Homeless Man Finds Strange Bag in Dumpster, Buys Huge House and Car Next Day – Story of the Day

A homeless Johnny goes from rags to riches when he accidentally finds a bag stashed with $5 million in a dumpster. He flees with the money and buys a mansion and a car. But Johnny's life takes a dark turn when gangsters arrive on his doorstep, demanding their money back.

46-year-old Johnny was rummaging through dumpsters for leftover scraps to eat. It was his typical life. He had been living off the streets for several years, relying on stale food some big supermarket chains and restaurants discarded as waste. But that day was unlike any other.

"Ugh…this is beyond rotten!" Johnny cringed in disgust as his weathered hands delved into the depths of the dumpster and pulled out a stale, half-eaten burger. The pungent odor of decay and dampness emanating from City Park's public bin was nauseating. But Johnny wasn't one to give up.

As he kept digging, he found a strange black trash bag that caught his attention. Curious, Johnny pulled it out and opened it, hoping to find food, only to freeze to the ground. Bundles and bundles of crisp, untouched hundred-dollar banknotes were stashed in the bag…

"Jesus…Oh my!" Johnny's eyes bulged in shock. "Is this…is this real?"

Johnny had never been that haunted. He anxiously looked around to ensure nobody was watching him before hastily grabbing the bag of money. Johnny bolted to a secluded underpass nearby, where he settled in a quiet corner and started counting the bills.

The scent of money enveloped the musky air as Johnny's heart pounded. He was stunned when he finished counting the last bundle of cash and slumped in awe when the fortune totaled a whopping $5 million.

With the bag of newfound riches clutched tightly in his soiled hands, Johnny hurried to meet his old friend, Billy, who was once homeless but now a janitor at a local café.

"Wait…what? $5 million? You got that in your inheritance?" Billy gasped in wonder when Johnny showed him the money. "You gotta be kidding, man! And where did this Grandpa come from? I thought you had no one."

"Yeah, man! I had no idea I had a Grandpa," Johnny told Billy. "The old man somehow managed to find me before passing away…and left his fortune to me. It's all my money, pal. I'm rich! I don't have to live on the streets anymore!"

Johnny cooked up a fib about an unsuspecting inheritance from an estranged Grandpa who never existed. Who would tell his friend about finding a trash bag stashed with millions in a dumpster?

Of course, Johnny would never risk doing it. So he downright lied to his best friend about the origins of the money, and surprisingly, even Billy bought his words.

"I need a small favor, Bill," Johnny then added slyly.

"What kind of favor?"

"I want you to help me buy a house…and a car…BY TOMORROW!" Johnny finished as Billy looked up at him in disbelief.

"By tomorrow? Man, are you kidding me? What's the hurry? Getting a house overnight is...quite impossible, pal." Billy raised an eyebrow.

"Look, man…You know I don't have an ID...and legal papers. Getting a house involves a lot of legal stuff…and paperwork. So all I'm asking you is to register the house and car in your name because you have an ID," Johnny added.

Billy was confused and reluctant. But Johnny knew this was the only way to start living his dreams. He kept persuading his friend to do it for him.

"Bill, look…you don't have to do it for free, okay?" Johnny declared. "I'll give you $100,000 for this, man. It's huge money. Think about your daughter, Ellie…about your fight for her custody. Think about everything you wanted to give her but could not due to poverty. You buy me the house and car tomorrow…and $100,000 in cash is all yours! Can't you do just this much for your friend?"

Billy's 15-year-old daughter Ellie lived with her foster parents. Billy was deprived of parental rights several years ago because of his poor living conditions and history of homelessness.

He had always wanted to make up for his absence in his daughter's life and had even dreamed about earning a lot of money for Ellie's college. Motivated by his dream, he gave up his street life and landed a job as a cleaner in the café to save enough money to fulfill his daughter's dream.

Johnny knew everything about Billy's struggles and decided to use them to nudge him in his favor. "Don't you want your daughter to go to a nice college? How long will you juggle between odd jobs…and struggle to earn money?"

Johnny's words kept echoing in Billy's ears. He wanted his daughter to live her dreams. He wanted her forgiveness for not being there when she needed him the most after her mother's death. So after deep thought, Billy nodded.

"Fine…I know a realtor who can do this for some extra fees," Billy looked up at Johnny, who was all smiles.

The friends met with the realtor and registered an abandoned mansion that was listed for sale in Billy's name the next day. They also paid the realtor a generous tip for completing the paperwork promptly.

Johnny was over the moon when he got the keys to his new house. But his happiness would only be complete with his dream car. So as soon as they purchased the house, Johnny and Billy set out to the auto showroom in town to buy Johnny's posh new car.

"That's what I call a beast on wheels!" Johnny's contagious laughter echoed through the open windows as he sat behind the wheel of his new car and sped down the street.

Billy sat beside him, sharing in his friend's joy. Deep inside, he could not wait to meet his daughter Ellie and break the surprise he had planned for her future.

