Jimmy was surprised when the man he had bought coffee for, who didn’t have a home, got on the plane and sat next to him in the fancy seats. He wondered who the man really was and why he had asked for money earlier. He never really thought about fate until he met Kathy. Three months ago, a special girl came into my life, and really quickly, she became super important to me. Some people thought I was silly for asking her to marry me after just a month, but I couldn’t help it—everything felt so perfect with her. We liked the same things, like skiing and reading science fiction books. It was like the universe was telling me that she was the right person for me. So, here I am, getting ready to meet her mom and dad for the very first time while flying in an airplane.
Kathy told me that her dad, David, could be really strict and didn’t easily say he liked people. But she also said that he cared a lot about her and loved her very much. I felt a bit nervous because I knew I only had one chance to show him that I was good enough for his daughter, and I didn’t want to mess it up. I got to the airport really early because I was feeling a bit nervous, so I left home way before I had to. To pass the time, I went into a nice little coffee shop nearby. The soft sounds of people talking and the smell of fresh coffee helped me forget the busy thoughts in my mind. A man walked in slowly, wearing old, worn-out clothes. His face had many lines, which showed he had done a lot of hard work in his life. He stood a bit bent over, and even though his eyes looked tired, they moved around the room quickly, like he was looking for something.
I saw him walk over to some tables and talk quietly to the people sitting there. Most of them shook their heads, looked away, or said sorry in a strange way. Then, he came to my table and stopped. “Excuse me,” he said politely. “Could you have some change? Just enough for a coffee.” I hesitated. My first instinct was to decline. Not because I didn’t care, but because I wasn’t sure how much I could trust him. You know, some people are honest while others are just looking for a hook. But something about him seemed different. He wasn’t bossy, and he seemed embarrassed by the question. “What kind of coffee would you like?” I asked. “Jamaican Blue Mountain,” he said, almost sheepishly. “I heard it’s really good.” I almost giggled because it was the most expensive thing on the menu. For a second, I thought he was just kidding. But when I saw the look on his face, I realized he wasn’t playing around.
“Why is that?” I asked. “It’s my birthday,” he smiled. “I’ve always wanted to try it, so I thought today would be a good day.” A little bit of me wanted to sigh and look away. I knew it was your special day. Part of me wanted to trust him, so I said, “Okay, I’ll help you get that coffee.” Then I stood up. His face brightened with a real smile. “Thanks a lot,” he said. I didn’t just get him coffee; I also got him a piece of cake because you can’t have a birthday without cake! When I gave him the tray with the coffee and cake, I pointed to the empty chair at my table so he could sit with me. “Sit down,” I said. “Tell me your story.” He paused for a moment, as if he wasn’t sure if I was being serious. But then he sat down and held the coffee cup gently, like it was really special. After that, he began to speak. David had a really tough time a long time ago. He lost his family, his job, and his house. Some people let him down, and he had a lot of bad luck, but he didn’t blame anyone else for what happened.
He talked in a simple and honest way that made everyone really want to pay attention. As I watched him, I understood that he wasn’t just asking for money. He was someone who had been hurt by life but was still trying to keep going. When he finished telling me his story, I felt really sad and had a hard time swallowing. Before I left, I gave him $100, but he didn’t want to take it at first. “Consider this a gift from me,” I told him. “And happy birthday!” I left the coffee shop feeling happy because I had helped someone I didn’t know. I never thought I would see him again, or that he would change my life in a big way just a little while later. The airport was busy and noisy as I sat in the nice waiting area, enjoying another cup of coffee. I was feeling a little less nervous about meeting Kathy’s parents, but I still worried a lot about her dad. What if he didn’t like me? What if he thought I wasn’t nice enough for Kathy? I decided to send a text to Kathy since she was already at her parents’ house.
I’m really scared, I wrote. How are things going there? “Everything is fine,” she replied. “I’m sure daddy will love you.” When it was time to get on the airplane, I got in line and found a seat by the window. Being in first class felt really special, like something fancy that I didn’t think I should have, but my friend Kathy told me to treat myself this time. As I fastened my seatbelt and looked around, I remembered the man I met at the café and his interesting story. I wanted the $100 I gave him to make his birthday a bit happier. Just when I was getting comfortable, someone walked into the aisle. My heart almost stopped when I saw his face. It was the same man I saw at the café. But he wasn’t wearing the old, ripped clothes from before. No, this man was wearing a fancy suit that fit him perfectly, his hair was nicely styled, and he had a shiny watch on his arm.
