Donald Whan is a 34-year-old high school history teacher in Atlanta earning about $52,000 a year. For six years, he truly believed he had a strong and loving marriage with his wife, Glenda. She works in pharmaceutical marketing, makes almost twice his salary, travels all the time for work, dresses sharp, and is guided closely by her boss, David Price. Donald has always been proud of her success. He never felt threatened by the fact that she earned more. He supported her late nights, her long hours, and her career stress. In his mind, he and Glenda were building a…
Author: town gist
Kelly Neil is a 34-year-old high school math teacher in Detroit who has just lost his father, Richard Neil, a Taiwanese immigrant who worked over 30 years as a quality control manager at an auto parts factory. Richard never earned more than $68,000 a year, but he sacrificed everything so Kelly and his sister Angela could have a better life. On a gray November morning in 2024, Kelly stands by his father’s casket, heartbroken. The small chapel is full of people whose lives Richard touched: coworkers, neighbors, former students he tutored for free, and church members he helped for years.…
James Mitchell was 34, a quiet high school history teacher making $58,000 a year. He lived in New York with his wife, Catherine, who came from a very rich family, the Westbrooks. For eight years, James had tried to fit into their world of money, luxury, and status. But to them, he was always “the help,” never really one of them. On a cold November day, James stood soaking wet in the hallway of Riverside Memorial Chapel in Manhattan. It was his father’s funeral. His cheap suit was drenched from the rain, and he could see through the doorway into…
Ibuka was a 12-year-old orphan who lived on the streets of Aoyi, in Lagos. He was small for his age, with thin arms and bright, sharp eyes that noticed everything. While other children went to school in clean uniforms, Ibuka woke up under an abandoned kiosk near a big mango tree. That was his “room.” He washed his face with a little water, picked up his dirty black tray, and went out to sell sachets of water by the roadside. His parents had died when he was very young. Since then, he had no home, no family, and no one…
After Brian Anderson’s fiancée abandoned him, he tried to rebuild his life little by little. One cold evening, he found a homeless woman and her small child huddled together on the street, shivering. Something in their eyes touched him deeply. He couldn’t walk away. Out of simple compassion, he offered them a warm place to sleep for the night. He believed it would just be one act of kindness—nothing more. But when he woke up the next morning, the truth waiting for him would change all their lives forever. A few weeks later, Brian walked into the hospital for an…
A young woman takes in a homeless man on a freezing winter night to save him from dying in the cold. But after he finishes taking a bath and steps out looking completely different, she learns something so shocking she could never have imagined it. On a bitter winter evening, 27-year-old Holly was standing at the door of her parents’ house, hugging them goodbye after a warm and comforting visit. “I should head home now before the blizzard gets worse,” she said softly, tightening her scarf around her neck. Her car was still at the workshop, so she had no…
David Albury stood at the bedroom window watching his wife Jessica walk to her car. What bothered him wasn’t her leaving, it was the mysterious smile she wore every morning before driving off. It wasn’t the smile she gave him at breakfast, and it wasn’t her wedding-day smile. This one felt private, glowing, almost like it belonged to someone else. After six months of seeing it, David finally felt he couldn’t ignore it anymore. Jessica drove away, and instead of heading to work himself, David grabbed his keys with trembling hands. He didn’t plan to follow her, but something inside…
Madame Ephima was one of the richest women in Lagos. People knew her name everywhere. She owned many companies, dressed in expensive clothes, and drove the latest cars. People respected her, but many were also afraid of her sharp tongue. She walked like a queen, and everyone treated her like one. Behind all that power, she was a woman who valued loyalty more than money. She did not trust many people. The few she trusted, she held close. One of those people was her driver, Chike. For three years, Chike drove her everywhere – to business meetings, church, and family…
Alana Williams was only 22, yet she carried the weight of an entire family on her shoulders. Everyone who knew her admired her bright smile and strong spirit, but few understood how hard her life truly was. She had worked at the Lawson Mansion for two long years, keeping the place spotless, staying quiet, and never stepping out of line. Her job wasn’t easy, but she depended on it. Her whole family did. Her mother, Grace, was seriously ill and needed constant care. Alana also had two younger siblings—Malik, who was 15 and trying to stay out of trouble, and…
At Beirut International Airport, Officer NASA and his loyal partner, Jim the German shepherd, were walking their usual patrol route. Jim had a reputation for being one of the best dogs on the force. He was calm, focused, and had an incredible sense of smell. Nothing normally startled him. But on this particular day, something happened that neither he nor Officer NASA would ever forget. The airport was busy as always—people rushing to catch flights, luggage rolling across the floor, announcements echoing through the halls. As they made their way past the baggage area, Jim suddenly stopped. His ears perked…