Blurred Oculus

Morgan Lipston, a 17-year-old teenager, was no ordinary boy. He had been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, working three jobs to pay off the large mortgages his absent father had left behind. To make matters worse, his mother had passed away from an illness, leaving him to take on the responsibility of supporting his family.

Every day was a struggle for Morgan. He woke up before sunrise and commuted to his first job, a manual labor job at a local warehouse. The work was tough and physically exhausting, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through it, knowing that he had to make ends meet. After finishing his shift, he would hurry to his second job, working as a cashier at a local grocery store. Despite being constantly on his feet and dealing with rude customers, he always put on a smile and worked diligently.

Despite all of these challenges, Morgan never once complained. Instead, he worked tirelessly to provide for his younger brother, who was just 12 years old. It was a life filled with hardship and sacrifice. Despite his grueling work schedule, Morgan didn't forget about his brother. Every morning, he would wake up even earlier to make breakfast and pack a tiffin for his brother before sending him off to school. He'd wake his brother up with a gentle shake, and once the boy was up, he'd get to work on making breakfast. Even though he was exhausted, seeing his brother start the day with a full stomach gave him the strength to carry on.

One day, When Morgan's brother returned home from school and stormed off to his room without eating or saying anything, Morgan was immediately concerned about his behaviour. His brother usually greeted him with a smile and an eagerness to share about his day, so this sudden silence was very uncharacteristic of him. Morgan decided to give his brother some space for now, thinking that something might have happened at school that had upset him.

Over the next few days, the same scenario repeated itself. Morgan's brother refused to talk, barely ate his meals, and spent most of his time locked up in his room. Despite his growing concern, Morgan decided to give him space, hoping that his brother would come to him when he was ready to talk. He knew that teenagers could be moody, and figured his brother was just going through a phase.

One customer approached the register where Morgan was working.

The customer: "Hey, you, get me the manager. I need to speak to them right now."

Morgan, trying to maintain his composure, responded politely: "I'm sorry, ma'am, but the manager is not in right now. Is there something I can assist you with?"

Unfazed by Morgan's polite response, The customer continued her tirade.

Customer: "No, I specifically asked for the manager. How hard is it to get them for me? This is unacceptable service."

Morgan, now feeling a bit frustrated, tried to reason with her.

Morgan: "I understand your concern, ma'am, but the manager is really not here. I can help you with your query if you'd like."

Customer's impatience grew, and her voice became more demanding.

The customer: "I don't want your help! You're just a lowly customer service representative. I want to talk to someone who's actually in charge."

Morgan took a deep breath, fighting to keep his cool.

Morgan: "Ma'am, there's no need to be rude. I'm trying my best to assist you, but the manager is unavailable."

Karen, clearly not satisfied with Morgan's responses, continued to escalate the situation.

Rude customer: "This is ridiculous! I should've never bothered with a cheap store like this. You guys are all unprofessional and don't know how to handle customers."

Morgan, now starting to lose his patience, replied, "Ma'am, I've been trying my best to help you. There's no need to be disrespectful."

The customer, completely lost her temper and threw an egg straight into Morgan's face. The egg splattered all over his uniform and face, but he didn't react. He stood there, with a calm expression on his face.

The customer, surprised by Morgan's lack of reaction, was taken aback. She expected him to shout or retaliate, but instead, he just stood there, composed and unruffled. The customer, taken aback by Morgan's composed demeanor, left the store without another word.

Morgan stood there, his face and uniform covered in egg yolk. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and began to clean himself up. Despite the disrespect he had just faced, he didn't show any signs of irritation or anger.

Morgan's concern for his brother grew as he saw him isolating himself yet again. He decided it was time to confront him and find out what was troubling him.

Morgan knocked gently on his brother's door. "Hey, can we talk?" he asked, his voice soft but firm.

The boy slowly opened the door, and Morgan could see the hesitation in his expression.

Morgan put a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "Hey, I've noticed you've been quiet lately. What's going on? You can talk to me, you know."

The boy fidgeted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with Morgan.

"It's nothing," he mumbled, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

Frustration welled up inside Morgan as his brother continued to avoid talking. He had enough of the silent treatment.

"Talk to me, damn it!" he shouted, anger now seeping into his voice. "It's been days since you've spoken a word to me, and I'm fed up with your silence. Tell me what's going on!"

The brother finally snapped, his pent-up frustration boiling over.

"I'm tired of being made fun of at school because my shoes are torn and worn out. The other kids call me broke and treat me like an outsider because I can't afford new shoes. I've been wearing the same old pair for a year, and it's humiliating. I know you're working three jobs, but is it too much to ask for a new pair of shoes every once in a while? It's not fair, and it's not right!"

Morgan wrapped his arms around his brother, pulling him into a tight embrace. He could feel the boy's frustration and disappointment as he poured his heart out.

"I'm so sorry, buddy," Morgan said softly. "I had no idea you were going through this. It's not fair that you have to wear the same old shoes while everyone else gets new ones. I promise you, I'll do everything I can to buy you a new pair. I know it's hard right now, but we'll figure it out together, okay?"

Next day,

Morgon sat on the bench, taking a moment to smoke a cigarette after a long day of work. Suddenly, a stranger approached him and sat down beside him. Without introducing himself, the man leaned forward and said, "I have a proposition for you, but it comes with a condition. Are you interested?"