26/02/2026
I’m a teacher. I have a student, "Mikey." Mikey never brings lunch. He says he "forgot it" or he’s "not hungry." I know Mikey’s dad lost his job. I know the electricity was cut off at their house last week. I didn’t want to embarrass him by giving him a free lunch ticket in front of the boys. So, I started a "food critic" club. I pulled Mikey aside. "Mikey, I pack way too much food. My wife thinks I’m a giant. I need help. Can you help me finish this sandwich? Otherwise, I have to throw it out and I hate wasting food." Mikey hesitated. "You sure?" "Positive. Also, I need your opinion on these chips. I think they're too salty." He ate that sandwich like he hadn't seen food in two days. Now, every day, I pack two sandwiches, two apples, and two juice boxes. We sit at my desk during recess. We talk about video games and football. He thinks he’s helping me out. Yesterday, he left a sticky note on my desk. “Thanks for needing help with your lunch, Mr. T. You make the best sandwiches.” I kept that note. It’s worth more than my paycheck.
