Dylan’s schoolbag felt like a giant weight as he trudged home, kicking rocks along the cracked sidewalk. His hands were shoved deep in his pockets, and his eyes were fixed on the ground. At just eight years old, what could be so heavy on his heart?
The school was buzzing about “Superhero Day,” but Dylan was not excited. His heart hurt thinking about his grandma, Mariam—his beloved “Mimi.” He knew she couldn’t afford to buy him the superhero jersey he really wanted.
As Dylan neared their cozy cottage at the end of a charming street, he saw Mimi in the backyard, her hands weathered and worn from years of hard work, picking vegetables from the garden.
“Mimi, can I talk to you?” Dylan called out, frustration creeping into his voice.
“I’ll be there in a minute, sweetheart!” she called back cheerfully, unaware of the storm inside him.
Inside the house, Dylan threw his schoolbag across the room, knocking over a photo of himself as a baby with his parents. The glass cracked spider-web style over their smiling faces, and his heart sank. He remembered Mimi’s stories about his parents, who had died in a car accident when he was just a year old. Since then, it had been just him and Mimi—she was his everything.
Mimi rushed in, her apron still smudged with dirt. “What’s wrong, my little man?”
Tears welled up in Dylan’s eyes. “Can you get me a Spiderman jersey, Mimi? Please?”
“Oh, darling,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Determined to make Dylan happy, Mariam searched through every nook and cranny for spare change—cookie jars, under cushions, even an old tin hidden behind peeling wallpaper. But all she found was ten dollars.
“I’ll be back soon, sweetie,” she said, her voice steady despite her worry.
At the local store, Mariam’s eyes lit up when she saw a Spiderman jersey on display. But her heart sank when the shopkeeper told her it cost sixty-five dollars—far more than she had. She left the store empty-handed, feeling heavy with disappointment.
That evening, Dylan ate dinner in silence. He couldn’t bring himself to kiss his grandmother goodnight, as he always did. Seeing his sadness, Mariam decided to act once Dylan was asleep. She carefully removed the Spiderman poster from his wall and used it as a guide to start knitting through the night, her tired fingers working tirelessly.
By morning, Mariam held up her creation—a handmade Spiderman sweater, crafted with all her love and care.
“Dylan, honey, I’ve got a surprise for you!” she called, her voice filled with excitement.
Dylan’s eyes widened when he saw the sweater. For a moment, disappointment flickered across his face, but he quickly smiled and hugged her tightly. “I love it, Mimi!” he exclaimed.
At school, however, the joy in Dylan’s heart was quickly crushed. His classmates laughed and mocked his handmade sweater. “Woolen Spiderman! That’s hilarious!” one girl teased. Dylan’s face turned red, and he ran from the room, almost bumping into his teacher, Mr. Pickford.
Mr. Pickford noticed something was wrong and walked into the classroom just as the kids were laughing at Dylan. His eyes narrowed as he understood the situation. Determined to teach the kids a lesson in kindness, he started planning.
The weekend dragged on for Dylan, who dreaded returning to school on Monday. But when he walked into the classroom, something surprising happened. Instead of ridicule, he was greeted with smiles and admiration. And there, proudly standing in the corner, was Mr. Pickford—wearing an identical Spiderman sweater!
“What do you say we take a picture, superhero?” Mr. Pickford asked with a grin, pulling out his phone.
Tears of joy filled Dylan’s eyes. “How did you know, Mr. Pickford?” he whispered.
“Let’s just say your grandma is quite the talented artist,” Mr. Pickford replied, his eyes twinkling.
Over the next few days, Dylan’s classmates began to see the sweater in a new light. Soon, their homes were buzzing with orders as parents requested their own superhero sweaters from Mimi, turning her simple craft into a successful business.
As the sun set on another beautiful day, Mariam turned to Dylan with a mischievous smile. “How about we celebrate, my little superhero? I heard there’s a new Spiderman ride at the amusement park!”
Dylan’s face lit up. “Can we really go, Mimi?”
Mariam laughed, her voice as warm as the sweater she had made him. “Of course, pumpkin. Every superhero deserves a day off.”
Hand in hand, they walked toward the sparkling lights of the amusement park, and Dylan realized something important: Life can be tough, but there are always guardian angels watching over us—sometimes they wear Spiderman sweaters, and sometimes they knit them.
