Retired Doctor Settles on Late Grandma’s Farm and Finds a Trap Door in Abandoned House — Story of the Day

A post-accident trauma forces a retired doctor to move into his late grandma's farm. One day, he accidentally finds a trap door in an abandoned farmhouse and ventures into the dark passage, guessing little about what is hidden there.

A pile of stale pizza boxes cluttered the coffee table while a football replay was being telecast on the TV as Jonathan, 35, was fast asleep on the couch. The sour smell of rotten food and unwashed dishes lingered in every nook and corner, attracting flies, but Jonathan didn't feel like cleaning the mess. All he did the whole day, every day, was eat, sleep, drink, and keep cursing his fate.

Jonathan's life was completely different six months ago. He was an acclaimed oral and maxillofacial surgeon whose life and career toppled down after a fateful motorcycle accident. Jonathan's severely injured hand had to be amputated, and he could no longer work like before using a prosthesis.

His dream career ended at its peak, and staying in his late grandma's house where he grew up reminded him of this dark truth. Jonathan could no longer take it and thought he had no purpose in life. He moved to their farm to live alone, guessing little about what was hidden in a deserted farmhouse just a few yards away from the main building where he lodged...

"Sir, excuse me, sir, anyone home??"

Loud knocks followed by bangs on the door suddenly awakened Jonathan. The phone was endlessly ringing as he remembered placing an order for dinner. He slipped into his jeans and answered the door.

Life is like a mountain; your purpose should be to find the path and not just reach the cliff.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I was just—Er, card or cash?"

"Sir, you already paid for it. Here's your parcel. Thanks, and have a good day!"

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry. I was just... uh... caught up with some work. And thanks!"

The aroma of hot and delicious chicken casserole tickled Jonathan's tummy. As he marched to the kitchen, he heard a loud noise coming from the farmhouse.

"What's that noise??"

Jonathan put the food on the dining table and ventured into the farmhouse to check. As he marched into the dusty shack, he almost tripped on a rug, and beneath the rolled carpet, he found a knob on the floor.

"What's this?" he exclaimed and stood in front of what looked like a trap door. He knocked on it, and it sounded hollow. Jonathan leaned and pressed his ears on the plank and heard squeaking sounds coming from beneath.

Alarmed and curious to find out what was in there, Jonathan slightly eased the door's corners with a rod and opened it. The stairs leading to whatever was down there were dark and full of cobwebs, dust, and a gang of rats that fled after hearing the staircase creak.

"What is this place, and why didn't grandma tell me about it?"

Jonathan lowered the flashlight as he cautiously walked down the stairs leading to a small room he had never heard of or seen before. The dust and the moldy smell made him cough and sneeze, but he kept walking.

Moments later, Jonathan found himself in front of a wooden door secured by a rusty, old lock. He broke it open with the rod he'd carried down for safety, and as the door creaked open, Jonathan was in for a shock—a secret treasure cove stared back at him. An assortment of antique items and valuables like original paintings, Victorian-era vases, rugs, Depression glass, and brassware cloaked in a layer of dust and debris startled Jonathan.

"Whoa! What's all this, and why didn't grandma tell me before?"

Wait, she did... she did give me a letter, but I didn't read it... I was too lazy to do it, he thought and ran upstairs. Jonathan immediately drove to his grandma Doris's house and searched for the letter.

"Where is it? I kept it here... somewhere! Oh, come on, it should be around here..."

Jonathan rummaged through the drawers and closets for the letter. He had forgotten where he'd kept it. After a long search, he found the letter in his old blazer he'd worn when he visited his granny when she was bedridden just months before her passing.

He gasped and sat down to read...

"Dear Jon, After I'm gone, you'll inherit our estate. I want to tell you something about our old farmhouse," it began.

"A trapdoor in that building will lead you to a secret room downstairs. The treasure you'll find in there is your grandpa's collection. He loved collecting different works of art throughout his life. They could be easily sold for a few million, but I don't want you to sell them. Your grandpa wanted to build a museum, but he died before that. Son, I want you to fulfill his wish and preserve those treasures. Love, Grandma Doris."

Jonathan could not believe his eyes and sat back in tears.

"I thought my life had ended after losing my hand... but I found my true purpose in life. I'll do anything to make my grandpa's dream come true!"

Mustering confidence, Jonathan devised a plan to pay tribute to his late grandpa because of whom he achieved his dream career in medicine.

A couple of days later, neighbors and friends teamed up with Jonathan to renovate his farmhouse after he requested their help. The roof, old doors, and broken windows got a beautiful makeover in two weeks. The old wooden fence and gate were replaced by iron fencing and gate, with surveillance cameras monitoring every nook and corner. Jonathan spent all his savings on remodeling the farmhouse into a museum but didn't stop at that.

He visited various flea markets and antique collectors in town and convinced them to display their valuables in his museum. Jonathan believed he had lost his entire life after the accident. But his late grandpa's wish gave him a new reason to start afresh.

Soon, a new museum took over where an old farmhouse stood. It exhibited a wide collection of antiquities, with Jonathan's late grandpa's timeless treasure topping the list. From that day onward, Jonathan strived to preserve the art and pieces of history for future generations. He no longer cursed his fate and dedicated his heart and soul to cherishing his newfound mission.

• Life is like a mountain; your purpose should be to find the path and not just reach the cliff. When Jonathan learned about his late grandpa's wish to start a museum, he did everything possible to fulfill it.
• Do not let your wounds stop you from finding your purpose in life. Jonathan's post-accident traumas made him think he had lost his purpose in life, but he realized he was wrong when he found the trap door with a secret room stashed with antiquities in his late grandma's farmhouse.

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A poor woman nurses her father until his death and inherits only a tiny room after his passing. Her stepmom and stepsister mock her and soon regret it when she finds a trap door in the room. Click here to read the full story.

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