Monica told her mother, Vivienne, that she was engaged to a man named Zach. Vivienne, however, felt doubtful, especially since Zach didn’t come from a wealthy background. To satisfy her concerns, she decided to go undercover. She dressed as an impoverished woman to visit Zach, intending to find out if he genuinely loved her daughter or if he was just after her family’s wealth.
Upon arriving at Zach’s house, Vivienne was shocked by its condition. The place looked dilapidated, with an overgrown garden and clutter scattered around the yard. As she walked toward the front door, she noticed beer bottles and cigarette butts littering the ground. Vivienne thought to herself that Monica had never mentioned seeing this house before. She was convinced there was no way her daughter would fall for a man living in such squalor.
Vivienne hesitated, tempted to leave, but she knew she had to go through with it. With a deep breath, she raised her finger and rang the doorbell.
A man in his 20s answered, wearing a gray, sweat-stained shirt. This had to be Zach. He was holding a bottle of beer, and his unshaven face didn’t help his unkempt appearance.
“Yeah?” he asked, sounding uninterested.
“Hello,” Vivienne began, unsure of how to proceed.
“What do you want, lady?” Zach snapped irritably.
“I’m sorry to bother you. I’m a bit lost, and I was hoping you could help me,” she stammered. “Are you Zach?”
“Yeah, that’s me. What do you want?” Zach replied, then let out a burp. Vivienne felt her disgust rise, and Zach chuckled at her reaction.
Suddenly, a woman’s voice yelled from inside the house. “Zach! Where’s my lighter? You’re always misplacing things! YOU IDIOT!”
Zach turned to shout back at her. “I’m the idiot? I’M THE IDIOT? You lose everything the second it comes into the house! I don’t know where it is! Stop blaming me!”
“I can’t believe I’m still with you! I’m leaving tonight!” the woman shouted again, followed by the sound of glass breaking. Vivienne instinctively placed a hand over her chest, horrified.
“The day you leave will be the happiest day of my life, crazy woman!” Zach yelled, turning back to Vivienne. “Look, lady, what do you want? I’m busy.”
Vivienne was at a loss for words. “Is that your girlfriend?” she managed to ask, still trying to process the chaos she had just witnessed. It was the only thing that came to mind after that disturbing exchange. These people were awful.
“That’s none of your business, old woman,” Zach barked, then slammed the door in her face. Vivienne recoiled, unable to believe her daughter was actually involved with such a man.
Shaken, she started walking through the neighborhood, her eyes taking in the other houses. They were small, worn-down homes, similar to Zach’s, but some were maintained better. At least not everyone in the area was like him. The houses were dusted with snow, typical for this time of year. Just then, a woman came out of one of the houses, saw Vivienne, and waved at her.
Vivienne smiled and waved back, unsure of what to say or do next. The woman began walking toward her. She appeared to be around Vivienne’s age and had the warmest smile.
“Hey, are you lost or in need of some help?” the woman asked kindly.
Vivienne quickly responded, “Oh, no, I’m fine. I’m just trying to find a taxi to get home.” She started to move away, but the woman stopped her.
“Wait a second. I’m Georgia. It’s pretty chilly out here, and taxis are hard to catch around here sometimes. Why don’t you come inside, and I’ll call one for you?” she suggested.
“I’m Vivienne. It’s nice to meet you. I really appreciate your offer, but I’m not sure…” Vivienne hesitated.
“I insist,” Georgia said with a warm smile, gently guiding Vivienne inside.
They spent some time talking while Georgia made a call to the local cab service. Unfortunately, it turned out all the drivers were busy, and none were willing to drive all the way to Hartford.
Just then, the door opened, and a young man entered. “Hey, Mom!”
He was a striking young man in his twenties who bore a strong resemblance to Georgia, with a friendly face and an easy smile. Georgia embraced him and introduced him to Vivienne. He had brought over some fresh fish he’d caught that day.
“Oh, wait, I almost forgot,” Georgia said, turning to her son after putting the fish away. “Do you happen to know anyone heading to Hartford tonight?”
