A wise man once said, "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if only you remember to turn on the light." For most people, the holiday season is their favorite time of the year. The snow, the colors, the lights, and the food, it all adds up to a time of celebration. However, there are also people who might not have a reason to be happy. But you know what they say, the most extraordinary things can happen to the most ordinary people.
This story is about one such ordinary man who works as a janitor at a high school in Detroit, Michigan. One fine December evening, the man was just about to wrap up at work, when he heard a peculiar sound. On inspection, he found a carton waiting for him on the steps outside the school. What followed next, was a series of events he could have never seen coming.
The broad corridors of Ronald Brown Academy were dark and empty on a chilly December evening. The roar of the recess bell was replaced by silence. The chaos of a thousand footsteps during the day was replaced by the sound of the footsteps of one man. The School Janitor.
The low murmur of the December winds could be heard in the silence despite the closed windows. The janitor was still working at this hour, mopping the floors of the filthy locker room. He hated cleaning the locker rooms. They always smelled like deodorant and sweat, no matter how much he cleaned it. He couldn't even remember the original color of these floors.
He checked off 'the locker room' from his mental checklist. He had cleaned, and mopped the entire school, restocked the cleaning supply, repaired the leaking pipe in the girl's restroom, cleaned up the spilled food in the cafeteria and now all that was left to do was water the plants, and throw out the trash.
Not that he was in a hurry to go home. Going back to an empty house at the end of a long day was not his favorite thing to do. But ever since his wife passed away, almost 3 years ago, he has been on his own. They never had kids, so now it was just him and the old house that reminded him of her every second of every day he spent in it.
He had thought about moving houses more often than he would like. But there were multiple reasons behind not doing it. Firstly, he didn't have the money to buy a new place or even rent one for that matter. Secondly, despite the pain of memories in this place, they were memories regardless and he didn't want to let go of that.
He is not always this upset, but this time of the year usually gets a little more lonely and difficult to get by. Not to say that the janitor hated the holiday season, but he wasn't a fan either. The holiday season is all about sharing the joy with your family, being with the people you love. But he only had a bottle of whiskey to keep him company.
The janitor was busy watering the last row of plants, somehow his most enjoyable task. He liked feeling responsible for keeping them healthy. It was almost like a hobby by this point. Now only one task was left and then he will be free to go home. He made his way towards the trash cans and began to put together the trash bags, ready to throw them out.
The janitor was putting aside his final trash bag when he heard a loud bang echoing across the hallways. He shot up in his spot. "Hello?", he called out. "Who is there?", his voice echoed back. But there was dead silence again. He shrugged it off almost chuckling to himself for being so paranoid. And then he heard the sound again.
This time he knew for sure something is out there. The sound echoed in the hallways and came from the cafeteria. The janitor got up and started walking towards the cafeteria to find the source of the disturbance. As he was nearing the back door in the cafeteria, he heard the sound of rushed footsteps crushing the snow. He immediately rushed forward and opened the door.
As soon as the janitor opened the door, he spotted a little boy running away in the far distance. He called out to him, "Hey!" but he didn't stop and eventually disappeared behind the alley. He assumed the little guy was just trying to mess with him, knocking the door and running away. He was about to close the door when his gaze fell upon something on the floor.
The janitor found a mysterious carton at the end of the stairs. He stepped outside, down the stairs to examine the box. It was not in a decent condition. It was dirty with holes in different places, ripped and taped together. There was no label on it, so he didn't know who it was addressed to.
The janitor realized all of a sudden, why the boy ran away. He is the one who left the box on the school's steps. But why? And who is it meant for? The icy winds were getting harsher by the minute so the janitor decided to ponder on this thought inside. He picked up the box which was surprisingly light and took it inside the building.
Once inside, the janitor put the box on the cafeteria table. Inspecting it in better lighting only proved that this box has been through tough circumstances. It was old and mangled, barely holding together whatever was inside it. The janitor found himself puzzled by the situation. What was he supposed to do with this box with no information?
The thought of opening the box came to his mind. He was tempted to look inside, maybe it will give him some clue about where it came from or who the owner might be or what he is supposed to do with this box. But he knew better. The box didn't belong to him. He can't open it and be nosey, looking at things that belonged to someone else.
At last, the janitor decided that he will leave the box in the supply closet for the night. When he returns to school tomorrow, he will put up a notice on the main school board. Maybe someone will come forward with some information about the box or the owner. But for now, this is the best he can do in this situation.
He decided he will put the box away on his way out. He left the box on the table and went to throw out the trash which he almost forgot about. The janitor took out the trash bags one by one. He was on his way back to the cafeteria when he heard another thud, a smaller one this time. He stopped in his tracks. "What is with the strange sounds tonight?", he thought.
The janitor went inside the cafeteria and found the box lying on the floor. A frown appeared on his forehead. He knew he left the box on the table. It is not empty for sure to be moved around by the wind, even though the box is obviously indoors and there is no wind here. How did it fall on the ground?
The janitor got really paranoid now, there is no way the box could have fallen from the table unless somebody dropped it. Is there anyone else in this building apart from him? Did he not lock the door properly? Was this a setup? To distract him with a box so that someone could break in? A thousand questions came rushing in his head all at once.
A part of him knew he is being ridiculous. Why would anyone ever break into a school? But then how would one explain the box on the floor in an empty room? The janitor put his face in his hands and groaned. He is losing his mind for sure. He decided its better to just lock up and head home and call it a night.
The janitor picked up the box and took it to the supply closet. He left it on the shelf and began to walk out, his hands were fumbling with the keys when he heard a tiny cry. This time he knew for sure where that sound came from. It was coming from behind him. It was coming from inside that box.
