It was Ellie’s favorite school day of the year, but she was hoping no one would notice her.
The school auditorium was crowded with children dressed in all shapes and hues of horror and awe. Some arrived as princes and princesses, some as vampires and superheroes, and still more made dramatic appearances as astronauts and historical figures.
However, one small girl stepped in with hunched shoulders, covering her face and hoping no one would notice her grey leggings and white T-shirt.
Ellie wanted to dress up like a princess that year. “Your costume will turn a lot of heads, I promise!” Ellie’s father had reassured her a few months ago. But you know how busy dads are, and how they can sometimes overlook the minor details while dealing with the major ones.
So when Ellie’s father forgot to save money for her princess costume for the school Halloween party that year, she was not mad at him. She couldn’t hold back her nervous tears when the unpleasant kids in her class began teasing her.
“What are you supposed to be dressed as? Ugly Ellie?” One of the boys giggled and held up the end of Ellie’s ponytail with a disgusted look on his face.
Ellie shielded her ears and cried as she heard the kids shouting her new nickname and laughing wickedly. Except for one face, everyone else was cruel and unconcerned about her grief.
“Psst! Ellie!” an older voice said to her. It was Mr. Borges, her art teacher. He was attempting to tell her something. The girl wiped her tears and managed to get past the crowd of children, closely following her favorite teacher.
“Wait here!” Mr. Borges spoke as he moved into the tiny supply closet. A few seconds later, he returned, and Ellie couldn’t help but wonder why the man was clutching a few rolls of toilet paper.
“What’s that for?” Ellie asked, scratching her head.
“This? It’s for your Halloween costume. And it’s going to be the best Halloween costume ever!” Mr. Borges seemed as excited as a child.
Ellie stood still, like a statue. At the same time, her teacher began wrapping toilet paper around her waist and up to her neck, checking on her every few seconds to ensure she was comfortable. Then he started wrapping toilet paper around her tummy, legs, and arms, down to her small fingers and toes.
“Woah, Mr. Borges!” Ellie was finally starting to think out her fantastic costume idea. “I look like a—”
“Hold on now. Keep your head straight. There’s one final part…” The man spoke as he folded the last few rolls of tissue over and across her face, leaving just enough area for her eyes, nose, and lips.
“NOW…” Mr. Borges said, leaving random crimson blots of ink on the bundled tissue roll. “It’s ready!”
A teacher’s influence lasts a lifetime.
When Ellie saw herself in the mirror, she couldn’t stop bouncing up and down, clapping her papery fists with delight. “I love it! I love it, Mr. Borges. Thank you!”
Ellie hugged her hero, kissing his cheek.
When she stepped back into the gathering of delighted children, they covered their mocking mouths in amazement.
Mr. Borges may have thought it was just a creative way to brighten a sad child’s day, but it meant everything to Ellie! Nobody at school has ever done something so lovely for her. In a place where she had previously been insulted or ignored, Mr. Borges was the first to notice her and assist her.
And Ellie would do anything to stay near to this caring adult, Mr. Borges. She became increasingly interested in painting, which eventually proved therapeutic for her troubled heart.
Mr. Borges, too, went out of his way to be there for the little girl who had just her father, who was constantly ill. Mr. Borges was the confidant who listened to Ellie’s deepest fears and biggest dreams.
And when Ellie’s beloved father died following a long and difficult struggle with illness, Mr. Borges was the only one who could calm the orphaned girl’s screams and sobs at the funeral.
Holding the impoverished girl’s hand, Jesus promised her father’s gone soul: “She will have everything you wanted for her. I promise.”
Nobody knew this about Mr. Borges, although he had experienced horrible catastrophes himself. After losing the woman he loved when she was pregnant, he never had the confidence to dream of starting a family again.
“My little daughter would have been just like her!” Mr. Borges often thought to himself as he watched Ellie laugh and cry.
Taking care of Ellie was more than just a commitment he had to keep; it was a goal that infused the exhausted man with purpose, excitement, and youthful eagerness.
Ellie lived with her grandmother and was formally under her care. However, Mr. Borges acted as her caretaker, father figure, and hero.
Years passed, and with Mr. Borges’ unwavering love and support, Ellie passed grade after grade, excelled in high school, and was awarded a scholarship to one of the greatest colleges in the country.
Seven years had passed since Mr. Borges waved goodbye to Ellie as she left for a new place and life as a university student.
“I wonder if she’s doing alright…” Mr. Borges sat alone in his residence with a neglected cup of coffee.
He frequently thought of Ellie and regretted not doing his share to keep in touch with her. When he heard a tap on the door and discovered a box on his threshold, he wondered if she remembered him.
He opened it and discovered a well-packed, expensive-looking three-piece suit. “Someone got the wrong house,” the man thought and began to repack the suit when an envelope fell out of its pocket.
It was a beautifully produced wedding invitation, and the bride’s name surprised him. “Ellie, that little girl who wouldn’t leave my hand, is getting married! She’s grown so big!” the elder man thought, tears welling up in his eyes.
But it was not all. Mr. Borges recognized Ellie’s elegant cursive handwriting from a note attached to the back of the invitation card.
“Dear Mr. Borges,
Fifteen years ago, you helped a scared and hurt little girl feel happy and confident.
If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have worn that awesome mummy Halloween costume everyone was jealous of. And if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t dream of being the confident and happy young woman wearing a pretty wedding gown to tie the knot a few weeks from now, either.
When I thought I had no one, you went from being like my best friend, my guardian angel, to my father figure.
You will always be a father to me, Mr. Borges. And so, it would mean the world if you could walk me down the aisle and give me away on my special day.”
Tears streamed down the man’s cheeks that day and the day he handed Ellie over to the man she loved.
Beyond the blessing of being like a father to Ellie, Mr. Borges was also able to become a grandfather to her children a few years later. He and Ellie remained devoted to one other’s pleasure and well-being as father and daughter for the rest of their lives.
