Cop Hates Christmas until He Spends It in Shelter with Homeless Man He Once Saved — Story of the Day

A cop who hates Christmas ends up giving up his dislike for the holiday after crossing paths with an elderly old homeless man who tells him his life story.

Everything looked awful. As Officer Jackson got out of his patrol car at an NYC cafe, he frowned upon seeing the whole city drowned in Christmas decorations.

The decorations and festive atmosphere were terrible according to Officer Jackson because he hated Christmas.

"We have an offer this Christmas... You could have a free croissant with our large caramel latte," the shop assistant told him cheerfully, and Officer Jackson gave him a sharp look.

"Do hell with you and your stupid holiday offers! Get me a regular black coffee. Everyone's going crazy after a stupid holiday! What the hell is wrong with this city?"

The truth was, there was nothing wrong with either the city or Officer Jackson. The only problem was that Officer Jackson had a deep, painful memory buried in his heart that made him despise the lovely holiday...

Officer Jackson, a bright and talented NYC cop, was an orphan. His mother died soon after his birth, and pneumonia took his father away from him when he was young.

Jackson Sr. had died on Christmas, which is why Officer Jackson hated the holiday so much. For him, Christmas was more of a mourning season, and he never celebrated it.

Be kind and help people selflessly. You will never regret it.

So while all his colleagues took time off to spend the holiday with their families, Officer Jackson surrounded himself with case files and just worked.

"Waste!" he would grumble. "It's a waste of time and money! This whole holiday thing!"

***

On that snowy morning, Officer Jackson collected his coffee, returned to his car, and drove away. While patrolling the neighborhood streets, he saw how people were shopping for Christmas, and it made him cringe.

"As if this inflation isn't already burning a hole in our pockets," he hissed, "people are going crazy for this stupid holiday. What a waste!"

Then as he took the next turn, he saw a man and stopped his car. It was snowing heavily across the city, and that homeless man was sitting on the curb in ripped clothing and no slippers.

"Sir!" Officer Jackson cried, approaching him. "You better get back to your shelter. You'll fall sick in this cold weather!"

The man appeared to be about 80 years old and smiled weakly, revealing his decayed teeth. "I don't have a place to stay, officer," he explained. "Oh, I sit here nearly every day. You should go home to your family. It's the holiday season!"

"Well, sir," Officer Jackson said, removing his jacket and handing it to the man, "how about you put this on and accompany me to my car? Your feet are almost blue with the cold. I'll drive you somewhere safe."

"Will you?" the man asked, stunned. "But why would you do that? Oh, I got no money, and—"

"Sir, you don't need to pay me any money. Please, come with me. It's not safe out here in the cold…"

So Officer Jackson brought the elderly man to his car. His name was Michael, and he shared that he had lost his family in a terrible accident several years ago, after which he lost hope in life and started wandering the streets as a homeless man.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Officer Jackson said. "I lost my family, too, long ago. My dad died on Christmas, so I don't celebrate the holiday. To be honest, I kinda hate it. He passed away from pneumonia."

"That's terrible," said the older man. "You're so young. You should celebrate life while you can. At my age, you look back at your life and miss these moments."

Officer Jackson grinned. "Maybe someday I'll consider starting a family..."

The cop took Michael to a shelter for homeless people, gave him some money, and left his contact details with him.

"You can stay here safely, sir," he told Michael before leaving. "And if you need anything, please don't hesitate to contact me."

"Thank you, son," the older man said in tears. "What you've done for me… I will remember this. You have a kind heart."

"Take care, sir," the cop said and left.

The next day, Officer Jackson was on his duty when he received a call from a private number.

"Officer Jackson, NYPD, here…" he replied.

"Well, there's this man, Michael, here at the shelter," the voice on the other end of the line said. "I suppose you dropped him off here yesterday. Officer, I believe you should hurry up. He's in a terrible state, and he's reluctant to call the ambulance… he told me to dial your number and ask you to come."

"Jesus! What happened to him?"

"I—I don't know… He just looks really sick!"

"Christ! I'm coming, alright? I'll be there in 10 mins. Call the goddamn ambulance!"

Officer Jackson hurried over to the shelter, and because it was nearby, he arrived soon. But he wasn't prepared for what he saw next.

"Michael! What—what is this?" he cried as he ran over to the older man. "Are you alright?"

As Officer Jackson stepped inside, he saw a table set with food—turkey, cranberry sauce, apple pie, and so much more—and Michael was perfectly fine.

"Have a seat, officer," Michael said. "You've been missing out on this for far too long."

"I don't understand. What has this got to do with anything? And why that call?"

"We're having a Christmas dinner together, officer," said Michael. "And I would like you to join me."

"Look, Michael, I told you I don't celebrate Christmas. My father died today!"

"I know," said Michael weakly. "I have it," he added. "That illness..."

"Michael! No, you don't!" Officer Jackson's heart sank. "Oh, please tell me you don't!"

"I can't afford the treatment," he said, with a sad smile on his face. "I'd appreciate it if you could let go of your hatred and join me in celebrating. It would mean a lot to me!"

"I'll take you to the best doctor!" promised Officer Jackson. "Nothing will happen to you! Alright?"

"Calm down, young man," Michael smiled. "The only thing I want is to have Christmas dinner with someone. It's been a long time, you see. I hope I'm not asking much."

Officer Jackson couldn't say no. It was as if he had another chance to celebrate Christmas with his father. Jackson Sr., if alive, would've been Michael's age too.

So to honor Michael's wish, Officer Jackson joined him for the Christmas dinner. It wasn't Christmas that day, but that dinner made him feel relieved and give up his dislike for Christmas. He was surrounded by goodness and had company, which he appreciated.

Thanks to Michael, Officer Jackson finally understood his hate for Christmas was only causing him more pain and that everyone needs company and celebrations to smile and live a happy life.

"Maybe I won't hate this holiday from now on," said Officer Jackson in tears. "Maybe I'll visit my dad, wish him 'Merry Christmas,' and celebrate it with people I love. But before that, let's get you treated, Michael," he said to his elderly friend. "Let's do that!"

What can we learn from this story?

• Be kind and help people selflessly. You will never regret it. Officer Jackson jumped in to aid a helpless Michael, who was sitting on the streets in the cold weather. That kindness came back to Officer Jackson in the form of love and company.
• Christmas is a season of togetherness and fun. It brings people together to celebrate. Michael's company made Officer Jackson realize that Christmas is a beautiful holiday and he should celebrate it with his loved ones.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who brought a strange Christmas ball at a flea market and how it led her and her husband to a 'treasure.'

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.