Tyler, an eight-year-old boy, was inseparable from his grandmother Martha. For him, she was not only his grandmother, but also his closest friend and teacher. She taught him the importance of curiosity by asking him lots of riddles, which he eagerly searched for answers to. Every time he answered correctly, she gave him 50 cents. These small rewards helped Tyler stay motivated and always strive for new knowledge. While other children told fairy tales about princesses and knights, Tyler listened to stories about real life, courage and kindness from his grandmother’s past, who worked as a nurse.
Martha also taught him that food is not only a way to satisfy hunger, but also the most important tool for maintaining health. She often told Tyler about the importance of vitamin C to support the immune system, especially when a person is sick. One day, when Tyler fell ill with pneumonia, his grandmother was there, taking care of him and lovingly feeding him fruit, including oranges, which she said helped him get better faster.
When Marta herself ended up in the hospital, Tyler decided he had to help her get better. He noticed a piggy bank on his shelf, filled with 50-cent coins that he had earned by answering his grandmother’s riddles. He realized that he could use the money to buy her fruit. He knew that the oranges she brought him so often could help his grandmother get better faster.
Tyler asked his father to drive him to the hospital, but they passed a local store on the way, so the boy asked them to stop. He said he needed a few minutes to buy a surprise for his grandmother, promising that it wouldn’t take long. His father agreed, and Tyler ran to the store. He went to the fruit section and chose the ripest and juiciest ones he could find: kiwis, apples, strawberries, blueberries, and of course, the oranges his grandmother had told him so much about.
When he got to the checkout, Tyler was so excited that he couldn’t help but feel anxious. He shook his leg violently, worrying whether he would have enough money. But he was holding his piggy bank with 42 euros and 50 cents in his hands and, approaching the cashier, said, “Here’s 42 euros and 50 cents. Will that be enough?” The cashier, surprised, accepted the piggy bank and began counting the coins. At that moment, Stella, the shop owner, noticed how confident and serious the little boy was behaving.
Noticing his determination, Stella approached Tyler and asked who he was buying all this fruit for. He replied that it was for his grandmother, who was currently in the hospital. Stella, moved by his concern and wisdom, began to talk to him, but quickly noticed that he was short 14 euros. She suggested that he leave some of the fruit to cover the rest of the amount, but Tyler flatly refused, explaining that his grandmother needed vitamin C to cope with pneumonia.
Then Stella suggested an interesting solution: she asked him a riddle. If he answered correctly, she would give a discount, and if not, he would have to pay 14 euros. Tyler agreed, and the riddle was: “What is always in front of us, but we can’t see it?” Everyone in the store wondered, tried to solve the riddle, but no one knew the answer. Tyler waited patiently, and finally announced the answer: “The future!” Everyone present was surprised, and Stella was amazed at his acumen.
Defeated, Stella decided to pay for all of Tyler’s purchases. But the miracle did not end there. Shortly after, on the same day, Stella came to the hospital to personally congratulate Tyler and his grandmother. She announced that Tyler would receive a free basket of fruit every week, and also offered to cover all of Marta’s medical expenses, as a token of gratitude for caring for her grandson.
Marta was shocked when she heard about Stella’s kind gesture. She couldn’t believe that someone had decided to help her so generously. Tatiana, Tyler’s mother, was moved to tears. She hugged her mother tightly and thanked Stella for what she had done for their family. Tyler, on the other hand, was delighted, but he was interested in what else Stella could offer. Stella smiled and, with a wink, said, “And I came to share some good news for your grandmother. She will receive fresh fruit from us every week for free!”
