From an early age, Sam learned to keep his head down and stay humble. He never let the bullies at his school get his spirits down. But when his fortunes changes for the better, would he manage to keep his heart pure?
Sam spent his childhood making lemonade from lemons. His father passed away when he was still a baby. Since then, he had helped his mom, Susan, earn extra cash when he had time off from school. Sam and Susan lived in a trailer park because they couldn’t afford an apartment or a house.
Susan barely earned enough money to keep the lights on and pay for Sam’s school fees as she was autistic and struggled to find a steady job. “We may not have much, but always be grateful for the little that we do have,” Susan would tell her son.
In class, Sam was constantly teased. Bullies at school often called him names like “bum” and “broke boy.” One bully in particular, Jared, once told him, “People like you will always be stuck living in trailers.”
Sam never let the insults get him down, as his mother taught him that he must have thick skin to survive. He still dreamed of someday owning a mansion for himself and his mother.
One day, their landlord, Tobey, came to collect the rent. Tobey also worked as a real estate agent in the area and had posters all over town. During Tobey’s visit, a massive storm hit town, and he tried to rush home, but his car wouldn’t start.
Sam accepted and, over time, developed a good relationship with Tobey, who he saw as a father figure. Whenever Tobey would bring his car for a wash, he would spend time with Susan while Sam was busy. He soon discovered that she had a collection of remarkable drawings of the town and recognizable faces.
Tobey asked her if she worked as an artist. “No, I just draw stuff from memory,” Susan replied. Susan learned that Tobey had also been widowed a few years earlier, and the two developed feelings for each other. Tobey helped Susan open a small art studio, and she began to sell her artwork.
One day, Jared noticed that Sam was absent from school. He suggested to his friends that they should pay Sam a visit.