Rich Man Comes to Restaurant, Sees Twin Brother Begging in Front of It – Story of the Day

Twin brothers Jack and Rick have a feud one day, leading to them parting ways forever. What will their fate hold years later when one of the brothers, who is now rich, comes across his twin begging in front of a restaurant?

Tall mahogany shelves crammed with thick volumes, a central hardwood table, and three red velvet chairs occupied the library. It was where Jack and Rick's Grampa Samuel taught them every evening.

Growing up, the two brothers were surrounded by books because their grandfather was a voracious reader. Unfortunately, Jack and Rick's parents were too engrossed with their jobs, so Samuel being their only relative in the city, stepped in to look after the boys.

While Rick and Jack liked Grampa Samuel, they weren't the most well-behaved children, and getting on their grandfather's nerves was one of their favorite pastime activities.

"Grampa! Grampa! Look, there's something behind you!"

While Grampa Samuel would be lost figuring out what was behind him, the two boys would disappear from the library because they didn't enjoy books or reading. It was only Samuel who adored his book collection, not the boys.

However, the older man's hair hadn't turned silver overnight—it reflected his experiences, the ups and the downs he'd seen in his lifetime. So while his little grandsons were busy being mischievous and playing pranks, Grampa Samuel was hatching a plan to tame them.

One evening, he called the boys to the library and said, "OK, boys. I've got something to tell you. Starting today, whoever sits with me in my library and lets me read to them will get the best Christmas present every year! Whoever does not goes home empty-handed!"

When you choose the wrong path, you are to blame for your predicament.

The two young boys exchanged glances, and from the next evening on, in their greed for the best Christmas present, they began studying in Samuel's library alongside him. But then life happened, and Samuel started getting old and frail and eventually became terribly sick.

His feeble limbs could no longer hold the large, heavy books he used to read to his grandsons, and somewhere he knew his time had come. So in his last days, he spent as much time with his grandsons as he could.

One day, Samuel dozed off while reading a book to Jack and Rick, and he never woke up again. His love for books didn't fade until his last breath, and the last thing he'd told his grandsons was: "In books, there's wisdom, and wisdom is the real treasure, boys."

Before Jack and Rick realized it, Grampa Samuel was gone for years, and they were now adults who didn't share the same passion for books and wisdom as their late grandfather.

Jack and Rick's parents had built a little family business that was enough to keep them afloat, but it had been losing money for the past few years, so the parents sat the kids down one day and told them it was up to them to save it.

"Our savings have almost run out, and we don't think we can keep going like this," their father admitted helplessly. "I need your help, boys."

"But Dad," Jack said. "We've literally never been to college, and we have no idea how to run a business!"

"Sometimes in life, your circumstances push you to do your best, Jack," his father said. "I'm relying on my sons because, frankly, your mother and I don't think we can support you any longer."

Jack and Rick had been brawlers almost all their adolescent years, and their father suddenly asking them to shoulder the responsibilities really worried them. How would they do it when they never had to lift a finger for anything?

"I think it's time we resort to Grampa's library, Rick," Jack said one evening. "He has so many books there, and we'll surely find something that'll help us. Anyway, we can't afford college, and we screwed up the scholarship thing last time."

Rick shrugged. "You're not serious, right? Jesus! Don't tell me you are!"

"What do you mean? Of course, I am!" Jack insisted.

"You really think reading a few books will make us so smart that we'll be capable of handling Dad's business? Even Dad, who has so many years of experience, couldn't do it, Jack! How will we?"

"Well, we gotta try!" Jack said. "You can't just sit here and hope for a miracle to save the business!"

"Best of luck, brother!" Rick grinned. "But I'm not up for studying the books Grampa read us. It was so hard to escape it, and I'm not going back there! I'm done with that crap!"

A few days later, Rick was gone. Vanished into thin air. When Jack returned home that day, he found his mother sobbing over their stolen savings; then she discovered a note in Rick's room saying he was tired of poverty and didn't want to be a loser, staying there and attempting to save his father's nearly bankrupt firm.

Jack was left alone with his aging and helpless parents, a collapsing business, and no idea about what to do next.

But there was one thing he still had: Grampa Samuel's books.

When Jack visited his grandfather's old library, the sight of the dust-covered books brought tears to his eyes. They'd been so happy playing, reading, and spending time with Samuel there. Oh, how he missed those days now!

Jack looked around for a duster and tidied a few shelves before choosing a book to read. As he opened it, he was surprised by what he found inside. A $1 bill affixed to the thin, yellowed crisp sheet stared back at him.

"Did Grampa keep his savings in his beloved books?" he chuckled as he leafed to the next page. Another bill? As Jack flipped to the next page and the next, he found several dollar bills inside.

He couldn't believe his eyes for a moment. Did all the books here have money in them? To verify, Jack chose a few books at random and actually found money in them!

Why did Grampa keep his money here? he wondered. There's no note, no way to explain it!

Thinking it was a puzzle, Jack began reading the books. He read them day and night, and within a year, he had almost finished all of the volumes in the library. He hadn't spent the money he had found yet, believing he needed to solve the mystery behind it.

It was during that time Jack also developed an interest in science books, particularly biological sciences. He wondered why he hadn't considered reading the books before and kept going.

Soon after, he told his parents he wouldn't be able to help them in their business, but he would become a successful doctor and make them proud. Because his parents' savings were gone by then, Jack took up part-time jobs to support his family.

Time ticked by, and a few months later, Jack applied for a scholarship. He had zero hopes he would make it, but Jack gave it his all and couldn't believe his eyes when he bagged it!

