Alice was suspicious that the boy who often collected leftovers from her restaurant was hiding something, so she decided to follow him one day. But what she discovered along the way astounded her.
“You got lucky, kid. We have plenty of leftovers today, and you can take all of it home,” said Steve. He was the head chef at Alice’s restaurant and would frequently keep the leftovers for Christopher, the little child who often dropped by their restaurant for food.
“Oh really? Is it actually so much food? Do I have enough to share with my friends?” Christopher’s eyes lit up.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Yes, Chris,” Steve replied with a huge smile. “Just wait here; I’ll get the packets for you.”
Christopher was delighted after receiving the food packets. He thanked Steve with a huge smile, waved goodbye, and walked away happily.
Alice, on the other hand, had no idea this was common practice at her restaurant until she saw Christopher leave one night. However, she wasn’t convinced that he was the type to eat leftovers to keep his stomach full. “I should find out what happened to this kid. After all, he doesn’t look homeless,” she thought to herself as she watched him walk away.
For the next few days, she waited for him to come back, and when he did the third day, she met him at the restaurant. “Hi, there. Are you here for the leftovers?” she asked him gently.
“Yes!” Chris replied cheerfully. “Can you please call the cook? He must have kept those packets for me.”
Alice gave him a warm smile. “Well, there’s no need for that. I’ve prepared some fresh food for you so that you don’t eat the leftovers. By the way, what’s your name?”
“Oh, that’s really sweet of you, thank you,” Christopher replied. “My full name is Christopher, but you may call me Chris.”
“So, why don’t you eat at home, Chris?” Alice asked. “Is your mom sick?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Christopher’s expression changed. “Well, actually … I live at an orphanage, and they don’t feed me well. Every time I come here, your employees help me. I’m grateful to you for that. Anyway, I’ll leave now,” he said and hurried away.
Alice had a sneaking suspicion that the boy had been hiding something all along. So that day, she decided to follow him. And what she saw next left her stunned.
Instead of stopping at an orphanage, Chris went to a house, left the bag of food on the porch, and ran away. Soon, an older woman came out; she looked around in puzzlement, took the bag, and went back inside.
Alice was about to knock on the door and ask that lady who she was and how she knew Christopher, but before she could, she got an urgent call from the restaurant and had to leave.
The next day when Christopher came to the restaurant again, she was already waiting for him. “There’s something you need to explain to me, Chris. I know you’ve been taking the food for somebody else. Be honest, who is she?”
“I’m sorry, I lied to you,” Chris instantly admitted. “But I’ve been taking food for my granny. She’s the only family I have now.”
Alice was stunned. “Then why do you stay in an orphanage?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Chris frowned. “When my parents passed away, my grandmother didn’t get custody because she wasn’t financially stable. She can’t even afford food, so every day, I collect food from here and drop it off at her house.”
Alice was proud of how Chris was looking after his old grandmother, but at the same time, she felt terrible for their situation. So that day, she went to his grandmother and told her everything. Christopher’s grandmother Edith was taken aback when she realized it was her grandson who had been placing food packs on her doorstep all along.
“Is it really my grandson?” Edith almost broke into tears. “Oh, my God. I miss him terribly! I’m sorry I couldn’t be of assistance to him.”
“Don’t worry, ma’am,” Alice assured her. “There’s a way I can help you and your grandson.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
That day, Alice went to the orphanage where Christopher stayed and applied for the boy’s custody. Fortunately, the formalities were quickly completed, and Christopher was able to return to his grandmother’s home.
“I don’t know how to repay you for what you’ve done Alice,” Edith thanked her. “I’ve always wanted to be with my grandson, but the circumstances were such that—” Edith began crying.
“There’s no need to thank me, ma’am,” Alice replied. “I was more than happy to help. Since I lost both of my parents when I was young, I understand the value of being surrounded by loved ones.”
Edith took Alice’s hands in hers. “I can’t make up for it, but you’re welcome to come to see us whenever you want. After all, you’re like family to us.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“That’s sweet of you, ma’am,” Alice said, almost tear-eyed. “I would love to do that. I already like Chris a lot. He’s a nice boy.”
“Oh yes, he is,” Edith agreed. “Now, I just need the means to support him.”
“Oh, in that case, I have something to offer you…”
Edith had thought that Alice would offer her a job at the restaurant, but when she heard what it was, she burst into tears again.
“I know it might be a bit too much to ask for, but ever since I lost my parents, I have had no one to look after me,” Alice said. “So, I’m looking for someone who will love me like a mother. I’m hoping you’ll accept the position. As far as Chris’ education is concerned, it’s my responsibility because I’m his guardian.”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Of course, honey,” Edith replied as he embraced her. “I’ll never be able to repay your generosity. You literally appeared in our lives like an angel.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” Alice said. “I have a family now because of you, and I think that’s the greatest wealth I can ever have.”
