The Walkman Wrapped in Newspaper

The Christmas of 2001 is etched in my memory, mostly for the tears I shed. As a single mother, I felt the crushing weight of disappointment—I simply couldn’t afford a gift for my 8-year-old son, Thomas. The thought of him waking up to nothing on Christmas morning was unbearable. But that night, something completely unexpected happened. Our doorbell rang, and sitting on the doorstep was a box. It wasn’t wrapped in festive paper, only old newspaper. Inside was a brand-new Walkman cassette player.

We never discovered who left it, but the gift was so meaningful that I kept the newspaper wrapping as a precious keepsake.

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