"Hey, buddy…how about we celebrate this incredible day with a drink?" Johnny asked Billy when they pulled over outside Johnny's new mansion, ready to call it a night.

"Thanks, man! I'd love to…but I have a graveyard shift at the store," Billy disappointedly turned down the offer.

"Aww, c'mon, man. It's not every day we get to experience such joy."

"I know, pal. It's amazing. But duty calls, you know? I can't leave my colleagues hanging tonight. Plus, I could use the extra hours to make some bonus," Billy departed with a smile, leaving Johnny to celebrate alone. "And thanks for the $100,000!"

Johnny nodded. He chugged a beer and dozed off, waking up in his plush bed the following morning. He peered through the window and admired his stylish car parked outside. Johnny was so happy with this new life. That's when a loud knock on his front door shattered the stillness around him.

"Who is it so early in the morning?" Johnny mumbled.

The knocks grew wilder and louder as Johnny pulled his overcoat closer and approached the door, reaching for the knob.

The door creaked open, and Johnny's eyes widened in horror. Clad in black attire, a group of six men stood on the doorstep, their piercing gaze fixed on a terrified Johnny.

Their body language spoke volumes of the underbelly of the society they hailed from. 'Just thugs' would be an understatement. These men were deadly.

"You gotta be one dumb son of a gun, huh?" One of the men, who was the gang leader, held the door tightly, staring daggers at Johnny. "You really thought we wouldn't track down the guy who swiped our five million from the dumpster and wandered the damn streets?" He barked.

"Five million? I…I'm sorry…I don't know what you're talking about…" Johnny stuttered and pretended. But things spiraled into a deadly knot when the gang leader pulled out a Bowie knife and barged into the mansion with his hoodlums.

"Now listen up, you stinky sack of garbage," the guy roared, rubbing the sharp, glinting blade of the knife on his palm. "You got exactly one week to sell your fancy house and that shiny new car parked outside. And here's the kicker, pal! You better return every penny from the sale...plus another damn ten percent as a little bonus for screwing up our plans and thwarting our deal. Oh, and that stash of cash you have hidden in your house? We want it right now. Go...bring the money."

Terror surged into Johnny's nerves. "What are you waiting for, moron? Bring the money NOW!" The thug's booming voice sent shivers down Johnny's spine.

He rushed upstairs to bring the money. He stashed wads of all the leftover cash in his backpack, and as he eyed the dollars, he made a split-second decision.

While the thugs waited downstairs for him, Johnny jumped out of the window and bolted out of the gate as fast as his legs could carry him.

Johnny hurried into a thrift store on the way and bought new clothes for a steal. He then ran to an old motel on the highway to wait out the night.

"Hey there, I need a room," Johnny approached the motel clerk, panting. "But here's the deal…I'll give you a good tip if you don't bother me about showing my ID."

"Sorry, sir…but it's against our hotel policy to rent rooms without checking the IDs of our guests," the motel clerk squared his shoulders.

"Look, pal. I won't cause any trouble, okay? I just need a place to crash for the night. I'm ready to make it worth your while. What do you think?" Johnny pulled out a wad of cash and showed it to the guy.

The motel clerk could not deny the pleasure of the handsome tip. "Here are the keys. Room number 206. Second on your left upstairs!" He said, tossing the room key in Johnny's hand.

As Johnny settled in his room and stood under the shower, his encounter with the gangsters replayed in his mind, haunting him. He could not shake the fear off his head and his fate in their hands if they ever found him.

Leaving the town by train or bus was his last resort. But Johnny knew it would be next to impossible without an ID. He thought hard and deeply when a strange idea suddenly struck his mind.

"A car junkyard is not far from here!" Johnny thought. He decided to buy a cheap, old car there and get out of the state at the earliest the next day.

The next morning, Johnny hit the salon first thing. He shaved his head and beard so that nobody would recognize him. He put on a fedora and headed to the car scrapyard.

"Hey there! I'm here for a car. Got anything that's still in decent shape, pal?" Johnny approached a garage worker.

"Ah, greetings, Sir. Well, you're lucky! I might have something for you...follow me," the man said, leading Johnny into the garage. They walked through the rows of old cars until they reached a cheap, worn-out Mustang in moderately good shape.

"Uhm, that one doesn't look too bad. How much are you asking for this car?" Johnny turned to the man.

"$500!"

"Whoa! That's a steal. But here's the thing...I need to get outta this state as soon as possible. Paperwork...and anything legal is not my thing. If you know what I mean..." Johnny said.

"Alright! Technically, it's illegal to sell cars without proper paperwork. But you can have it for $5,000...solid cash. And we settle this under the table! No questions. No paperwork. No records. How does that sound?" The guy grinned, his lips curled around a cigar.

Johnny agreed and paid the cash. He happily hopped into the car and sped toward the outskirts of the town. Just as Johnny was about to pass through the US-Mexico border, his phone rang loudly, prompting him to pull over at the curb. It was a call from Billy.