He looked at me and gave a little smile. “Can I sit with you?” he said casually, sliding into the seat next to me. I stared, my brain unable to comprehend the scene before me. “What… what is going on here?” He leaned back, a sly smile on his face. “Let’s call it a test.” “A test?” I repeated. “What are you talking about?” The man smiled quietly and took out a shiny notebook from his bag. “First, I’d like to introduce myself properly. I’m David.” He paused and watched my reaction. “Kathy’s father.” “Wait… you’re her father?” I blurted out. “The one I want to meet?”
He smiled and said, “Exactly! I’ve always thought it’s better to see things for myself. I wanted to find out what kind of person my daughter’s fiancé really is, not just the nice version he shows at fancy dinners.” I was shocked. Why didn’t Kathy tell me about this? Was she in on it too? “So, this is all acted?” I asked. He said it was important to see how kind you can be. It’s easy to be nice when people are looking, but he wanted to see how you would treat someone you don’t know, especially if they didn’t have anything to give you. Looks like you did a good job with the first part! “Part One?” I repeated. “How many parts are there?” He opened his notebook, handed me a pen, and said, “Just one more. Write a letter to Kathy.” “A message?” “Yes,” he said, leaning back in his seat. “Tell her why you love her, why you want to marry her, and how you’ll take care of her. Don’t think too much about it. Be honest.”
I looked at the empty page and felt nervous, with sweat on my forehead. This wasn’t what I expected. But even though I wanted to complain, I knew I had to keep going. I began to write. At first, it was hard for me to find the right words because I was feeling a lot of things. But then, it felt like my pen was writing by itself! I wrote about how Kathy makes me feel happy and whole, how her laughter can make my sad days better, and how I dream of having a life with her full of trust and happiness. When I was done, my hand hurt, but I felt happier inside. I was really worried about whether I would do well on the test. What if it was a tricky question? What if David’s test was harder than it seemed? After I gave him the notebook, he stared at it for a little while. Then, he looked up and smiled!
“You did it,” he said. “Welcome to the family.” I felt really happy after I heard what he said. This man had just surprised me with a tricky test, but then he reached out his hand. I shook his hand tightly, feeling proud because I had finished the hardest part. “Now let’s see how you feel at home,” he said.
When we finally landed and stepped off the plane, I was exhausted, both physically and mentally. As we walked through the terminal, I tried to catch my breath, hoping I had done enough to impress him, but my nerves were still on edge.
The ride to Kathy’s mom and dad’s house was very calm. She and her mom were waiting for us when we got there. When we got there, Kathy’s mom, Susan, welcomed us with a big smile. Kathy’s brothers and sister were there too. David looked serious as he watched me from across the table. I couldn’t figure out if he was still trying to decide what he thought about me or if he was just waiting to make up his mind. Dinner was a bit awkward because everyone was trying to be nice and talk, while David just sat back and observed everything happening. Whenever I talked, he would just nod his head or make a sound, but he didn’t say much back. Kathy’s brothers and sisters were friendly and relaxed, but David didn’t say much at all, and it felt really quiet.
I started to think, Did I really do well? When dinner was almost over, David put down his drink and got ready to speak. “You did well, Jimmy,” he said. “You showed me who you really are. And that means something.” Kathy held my hand tightly under the table. “I always knew you were the one for me,” she whispered. He smiled at his daughter and said, “I trust him to take care of you. I think it’s a good idea.” I felt really happy when he said that, but I noticed that David was looking at me in a way that made me feel like there was more to the story. After we finished eating dinner, Kathy and I helped her parents clean the table. I felt like everything was going well. That’s when I found a folded piece of paper on the table. When I opened it up, I saw it was a piece of paper that showed I bought a cup of coffee at the café I went to earlier that day. That was the place where I met my friend David. I held it in my hand and looked over at Kathy. “What is this?” I asked her. “Oh, this is my dad’s way of solving problems.” I frowned, confused. “Anything else?” She leaned against the counter, her eyes sparkling. “You gave him $100 at the coffee shop, remember?”