express her gratitude, but since James hadn’t provided a phone number on the listing, and going back to the house would be a two-hour journey, she decided to visit him the next day.

Unfortunately, it was too late. By then, he had already left, and a “For Sale” sign was in the yard. Jessica left the house feeling disappointed, silently thanking him once again in her heart.

One year later…

Jessica and Edward were finally moving into a bigger house. Kathy had been accepted into a good school, and Edward’s business was doing well.

Jessica was on the porch of their old house, looking out over the area where she had spent most of her days. The place held many memories for her. She turned her gaze to Sandra’s house and overheard Sandra and her husband discussing the purchase of a new washing machine.

Jessica looked at the wet sheets on the clothesline on Sandra’s porch. “That poor woman must have done all the laundry by herself. I should do something to help her.”

So, before leaving, she rang Sandra’s doorbell and left a washing machine on her doorstep with a note that read: “With love, your neighbor, Jessica.”

Jessica saw how happy Sandra was when she opened the door and saw the machine on her porch.

“That’s how James must have felt when he helped me,” Jessica thought. “Honestly, it’s such a wonderful feeling. But I’m still curious who encouraged him to help those in need.”

She pondered as their car sped toward their new destination.

What can we learn from this story?

Never hesitate to help someone in need if you have the means. The way Jessica helped Sandra and James helped Jessica are beautiful examples of this. Learn to emulate the kindness around you. Jessica was inspired by James’ example and helped Sandra.