Things Didn't Work Out Well For Me.

He reached the door to their apartment and pointed to it while saying,

"So, this is our apartment. And according to what I'm seeing, seems like my dad is at home".

The building was just the same as others, looking old and needed renovation. I walked toward where the boy was standing, then I uttered to him,

"Would it be possible for me to enter? I want to see your father".

"Sure". He stated.

He opened the door after making that statement, then he stepped foot into the apartment, and I followed suit. Now, the apartment was even worse than the one I entered minutes ago.

It looked so portable, and the paintings on the wall were fading as well. There was no TV, the couches around weren't looking good, and so on.

Just from glancing at everything around, I could tell the apartment I entered minutes ago was better than it. Not long after we entered, a certain man came out of the only room in the house and was glancing at me with a kind of expression on his face.

..I could tell he was the boy's father just from a single glance, the resemblance was there.

"Dad, he came to see you". The boy voiced out, glancing at the man.

"Me?". The man uttered with a kind of surprised expression on his face.

In his mind, he was like, 'Who am I that he came to see me?'.

Though the man was poor, he wasn't looking bad. Even with all the suffering and all that, he was looking good to an extent...but wasn't looking his best.

What if he was rich then? Or maybe even average, he'd be looking so good. If his son beside me was polished a little, he'd be looking so good as well.

..Poverty is a terrible thing that no one should pray for, it would only make life miserable.

"Young man, you truly came to see me?". The boy's father voiced out glancing at me.

"Yes sir, I came to see you". I retorted.

"But you don't look familiar, I don't think we've met before". He uttered once again.

"That's true, we haven't met before, this would be my very first time seeing you. I was just around the neighborhood, and I caught sight of your son with his friends. His dressing wasn't looking good at all, and he looks intelligent,

I told him to take me to you, I needed to see you. And while we were heading here, I asked him a question regarding his schooling. He told me he dropped out of school due to your incapability to continue paying his school bills,

I didn't like the sound of that at all, but I understand the situation though. I can tell the family's situation isn't easy at all. And according to what he told me, he has three siblings, seems like they are all older than him".

I paused speaking for some seconds, then I threw that same question at him...

"Why is the family's situation like this?".

It was this question I'd use in bringing out what I wanted to know. And if I can't achieve that with this question, I'd ask another one.

His gaze was on me for some seconds after I asked that question, then he sighed a little before walking toward one of the couches in the living room and sat on it.

..Out of maturity, the boy walked into the room, he didn't want to hear our conversation.

At this age, he was already so matured, he was definitely an intelligent boy. Now, what I was hoping for was for the dad to give me a valid reason why the situation was so bad.

I wanted to help out his family, especially the boy...he was the main reason why I was interested in helping out his family.

"Hmm, where would I start from now. Should I say things didn't just work out for me as planned? The plan was to become successful in life since I was a kid. Even if I didn't become rich, at least average whereby I'd be able to take care of my children, and they wouldn't lack anything,

But what I've come to understand is that life would be the one to choose the kind of life it wants for you".

..That utterance of his touched my heart, truly, life is excellent at playing people around and ruining big dreams.

He was still speaking, "At some point, I had to give up in trying to make it big in life or even becoming average and settle for whatever life gave to me which was poverty,

And I've been battling poverty for years now, and even gave birth to kids in poverty. My wife is dead, she came from a poor family and ended up marrying a poor man 'cause of love, which she regretted at some point,

She died of a certain ailment...the pain I went through when she died was just too much. Though we've had our different conflicts when she was alive, she still tried her best to be a good wife, and I love her".

He paused speaking for a while as I could see pain on his face, then he uttered once again, "Life is very unfair".

The woman said the same thing...and they weren't wrong, life is truly unfair...

"Apart from your little son, your other kids are working, right?". I inquired of the man.

..All I just needed was a valid reason to help out this family.

If they deserved my help, I would give thousands of dollars to the man right now to start up something good that would bring in nice amounts of money.

Being an entrepreneur was better than working for someone. If things work out well for you as an entrepreneur, you're going to make a fortune.

"Yes, they are all working, but the money they're being paid is peanut money. When you come from a poor background, and you're hunting for a job without connection, it is very hard to secure a good-paying job,

Especially when the employers discern that you're from a poor background, they tend to pay you less money even if they can pay more".

..I could relate to what he just said, yes, when you're hunting for a job without connection, it would be really hard to secure a good-paying job.

I experienced this firsthand after graduating from college. Even with my college degree, I didn't ever get to secure a good-paying job 'cause of lack of connection.

I kept moving from one mere job to the other which I didn't use to achieve anything. But I saw people with connections securing jobs anyhow while I was still hunting for one.

The man was still speaking, "That's just life for you, that's why I said life is very unfair. The money my kids are earning from their jobs isn't enough to accomplish anything,

The one I'm earning from my job isn't enough to accomplish much as well. So it just seems like we're beating around the bush".

'At least, they are working, they are striving. Not like that woman's children that are lazing at home even though they are suffering'. I thought to myself.

This man's family needed help badly, he'd accept any money I give to him now with both hands. If I tell him to give me his account number so I'd transfer a certain amount of money to him, he'd do so immediately.

And seems like the reasons he gave to me were valid, I think I'd be able to render help to this man and his family.

..He strived to become something in life, but things didn't just work out well for him.

Not everyone can become rich in this life, some are just so fortunate. There'd always be some that would be rich, and there'd always be poor people as well. That's just life for you.

His children are striving as well, they're working hard, but things aren't just going their way. I think I'd be able to help out this man and his family, as said, his reasons are so valid.

And you know what? I was so glad right now, two things were making me glad. One, by helping out this man, I've helped out that boy as well. That boy was just too cool, mature, and intelligent.

I wanted him to go back to school and finish his schooling. At least, he should try to finish high school...

The second reason, once I help out this family, it would remain just one more family to render help to. And once I've done that, the quest has been accomplished.

And I'd bag a good $600,000...that was a lot of money. To me, I was close to accomplishing the quest.

..But I was wrong, the man began speaking once again.