It was almost midnight. The sound of the pouring rain drowned out all other noises outside. In a corner of the city was a small, tidy "Cafe Retro." Like every day, Robin was alone on the night shift today. Before closing the cafe and heading home, he was tallying up for the last time that day.
As soon as he opened the counter drawer, his eyes were drawn to it. Inside were shiny bundles of cash neatly stacked. Sales had gone exceptionally well today, with nearly a hundred thousand in the cash register.Robin stared at the drawer. Sweat was gathering on his forehead. He desperately needed that money. Only a few days were left for his mother's heart operation, but all avenues for gathering the hospital bill had closed off. Friends and relatives hadn’t been able to help. Although Mr. Rahman, the cafe owner, was a good man, he was very strict. Asking for such a large sum in advance could cost him his job.
Suddenly, for a moment, Robin’s conscience stopped working. He looked around. The CCTV camera had been broken for the past two days. There was no one in the cafe except him. Trembling, Robin took all the money from the cash register and stuffed it into his bag. He slammed the drawer shut and quickly exited the cafe.From the moment he returned home, Robin began to feel restless. He tossed and turned in bed but couldn’t sleep. Every time he glanced at the bag of money on the table, his heart raced. Had he choked the trust Mr. Rahman had in him like this? Could his mother ever live in peace if her treatment was funded with stolen money? The fire of regret began to burn him from within.
Before dawn, Robin made a decision.The next day at eight in the morning, Mr. Rahman came to the cafe and opened the drawer, only to be stunned. The cash register was completely empty! It felt as if the sky had fallen on his head. Just then, Robin pushed the cafe door open and walked in. His face was tired, but there was a strange determination in his gaze.
He stood in front of Mr. Rahman’s table, pulled the bundles of cash out of his bag, and placed them on the table. Mr. Rahman, astonished, said, "What’s this, Robin? You...?Robin lowered his head and said, "Yes sir, I took the money last night. I wasn’t thinking straight because of my mother's operation. But I couldn’t sleep all night. I can’t forgive myself for disrespecting your trust. Here’s all your money. You can call the police or fire me, I don’t mind. Just forgive me for my crime."
Mr. Rahman stared at Robin in silence for a while. His anger gradually diminished. He said to Robin, "A greater crime than stealing money was losing your trust in me. If you had come to me first, wouldn't I have helped?"Mr. Rahman counted the money and put it in the drawer. Then he took half of the money from the drawer and handed it to Robin. Robin looked up, startled.
Mr. Rahman smiled gently and said, "This is not theft; it's your advance salary and my assistance. Make sure your mother's operation goes well. But remember, Robin, honesty is a greater asset than poverty. If you hadn’t returned the money today, you would never have been able to hold your head high in life.Tears welled up in Robin's eyes. He realized that everyone makes mistakes, but true victory in life lies in acknowledging those mistakes and returning to the path of honesty.
