David always sat by the window on the school bus on the way home. As usual, he opened the window wide and let the afternoon breeze blow across his face, recalling the game he had played that day, moment by moment.
‘What you did on the field today was incredible!’ said one of his teammates.
‘Guys, I think we have a national-level player here. Get his autograph while you can!’ teased another player, patting David on the back a little too hard.
It was a distant dream — to play for his country and make history, like all his football idols.
David could almost taste the victory and pride when his team and he himself held the golden championship cup in their hands and smiled for the photographers.
David constantly rehearsed what he would say in front of the cameras and journalists after the match. How he rose from the bottom. And how he owed everything he had achieved to his mother.
‘Excuse me, can I sit here?’
David was so immersed in his dreams that he didn’t notice one of his classmates asking permission to sit next to him.
The boy sat down next to David, hugged his backpack and began to dream about his dream. “I want to be the best footballer in school. Just like David. I can’t believe I’m sitting next to him!”
The boy was a huge fan of David’s playing and never missed an opportunity to watch him play. In his mind, David was everything he wanted to be. He wanted to play like him, have as many friends as him, and even wear the same fashionable football boots as David.
‘These old, worn-out boots will do… for now,’ thought the boy, shyly hiding his feet under the seat.
Guillermo had always been shy and had difficulty making friends. One day, the boy finally plucked up the courage to talk to his idol.
‘Hi, David! I’m Guillermo. I’m your biggest fan!’
‘Oh? Hi, Guillermo! Thank you.’
An awkward silence ensued, and David plunged back into his dreams.
‘I… really like your boots!’ Guillermo blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
“These? They’re very old, and the soles are starting to come off. You should see the new boots I’m going to buy…” David’s eyes lit up as he thought about the pair of trainers of his dreams that he had been saving up for.
‘Tell me more about them!’ said Guillermo, slowly pulling his legs under the seat. He didn’t want David to see how ugly and worn out his own boots were.
“Well, they’re just perfect! They’re neon orange and have unbeatable traction…”
It had been seven months since David started saving money to buy the pair of trainers he wanted. It was the first time the 12-year-old boy had wanted to buy something for himself. And he wanted to do it without burdening his mother. He knew how hard she worked to provide for him and his two younger twin sisters.
‘Mum, you don’t need to contribute. Tracy and Katie’s birthdays are coming up soon, and you need to save up for the tea party, remember?’
David had saved up enough money. He did it by delivering newspapers every morning and saving his earnings from the lemonade stand he had opened during the last holiday. And then one day his piggy bank was full, and he finally had enough money to buy the shoes of his dreams.
That day, on the bus home from school, he couldn’t stop talking about it with Guillermo.
“Guillermo! I did it! Tonight, after school, I’m going straight to the shop and buying the best trainers in town. What’s more, I’ll pick you up and you can come with me to the shop. It’ll be the best feeling of my life!”
Guillermo was genuinely happy for his idol. At that moment, the bus suddenly hit a pothole and one of Guillermo’s shoes fell onto the floor of the bus.
David was stunned to see the worn, blackened shoe. It was a pair of thin, poor-quality summer shoes that had been through too many seasons. There were holes in the soles, the canvas was falling apart, and there were no laces to be found.
Guillermo, overcome with shame, dropped the second shoe.
David looked at his friend with tears in his eyes, hiding his face in his hands and crying quietly but uncontrollably. For the rest of the way, neither boy knew what to say to the other.
‘Be ready at 5 o’clock!’ David finally reminded Guillermo of their evening plan to visit the shop. David would never have gone to the shop alone. Not after what he had seen.
‘Ah, David! Are you here for your new pair of football boots? I’ve already packed them, they’re here.’
“Wait, sir. Could you show me a pair of the same type but in a smaller size?” David said, pointing to a pair of comfortable boots.
Always help those in need when you can.
The shop owner, Mr Manning, was confused. ‘But the ones I packed are definitely your size, Dave.’
‘Not for me, for my friend,’ Dave replied.
Guillermo couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He couldn’t let David do this.
‘No, David, I don’t need…’