“Jeez!” When Holden saw the mess he had left on the floor, he spits. He and his friend planned to play a joke on another kid by painting his locker. He did, however, dump the paint can in the center of the basketball court, which would be obvious.

“Holden, hurry up! Let’s get started! “Let’s get started!” Andrew, his companion, shouted, and they both dropped everything and ran away.

They weren’t awful kids, but they were certainly boisterous and rebellious, always skipping school and attempting to prank others. They were not, however, bullies and had no malign intent. Holden just despised school and desired chaos, as many teens did at the time.

“Wow. “That’s awful,” the adolescent said before widening his eyes. “Sorry. “That was impolite.”

Fortunately, no one found out what they had done, but Holden later went by the basketball court and saw the old school cleaner cleaning things up and heard the principal, Mr. Figgins, yell.

“Tomorrow is the prep rally, and scouts from all around the country will be there! This must be published right now! The principal shouted at the elderly gentleman, who hung his head and attempted to clean up the mess. The paint, however, was oil-based, and it was a difficult process.

“Mr. Figgins, you are correct. I’ll make certain that it’s ready for tomorrow. The janitor continued washing. The principal wrapped his arms around himself even more, made some demands, and stormed out the door.

Holden felt bad as he saw the old guy on his knees attempting to correct his error, so he did something utterly out of character. He entered the court, got a cloth, kneeled, and began cleaning alongside the janitor.

For a split second, the old guy gazed at him. “I presume you did this, right?” he said, brushing his hands away.

“Please, Sir. I’m very sorry. It was a blunder. I had no idea you’d be in trouble for it. “Holden apologized profusely before continuing to move the cloth up and down. “Please do not inform the principal.” “My mother would murder me.”

The elderly guy shrugged and groaned. “I won’t tell anyone,” he said, “but you have to help me until this floor is back to normal.” Holden nodded quickly.

They spoke while working. Fred was the janitor’s name. Their first discussion focused on basketball and football, as the school boasts some of the strongest sports in the state. Holden then questioned the elderly guy why he was working at his age. He had to be well over 60, judging by the wrinkles on his face and the frailness of his arms.

“Well, I have a mortgage to pay, child,” Fred said, his lips pursed. “And I’m 76.”

“You still haven’t paid your mortgage.” Wow. “That implies I’ll never be able to dream of owning a home,” Holden said.

“Things are getting tough now, youngster. But, in reality, I never wanted to purchase a home. I spent the majority of my life renting. That house was purchased for my daughter. “I wanted to offer her something since she needs her own space,” Fred explained, wiping the perspiration from his brow. “I made a down payment for her and assisted her with her mortgage for many years. “Then she perished in a vehicle accident, and it was all my fault.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Holden whispered, and they became silent for a moment. “Why don’t you sell the house right away?”

“What would I do, kid?” With today’s rent, I’d be homeless. And I have to keep working in order to feed The janitor went on. He wasn’t angry or depressed. He was just being realistic.

“But you might never retire!” the adolescent continued.

“That is correct.” “I just hope I can pay off the house before I die,” he went on.

“How much does it cost?” Holden inquired confidently.

“I suppose it’s a bit less than $30,000.”

“Wow. “That’s awful,” the adolescent said before widening his eyes. “Sorry. “That was impolite.”

Fred, on the other hand, chuckled. “Let’s just get to work, child.”

They ultimately got rid of all the paint, but they both went home late that night. Holden was unable to sleep. He wanted to do something good for the elderly gentleman, who had not gotten him into trouble.

A few days later, he confessed to his mother and told her everything; then, he asked her how they could help the elderly janitor. Fred could be able to retire if they paid off his mortgage.

His mother suggested that he trim lawns in the area. It was mowing season, and everyone was asking for help. So Holden did, and he gained a lot of clients as a result. He grabbed his father’s lawnmower and got to work.

After a few days, though, he realized the endeavor was nearly impossible. He knew he’d have to labor for years, like Fred, to save the money, so he chatted with his neighbors, whose children also attended the school. He pulled a picture of Fred off the school’s website and uploaded it online, detailing his experience, before deciding to start a fundraising page for the janitor.

To his surprise, donations began to pour in, and $30,000 was raised in only one week.

Following that, Holden and his mother approached the school administration about holding a special ceremony to commemorate and surprise Fred. The adolescent also had to tell the principal about the paint on the basketball court. Mr. Figgins finally consented.

The entire school heard the tale and gathered on the basketball court to applaud as Fred walked in. Because he didn’t have social media, the elderly janitor had no idea what was going on. But Holden handed him the money, and many in the audience sobbed as the two hugged. That week, Fred officially retired.

Holden eventually discovered that Fred had a granddaughter, Erin, who was only a few years his junior, and that the janitor intended to pay off the house so she might inherit it after he died. She and Holden became fast friends once he began visiting and assisting the old guy after school.

He stopped hanging out with Andrew and started paying attention in class. The entire event taught him that everything required hard work.

His rebellious tendencies vanished, and he graduated at the top of his class a few years later. His 180-degree turn stunned and delighted the whole school staff since it was something instructors rarely witnessed. And that was all down to Fred and the time he spent that day scrubbing some paint off the floor.

As a result, you must apologize and try your best to make amends for your mistakes. Holden caused some difficulty for the elderly janitor, but he quickly apologized and attempted to make things right.

It just takes one experience or person to alter someone’s outlook on life. Holden’s life changed forever after meeting Fred, when he realized that life was difficult and that only those who worked hard and honestly could live happily ever after.