"Hey, Bill! Listen, man... I've got some important news...." Johnny said, only to be interrupted by a familiar, menacing voice on the other end of the line.

"Unexpected, huh? Looks like Billy couldn't make it to the phone. Guess who this is? Didn't think you'd get caught so soon, did you, huh, Johnny?"

Johnny's heart started to race, and his hands trembled.

"You didn't honestly think you could take our money and run, did you? Why didn't you tell us that your house and car were registered under poor Billy's name, Johnny?" The gang leader laughed.

"By the way...your friend Billy's no longer with us, I'm afraid. He had a little incident when we paid him a surprise visit at his shabby little home. Shame on his weak heart! The poor fella stopped breathing when we pointed the gun at the temple of his head. Glad he saved us a bullet…and our time!"

A cold sweat broke on Johnny's forehead as the mob lord coldly added, "Wherever you are now, Johnny...and wherever you're going to...just know that we will find you."

"And the day we meet, you will face the same fate as your dear friend!"

"We're giving you one last chance, Johnny Boy. We'll be waiting at Billy's house...you have an hour. Bring the money. Don't even think about trying to play games with us. It won't end well for you."

The thug hung up, leaving Johnny with a sinking feeling and a race against time. How menacing can this get? What more did Johnny have to lose?

The gang killed his only dear friend, one who had no clue about the origins of the fateful $5 million, and paid a hefty price for it. And now, they would stop at nothing to claim their money back.

Johnny hit his head against the steering wheel and swore, not sure of which way to head. Stepping up on the gas pedal and accelerating straight onto the empty road ahead would take him across the US-Mexico border with the $700,000 cash in his backpack.

But Johnny made a different decision. He turned around and drove back towards the town.

Johnny sped on the highway and pulled over outside a joke shop in a mall. He walked in, anxiety and fear etched on his face as he approached the seller.

Rubber chickens, fake insects, comedic props, and other funny accessories were displayed in glass cases. But Johnny had something else in mind.

"Do you have a dozen packs of fake $100 bills?" Johnny leaned closer to the vendor.

'Well...well...looking to have a little fun, huh? Yep! We've got a dozen packs of those fake Benjamin Franklins right here!" the shopkeeper chuckled.

"Perfect...I'll take a dozen packs then. Gonna be a hilarious surprise for my friends," Johnny grinned.

"Oh, I can already imagine the laughs you're gonna have. Just remember, this fake cash is for novelty purposes only, alright?"

"Yeah...yeah! Just harmless fun, pal. Thanks!" Johnny said as he stashed the counterfeit money in a black trash bag. He then headed to the mall's storage room and left the backpack of real money in one of the lockers.

Johnny immediately drove to Billy's daughter's foster home and met her. He could not muster the courage to tell her that her father had died. However, he gathered his broken heart to do it anyway.

"Ellie, I need to talk to you about something...it's about your father," Johnny said, his voice choked up with agony.

Although Ellie lived with her foster parents, she still loved her Dad and was worried when Johnny said that. "What's wrong...is Dad okay? Why hasn't he come with you?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, dear. Your father...he passed away," Johnny broke the bad news. It felt horribly painful, like daggers piercing his heart, when he saw Ellie's eyes welling up.

Johnny pulled himself together and fabricated a lie. "...he had a heart attack, Ellie. I wish there were something more I could say."

Ellie burst into tears. She could not believe her Dad, who struggled to bring her back home...fulfill her dreams…and make her happy, was now gone.

"He...he was everything to me," she cried. "I still don't believe it. Please, tell me it's not true, Johnny. Please tell me Dad's fine…and alive."

"I know it's hard to accept, dear. Before your father died, he wanted me to give you something," Johnny said as he handed Ellie a note and a key.

"What is this? What are these numbers?" Ellie spoke through her tears.

"It's the locker number in the storage room...in the shopping plaza nearby. This is the key to it. Your father left something for you, Ellie," Johnny said. "Billy was such a wonderful father. He worked very hard…and honestly to bring you back home. He had saved up money for your college. It's now yours."

Placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, Johnny hopped into his car and drove to Billy's house, where the gangsters were waiting for him.

Johnny parked his car at an intersection quite far from Billy's house and approached the building. Taking a deep breath, he held the bag of fake money he had dunked in gasoline. The flickering flame from his lighter cast an eerie glow on his face as Johnny tossed the lighter into the bag.

Within seconds, the air was filled with the sound of crackling flames and the pungent smell of burning paper. Johnny wasted no time. He swiftly marched to the front door and knocked. Adrenaline rushed into his veins when the door swung open about 20 seconds later.

The mafia boss's face twisted with shock and anger as he witnessed the burning bag of money on the doorstep.

"CATCH HIM!" He roared at his gangsters. Johnny grinned wickedly as the thugs surrounded him.

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