Samuel's books had changed Jack's life, and he was now determined to make his parents and grandfather proud by becoming a doctor. So he worked extremely hard for the university entrance exams, and while he was rejected by a few universities, he was accepted by a dozen!

"He—He's my brother, isn't he?"

Jack chose the college nearest to home, so he could be around his parents and support them while working on his dreams. Meanwhile, he hadn't forgotten his twin brother.

For years, Jack tried to find Rick on social media, revisited the old places where they hung out as kids, and even stayed in touch with Rick's friends, hoping there would be some sign of him.

Unfortunately, there were none. Another couple of years passed, and once Jack graduated, he started a research lab with the money he had found in Samuel's library.

It was his way of paying tribute to his late grandfather—who had been instrumental in his success and everything he had accomplished in life—and promoting clinical research as a doctor. After all, if it hadn't been for Samuel's books, Jack would never have discovered his interest or what he was capable of.

On the lab's inauguration day, Jack was sitting alone for a while, holding one of his favorite books he'd found in Samuel's library. That day, he'd realized he'd finally solved the puzzle of the money in Samuel's books.

Samuel had left the money in his volumes so that his grandsons would read the books. He could no longer get them Christmas presents after all. However, he had devised a technique to ensure his grandsons read the textbooks and became wise men.

Poor Rick, Jack reflected. I'm curious about what that guy is up to. If he had stayed, he would've realized Grampa had left us a treasure in his old library.

Two years passed, and things were going swimmingly for Jack. His lab was growing and expanding, and he had opened multiple branches throughout the state. He was also planning on expanding it to other states, and during an investor meeting, he met the love of his life.

Ariel was beautiful, hard-working, and easygoing. She first fell for Jack's hazel eyes and charming smile, but he fell harder for her. In fact, he was so captivated by her personality that he decided he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with anyone else.

When Jack and Ariel arrived at a restaurant for a lunch date one day, Ariel swiftly informed the handsome valet of their appointment and proceeded inside. But Jack's feet refused to move. He remained still, unable to take his gaze away from the scruffy man in front of the diner, asking passers-by for money.

"Rick?" Jack asked himself. "He—He's my brother, isn't he?"

Although the man's face was marked with wrinkles and he was dressed in ragged clothing, Jack wouldn't fail to recognize the twin brother he had grown up with. Nor would he forget the silly face his brother had.

"Rick, what—what happened to you?" Jack asked, approaching him, and the poor man had tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Jack!" Rick sobbed, wrapping his arms around his brother after ages. "I can't believe it's you! Oh, I... I never thought I'd see you again!"

Realizing his brother was wearing an expensive suit and he had just ruined it, Rick pulled himself away. "Sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to ruin your clothes."

"What are you even talking about? Come here!" Jack cried as he held his brother close. His tears wouldn't stop as he explained to Rick how much he had tried to find him. Meanwhile, Ariel stepped out of the restaurant and was shocked to see her handsome boyfriend hugging a bum.

"Babe!" she cried. "What are you doing? Why are you hugging a hobo?"

"Hey, now. He's not a hobo! He's Rick, Ariel!" Jack said in tears. "Remember, I told you about my brother who'd gone missing years ago? I found him, and I'm—I can't express how glad I am!"

While Ariel was not pleased about Jack ruining their date, she knew how much he had yearned for Rick. She canceled the date and said 'they would talk' later. Jack knew he had upset her, but he would take care of that later. All that mattered to him now was his long-lost brother in front of his eyes, alive and well.

"Rick, do you even know what happened after you left? Grampa had left us his most prized possession. His books... they transformed my life!"

Rick's expression darkened as Jack continued to tell him about the money he had found and how the books had helped him. "So you spent up Grampa's money without even caring about me?" Rick hissed. "That was really selfish of you, Jack, wasn't it? Grampa must've left the inheritance for both of us. How could you spend everything alone? And you have this great life all because of his money!"

"Do you even hear yourself, Rick?" Jack said, irritated.

"What? It's not like I'm lying!"

"I never wanted Grampa's money, Rick," Jack explained, "and I didn't spend it until I graduated from college, alright? I supported myself, Mom, and Dad throughout. There are so many books in Grampa's library that I haven't even read. You could look there... You'll know what I mean. And I'm sure they have what you're looking for. But trust me, the real treasure is the knowledge contained in those books, brother."

Rick was more than happy to return to the library because his greed had not faded over the years. And once he did and found the money, he was overjoyed. But the money he found inside didn't last long.

Rick used the books to keep himself afloat rather than to gain knowledge, and he soon found himself in the same situation, begging for a living. At that point, he realized Jack had become successful not because Samuel had left them money, but because of the knowledge he had received.

So while Jack is planning his wedding with Ariel after they patched up, Rick is finally trying to change himself and reflecting on his mistakes. Only time will tell how things turn out for him. Meanwhile, Grampa Samuel is smiling at his grandsons from the pretty skies, glad he has finally shown his once mischievous beloved boys the right path.

What can we learn from this story?

• When you choose the wrong path, you are to blame for your predicament. Rick never focused on bettering himself, even after revisiting his grandfather's library, which drove him back into poverty.
• Appreciate what your grandparents do because they always want the best for you. Samuel's books changed Jack's life and made him successful because Jack realized their worth. Rick has only now realized the value of the knowledge contained therein, and only time will tell if he'll change.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a lady who comes across a pair of twins begging passers-by for money and realizes they have the same birthmark as her late son.

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