The janitor approached the box cautiously, he grabbed it from the shelf and put it on the floor. He heard a tiny whimper as the box touched the ground. He took out his pocket knife and cut through the tape. His eyes went wide as he opened the box and realized what is inside it. It was a little puppy sitting curled up on a dirty piece of cloth.
The janitor observed the puppy who was giving out a cry for help just minutes ago, her eyes were too big for her tiny face and even tinier body. She was curled in a tiny ball, probably from being too cold. Lord knows how long she has been living in this box. After all, she was not in good shape. The janitor took her out of the box and wrapped her in his jacket.
The janitor could tell that the puppy has been starving given her boney appearance, she was too weak. There were worms on the inside of her ears and fur. He looked inside the box to see if there is something that can tell him this puppy's story. And he was right, as he found a piece of paper with a little message, taped on the inside of the box.
The message read, "Sorry it didn't have a home and it was cold. So we are going to give it to you. Please do let it go. Find it a nice home. Thank you.". The image of that little boy running away came flashing back in the janitor's mind. It all made sense now. He had to help this puppy otherwise she won't survive for long in this cold.
He put the puppy wrapped in his jacket back in the box, this time leaving it open. He picked up the box and started locking up the school. He is going to take her back to his place, for now, feed her something nice. And then he will decide later what to do next.
Later that night, the janitor fed the puppy some warm milk and leftover chicken which she devoured in minutes. He knew he will have to take her to the vet tomorrow and get that worm infection checked. But the most important aspect of this incident is finding her a home. Its as if the puppy could hear his thoughts because right at that moment, she came and snuggled into him.
The janitor knew what the puppy was feeling. This could be her new home. But he knew he can't keep this little one here. Adopting her would be a huge responsibility. She will grow up into a huge dog and this tiny house will not suffice. She deserved a better life than being a pet of a poor janitor who was barely earning enough wages to suffice for himself.
The Janitor woke up to the puppy licking his face. She was in much better spirits now that she was warm and fed and well-rested. He had to visit the vet today since he had to get the puppy tested for any injuries or health issues. The janitor knew a teacher who was a dog lover and would surely adopt her. But first, he needed to get rid of her infection and get her treated properly.
At the vet clinic, the receptionist asked for a name. And before he could even comprehend what was happening, his mouth uttered, "Snowflake". The janitor remembered how he found the little one, the box left outside the school. It made total sense and was perfect for her. He smiled at the puppy and said, "yeah.. her name is snowflake".
Snowflake did not bother him once and remained calm throughout her checkup. The vet told him she is lucky to have been found by someone at the right time, because she may not have survived another week out in that cold. All she needed now, was a little love and care and she should bounce back to her normal health in no time.
The janitor took Snowflake to the teacher's house that evening. He felt the weight of every step he was taking towards the house. Snowflake was nestled in his arms wrapped in a sweater. He didn't want to admit it, but he knew giving up snowflake is going to be hard. He knocked on the door and waited for her to open the door.
Even though the teacher fell in love with Snowflake, she couldn't keep her. She already had five dogs in her house, and it would not be possible to make space for one more. Plus snowflake might not like it so crowded either. She has been alone for so long, having five siblings might be overwhelming for her.
But the teacher didn't send the janitor away without any hope. She gave him a solution that will help in finding a home for Snowflake, the address of a rescue shelter by the name, "Detroit Pit Crew". They were amazing service providers in Detroit who take in abandoned pets and strays, injured animals and care for them and help in finding them a family.
The teacher decided to accompany the janitor and Snowflake to the shelter. The people at the shelter were really warm and welcoming. They even provided Snowflake with basic vaccination before going forward and putting her up for adoption.
After giving Snowflake to the shelter, it was time to say goodbye. The janitor had no idea it would be so difficult. He had only spent a few days with this puppy but he was already attached to her. But he knew it is the right thing to do. She deserves to be with someone who can provide for her and give her a nice home.
The people at the shelter said he could come to visit her all the time but the janitor knew it's better if he doesn't. Saying goodbye once is hard enough. The janitor left the shelter with a heavy heart, and Snowflake who was still getting used to the shelter was totally oblivious to what is happening. Later on that evening, the shelter put up Snowflake's pictures on their social media and put her up for adoption.
The dog shelter also believed that putting up her pictures on social media might grab the attention of her owner. If Snowflake had accidentally escaped from her home, then chances are the owner might be searching for her. But if she has not escaped, and was abandoned then these pictures will help in finding her new home as well.
To their surprise, the post got a lot of responses from people. There were tons of comments on the post, by people who were either interested in adopting Snowflake or knew someone willing to adopt her. Before they knew it, people were coming to their shelter to meet the little one.
There have been many visitors but Snowflake didn't connect with all. The shelter was worried if there is something bothering her which they are unaware of. And then it hit them, she missed the janitor. They didn't give up hope though. They knew she will find the right person eventually. Except it didn't take that long because right before Christmas, on the 21st of December, Snowflake found her person.
Amongst the different visitors, one of them was a young woman who didn't know about Snowflake from the social media post but spotted her on a visit. And through some connection, Snowflake became instantly attached to her as well. The people at the shelter were happy that Snowflake finally had a home to go to! She has been officially adopted.
Not only did Snowflake found a mom, but she also got an elder sibling! The young woman who adopted the puppy also had another dog waiting for them back home. She sent this picture to the shelter. It is from that year's Christmas when Snowflake got to celebrate with her little family.
Detroit Pit Crew did a remarkable job by finding Snowflake a loving family. The amount of love and care she received at her new home was overwhelming and made her the happiest little puppy. The shelter helps tons of stray animals and abandoned pets. And not only that, they rescue dogs from dog fighting rings as well. Their job is not easy but when they see dogs like Snowflake all happy in their new homes, the job feels worth it.