The young man stood in the living room, thinking for a moment. “I don’t, why?”
“Vivienne needs to get there tonight, but none of the taxis are available,” Georgia explained.
“Well, why don’t I take her?” the man said casually. “I was planning on going to Hartford this weekend to pick up a few things, but I guess tonight works too.”
“Oh, I really couldn’t ask you to do that. You look tired,” Vivienne said, feeling embarrassed.
“Don’t worry about it. Let’s go,” he said with a reassuring smile, leading her to his car. It was an old pickup truck, but he assured her it was in good condition and would get them to Hartford without any problems.
They chatted during the over-hour-long drive to Hartford, and Vivienne found herself pleasantly surprised by his kind and friendly nature. Not many people would offer a ride to an older woman like that, especially without expecting anything in return. She hadn’t even mentioned paying him. He was genuinely a good, hard-working man.
“Well, maybe not everyone in this town is as awful as Monica’s new boyfriend. Why couldn’t she meet someone like this?” Vivienne thought as they neared the city.
“Here, take this for the ride. It’s what I would’ve paid for a taxi,” she said, extending cash in her hand as she opened the door.
“No, no. I couldn’t take it. I was headed here anyway,” he gently refused.
Vivienne tried again. “Please, just take it.”
“No, ma’am, I really couldn’t. I used this ride as an excuse to visit my girlfriend who lives around here. I should be thanking you,” he chuckled, and Vivienne couldn’t help but laugh with him.
“Well, I appreciate your kindness,” she said, finally stepping out of the truck and waving goodbye.
“Oh no, I didn’t even ask his name. I really forgot all my manners,” she thought as she walked up to her house.
Just then, her phone chimed with a message from Monica. She was bringing her boyfriend for dinner the next evening and hoped Vivienne would be nice to him.
“Oh, dear. I’m going to have to break your heart tomorrow. But you definitely can’t marry that man,” Vivienne muttered, staring at her phone.
The next evening, Vivienne was nervous. That awful man—sweaty, rude, and already taken—was coming over.
A knock sounded at the door, and Vivienne took a deep breath, steeling herself for the confrontation. She was about to make her case to Monica, and she knew she’d have to stand her ground. But when she opened the door, her jaw dropped in shock. No argument or yelling came out—just a soft gasp.
“Mom?” Monica asked, looking at her with a frown.
The man standing next to Monica was not the sweaty Zach from yesterday—it was Georgia’s son!
“Ma’am?” he said, looking confused as he turned to Monica. “This is your mother? I gave her a ride from Mystic last night.”
“What? Mom, why were you in Mystic?” Monica asked, placing her hand on her hip.
“Come in! Come in! Is this your boyfriend, Zach?” Vivienne asked, flustered but thrilled as she ushered them inside quickly.
“Yes, Mom. This is Zach. But did you meet him yesterday?” Monica pressed, still confused but refusing to let her mother change the subject. They hung up their coats, and Vivienne’s face lit up with the happiest smile.
“Yes, sweetheart, it’s a long story. Please, sit down…” she said, guiding them to the living room, and proceeded to explain everything that had happened the day before, including how Zach had ended up driving her back from Hartford.
In the town of Mystic, there were two men named Zach, but the woman at the store only knew one of them — the rude one. Monica found the situation amusing, and by the time Vivienne had finished telling the story, their initial argument had already been forgotten.
Throughout the evening, Vivienne was incredibly kind to Monica’s Zach. They had a delightful dinner and a wonderful time together. Before the couple left, Vivienne assured Monica that she approved of Zach and even offered to fund their wedding if they wished. She never judged Zach for being a fisherman because he treated her daughter like a princess.
What lessons can we take from this story?
- Don’t judge others based on their wealth. Financial status doesn’t define a person. Some people with great fortunes may have terrible character, while those with modest means could possess remarkable qualities.
- Don’t assume you know what’s best for your children. Parents may think they understand what will make their kids happy, but often, their children’s happiness comes from unexpected places.
Feel free to share this story with your friends. It might bring a smile to their face and inspire them.