A high school computer science teacher, Mr. Henderson, saw Ben’s potential and let him stay late in the lab. By the time he was eighteen, Ben had developed his first piece of commercial software. He wasn’t just good; he was a prodigy.
Mr. Henderson became a mentor, even inviting Ben over for Saturday dinners. Together, they worked on a revolutionary cybersecurity protocol. By the time Ben was twenty, he had moved out of his transitional housing and bought a modest condo with the proceeds from his first major contract.
At twenty-five, Ben was a rising star in the tech world. He was featured in a national business magazine, where he spoke candidly about his upbringing in the system and the “medical abandonment” that shaped his drive. A few weeks after the article ran, there was a knock at his door.
Ben looked through the security camera and saw a middle-aged couple he didn’t recognize. When he opened the door, the woman burst into tears, calling him “son.” Ben felt a cold knot form in his stomach. He knew exactly who they were.
He studied them. They looked tired, weathered, and smelled faintly of cheap cigarettes. Nate stood awkwardly behind Sarah, looking at the expensive hardwood floors of Ben’s foyer. They asked if they could come in. Ben stayed planted in the doorway.
He told them flatly that he didn’t think a visit was appropriate. Sarah began a long, rehearsed speech about how much they had regretted their choice and how “life had been so hard” on them. Ben pointed out that life had been pretty hard on a kid with a limp in a group home, too.
The conversation took a sharp turn when Nate mentioned their mounting debts—medical bills, a lost job, and a looming eviction. He suggested that since Ben was “doing so well,” he could surely spare a few thousand dollars to help his own flesh and blood. He even had the nerve to say they were “family.”
Ben was floored by the audacity. He would have gladly donated that same amount to a stranger in need, but the entitlement of these two people was staggering. He asked them, with a dry edge to his voice, if they wanted the keys to his car while they were at it.
