A Rainy Day

On a gloomy day, I was walking as fast as I could, to try to get to my house before the rain fell. I could feel a few drops fall into my hair and suddenly a big storm started to fall, it was so strong that I had to take off my glasses, they were covered with water and I could not see. Good that I had my umbrella, I took it out of my backpack and quickly protected myself from the rain, I put my glasses back on as I walked to the bus stop to get to my house.

I was trying to walk between the rain and the people, but something got my attention. A very sad-looking girl walking in the rain, uncovered, completely soaked from head to toe. She was wearing a green shirt and jeans, I did not notice her shoes, I just saw that she was extremely thin and had curly hair. What makes me wonder the most was that she was walking extremely slowly in the rain. The most logical thing is that she ran, that she looked for a place to protect herself from the rain. I thought: What is this girl going through? She just looked so sad. I know some people love the rain and walk without umbrellas, but happy enjoying the rain, but she did not, she walked slowly arms crossed, head down. So, I decided to be a good Samaritan and approach her and cover her with my umbrella.

I walked faster to reach her, although it was not hard, because of how slow she walked. I got to her side, and said, "Hello! I am going to share my umbrella with you, she saw me and said, thank you. We walked together on the sidewalk. We didn't talk. The strangest thing is that she started walking even slower as if that were even possible. I didn't understand what was going. I just kept upholding the umbrella without knowing which way she was going. Almost at the end of the block just before crossing the street a guy ran from behind us and even bumped into me and almost threw me! I staggered, but I didn't have time to complain, because the girl suddenly ran after the guy. I stood in the rain wondering what happened, not knowing what to do. Then I felt that my backpack was less heavy, I saw that the backpack was open. I got scared and my hands started shaking, almost all my belongings were missing! My credit cards, money, my ID, my cellphone, and all my personal belongings! They were just two things left, my little black book, which was my agenda, and my sunglasses, by the way, they were both wet. The sunglasses were okay, but my little black book wasn’t, all the ink ran out and I couldn’t read the words.

All this happened, in a fraction of a second. I was able to piece things together and I understood that I had been the product of an assault. The girl who walked slowly did it so that someone would feel sorry for her and offer her an umbrella, doing this she walked slower so that her accomplice would have the opportunity to open my backpack and take my things out, which I could not hear because the rain was too heavy.

I don't know how I couldn't notice they opened my backpack. How was that possible? I just wanted to do be kind, to help someone. This is what I get! But why? I didn't understand how I could have been so naive. No one can be trusted I thought incensed, and tears of rage came out of my eyes. I didn't think twice and ran after the thieves, especially the guy, who took my things. I threw away the umbrella, the rain was ceasing. I Shout: Give me back my things!

I ran like crazy, as fast as I could, adrenaline to the top, screaming: Stop him, he stole my stuff!

I reached him and managed to grab him by the shirt, but he was stronger and more agile than me. He pushed me with his elbow and ran out. I fell to the ground sore and sad. Lying on the floor, trying to get up I saw something shining, I got up and picked it up, it was a watch. I picked it up and put it in my bag. I thought the thief dropped it when he pushed me.

I Stop a cab and I went to my house, at home, my mom paid for the cab. I couldn't call because my cell phone had been stolen.

I walked into my house and started crying I told my mom and sister everything. They told me that thank God I was fine, and they reproached me for chasing the thief. They told me he could hurt me or even killed me, that it was foolish of me and irresponsible. I thought they were right and then I put my hand in my pocket and felt something, it was the watch, I took it out and showed it to my family. My sister checked it out and said, it’s a Rolex. It must be fake, I told her. We should find out, she told me.

The next day we went to a pawn shop and it turns out the watch was an original Rolex It was an “Oyster 40 IN 18 CT yellow gold, with a diamond-set bezel and President bracelet”. The watch was valued at $56,400. At the pawnshop, they told me they gave me $10,000 immediately if I sold it to them. I could not believe it could be worth that much. I could give them the watch and have $10,000! It was much more than what I lost! It will be great for me, but I’ll be acting the same way the thefts did with me. I thought I should look for the owner and return it.

I couldn't even think how it felt to lose something so expensive. I was thinking about what to do and staring at the watch, then I notice something in the back. It was the initials “RW” I recognized the letters because it was a famous food chain brand in my town. It meant that the watch belongs to Mr. Richard White the owner of “RW Chicken” To make sure what I believed was true I went to the only place in my city where they sold original Rolex, I told them my story and showed them the watch to see if they have a sales record. They checked it out and confirmed that Mr. White was the owner. He was a frequent customer. They called him and he arrived at the store on short notice, despite being a very busy man. Of course, if you can get a 57 K Rolex back, anyone will do.

Mr. White offered to take my sister and me for lunch, we agreed. At the restaurant, he was holding the watch, staring at it, without speaking, suddenly we saw a few tears roll down his cheeks. He told us that his son had sold that watch and other stuff for drugs. The watch belonged to his deceased grandfather. His grandfather Richard White the First was the one who creates their family business and gave that watch to his son Richard White the Second before he died who gave it to Mr. Richard White the Third who was now sitting with us. He thought he lost it forever. We told him we were deeply sorry for his son and we expected him to recover. He said he was in a rehab center and they were helping him. Mr. White was very grateful, he said that the watch was priceless for him. I told him the whole story of how I had been deceived and mugged and when I struggled with the thief trying to recover my belongings, he dropped the watch. Mr. White gave us a ride home and told us, he will be always grateful to us and we should not hesitate to call him whenever we needed him. At home, I felt happy, even though I could not recover my belongings, I was able to help someone else recover his.

A week later I received a bouquet of roses, a check, and an envelope with a note that stated:

I found out that the pawnshop was willing to give you $10,000 for the watch, I know this because I order every pawn shop to do this in case someone came with the watch. I was amazed that you decided to look for the owner and rejected the offer. That is why I am duplicating the amount of the original offer to $20,000.00 because every act of good faith that is given without expecting anything in return always has its reward. Sometimes it doesn't come the way we expect it or from the person, we help, but it always comes back to us multiplied. You could have paid with the same coin, but you decided to be a better person.

With all my gratitude: RW

I Jumped and screamed very excited! I felt so grateful. What I thought was the worst experience of my life turned out to be the best and it left me a great lesson and also a lot of money!