Arnold was sitting in his couch by himself with his cat Joe next to him. Arnold was 93 years old. His children had left him a long time ago, and his house was very quiet. Arnold felt even more alone as Christmas got closer. It had been days since he wrote to his kids and asked them to come home for the holiday. But there was quiet.
Martha and Ben, Arnold’s neighbours, tried to cheer him up by helping him set up the house and bake cookies. But no matter what they did, the old man’s heart stayed heavy. As the clock struck Christmas Day, Arnold sat at his table with all the chairs empty, waiting for his children to come home. It became clear that they were not coming as the hours went by.
Arnold was about to give up when someone knocked on the door. Brady, a young documentary director who had just moved in, answered the door. Brady was interested in Arnold’s story and wanted to film him for his documentary. But something in the old man’s eyes made him stop and think.
Brady had lost his parents two years before, so he knew what it was like to spend the holidays by yourself. He chose to leave his camera behind and just be with Arnold. Brady went to see Arnold often over the next few weeks and shared his own stories with him. Arnold slowly began to open up, and the two of them became close in a way that didn’t seem likely.
Brady became a regular in Arnold’s life as the months went by. He did his shopping for him, took him on trips, and even went to his doctor’s visits with him. Arnold’s kids never did come to see him, but he no longer felt alone. Brady had become his new family, and he would always be grateful for that.
Arnold’s story came full circle in the end. He died quietly, with Brady by his side and the memories they had made together close to his heart. Brady spoke at Arnold’s funeral and told stories about how kind, funny, and generous the old man was. Brady knew that Arnold’s reputation would live on through him as he looked out at the crowd.