What can we learn from this story?
- Not all heroes wear capes. Alice saved Christopher and his grandmother from misery and played the role of a hero in their lives.
- Learn to be compassionate and kind to others. Just how Alice was to Christopher and his grandmother Edith.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
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Newly-unveiled statue of Queen Elizabeth II includes her beloved pet Corgis
A great deal of people felt sorrow upon Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in 2022. She was adored by the public and the longest-reigning monarch in British history, having ruled for 70 years.
The late queen is now being honored with a monument that was recently unveiled, honoring her affection for her pet corgis!
The Queen’s new statue, together with her dogs
On Sunday, a 7-foot-tall bronze statue of Queen Elizabeth was unveiled in observance of the monarch’s 98th birthday.
In Oakham, England, the sculpture was made by artist Hywel Pratley and is situated close to the Oakham Library. It is Queen Elizabeth’s first ever permanent memorial.
Rutland City Council said that hundreds attended the unveiling. There was music from local school bands and bagpipers.
The most priceless feature of this new memorial is that the queen’s cherished Corgis pet is also depicted, immortalized in bronze by the monarch’s feet:
The city authority claims that local schoolchildren created the designs for the Corgi monuments.
In contrast to the many stern and imposing monuments of queens like Queen Victoria, Pratley stated he wanted the statue to portray the idea of Queen Elizabeth as “an almost motherly figure,” according to the New York Times.
During the unveiling, local dignitary Sarah Furness remarked, “What most of us remember about Queen Elizabeth is her warmth.” “We demonstrate Queen Elizabeth’s humanity by showcasing her affection for dogs.”
The statue’s creator claims that he intended it to be hospitable to onlookers. Pratley said, “We designed it with a bench you can sit on.” “And there’s a corgi you can pet, and I do believe that this will eventually become a selfie-encouraging statue.”
The Times reports that a number of Corgi owners brought their dogs to the unveiling, indicating that a large number of people have already visited the statue.
The history of Queen Elizabeth’s Corgis pet
For many years, the Queen’s corgis were an iconic aspect of her life and a solace during tough political and personal times. Fans all throughout the world were likewise pleased by the cute pets.
The first Corgi was acquired by the royal family in 1933 when Dookie, a dog owned by Elizabeth’s father and predecessor George VI (who was then the Duke of York), was brought home.
Dookie was reportedly extremely cantankerous, yet Elizabeth and him appeared to have a unique relationship.
Then, on her eighteenth birthday, the Queen received a Pembroke Welsh corgi of her own, named Susan.
Susan reportedly slipped under a rug in the royal carriage to disrupt the wedding of the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, according to the BBC.
1959 saw Susan’s death at the age of almost fifteen. Her epitaph referred to her as “the faithful companion of the Queen,” and she was laid to rest at the royal estate of Sandringham House.
The Queen stated, “I had always feared losing her, but I am ever so thankful that her suffering was so mercifully brief.”
But Susan left quite the legacy; during the ensuing few decades, the Queen accumulated over thirty corgis, all descended from her original canine companion.
The Queen always had at least one corgi, and often had several at once, from 1933 until 2018. She traveled with the dogs in tow, and they resided in a designated “Corgi room” at Buckingham Palace with wicker beds. It is said that the Queen took care of them personally and baked them biscuits over the holiday season.
These canines undoubtedly received royal treatment and grew to represent the Queen throughout her life.
While Elizabeth valued the dogs greatly, Prince Philip apparently didn’t feel the same way. Like many others, she took great solace from the dogs, who served as a link to the simpler times in her early years due to their relationship with her late father and her upbringing.
According to Penny Junor, a royal biographer, “her corgis are hugely important to her.” Over time, they have become more intimate with her than any human has ever been. She has never been let down by the incredibly affectionate and devoted corgis.
It also makes sense that the Queen, who represents both Britain and the United Kingdom, would have a strong bond with a quintessential British dog. Wales, a member of the UK and a neighbor of England, is where corgis first originated. When corgis were adopted as royal dogs, the breed was rare in England; yet, the Queen had a major role in the globalization of the breed.
The Queen owned several “dorgis,” or corgis bred with daschshunds, in addition to purebred Pembroke Welsh Corgis.
When the corgis and dorgis appeared alongside Queen Elizabeth on the cover of Vanity Fair in 2016, they became well-known worldwide because to Annie Leibovitz’s photography. At the time, the dogs were Candy, Vulcan, Willow, and Holly.
A notable aspect of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and a significant aspect of her life were her corgis. Their inclusion in this first memorial statue of her seems so fitting.
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