Mr. Smith, a very wealthy man, is in town on business and towards the end of his trip he decides to take a walk on the docks and take in the ocean view.
As he's walking he comes up on a young boy, maybe 12 years old, crying on the edge of the dock.
Mr. Smith hesitates but decides to ask what's wrong.
"Excuse me, Son? Why are you crying?" He asks gently.
The boy wipes away his tears and replies, "Oh, there's just a lot of things going wrong in my life right now. I'm sorry if I bothered you."
Mr. Smith takes note of the boy's politeness, "Is there anything I can do to help? Why don't you tell me what's going on..."
With that the boy breaks down and sobs.
He starts going on and on about his troubles.
His mother is dying of cancer and can't work.
They can't afford the medicine to manage her symptoms.
They haven't eaten in days.
Not even an hour ago the boy had been caught dumpster diving behind a restaurant for food and was caned by the owner.
He tried to go home to his mother but when he got there he saw an eviction notice on the door and he just couldn't bring himself to go inside and give her the news.
Everything was just falling apart and he couldn't take it.
"So I came here and just cried," he finished.
Mr. Smith was shocked.
Of all the people he could have encountered he encountered this boy.
He could solve this boy's problems with a single check.
But Mr. Smith was a firm believer in earning what you got no matter what it was.
As the boy continued to cry, Mr. Smith looked out to the water...
"Son," Mr. Smith began, "What's your name?"
"My name is Johnny." The boy said.
"Johnny, you see that ship out there," he said gesturing to a ship about a mile out from the dock, "I'll make you a deal. If you can swim out to that ship, climb up the mast and wave to me I will write you a check for one million dollars."
Johnny was awestruck. "You really mean it?"
"Absolutely." Mr. Smith confirmed.
Johnny dove into the water without a word and swam like a madman.
Mr. Smith watched with a smile on his face but his smile faded when Johnny turned around and came back.
When Johnny reached the dock he explained he got too tired too quickly and knew he wouldn't make it.
"Well that's ok, Johnny. Tomorrow let's meet here, same time, and you can try again."
The next day they met and Johnny tried but once again he got fatigued and had to turn back.
Mr. Smith asked him if he'd eaten anything and Johnny told him he hadn't.
With that, Mr. Smith gave him some money for a small meal and told him tomorrow was his last day in town so if he was going to succeed it had to be then.
The next day Mr. Smith arrived and Johnny was waiting at the dock with a smile on his face. "You all fed and ready?" Mr. Smith asked.
"Yes, Sir" said Johnny.
And Johnny dove into the water.
This time he was swimming a bit slower.
He seemed to be pacing himself. Mr. Smith watched Johnny get further and further and his smile grew and grew.
What a perfect end to a perfect trip.
He was going to make a difference in this boy's life.
Johnny made it to the ship.
Mr. Smith watched him climb up the mast.
Johnny held on with one hand and reached the other out and started to wave victoriously but suddenly he lost his grip!
Johnny slipped and fell from the top of the mast all the way down to the ship below with a loud thud that echoed in the distance...
But Johnny was ok, know why?
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He was used to hardships...
