Diego and the Grumpy Neighbor
Mr. Petrosky was the grumpiest man in a snow-covered cabin in the northern woods. He never smiled. He yelled at kids who stepped on his lawn. His curtains were always drawn, and his mailbox was rusty. Everyone avoided him. Everyone except Diego.
It started when Diego noticed that Mr. Petrosky's newspaper sat on his porch until noon every day. That seemed odd for a man who got up at dawn — Diego could hear him coughing through the walls. One morning, Diego picked up the paper and knocked on the door.
Mr. Petrosky opened it a crack. "What do you want?" he growled. "I brought your newspaper," Diego said. "I figured maybe it's hard to bend down for it." The crack in the door widened slightly. "Hmph," said Mr. Petrosky. But he took the paper.
Diego came back the next day. And the next. Sometimes they brought cookies Mom had baked. Sometimes they just said good morning. Mr. Petrosky's "Hmph" gradually softened to a grunt, then a nod, then — after three weeks — an actual "Thank you."
One Saturday, Mr. Petrosky opened the door before Diego even knocked. "I made tea," he said gruffly, as if admitting to a crime. "Do you want some?" Inside, Diego discovered walls covered with beautiful oil paintings — landscapes, portraits, sunsets. "You painted these?" Diego gasped. Mr. Petrosky shrugged. "Used to. Before my wife passed. Haven't picked up a brush in five years."
By summer's end, Mr. Petrosky was painting again. His curtains were open. He waved at kids on the sidewalk. And every Saturday morning, he and Diego had tea and talked about art, and life, and how sometimes the loneliest people just need one person to knock on their door.
Talk about it
Diego showed Mr. Petrosky kindness by visiting him every day, and it changed everything.
Three questions for lights-out
- Why do you think Diego kept visiting Mr. Petrosky even though he was grumpy?
- What was the nicest thing Mr. Petrosky did for Diego in return?
- Have you ever helped someone who seemed grumpy? What happened?
Words worth knowing
- grumpy
- feeling angry or annoyed, not happy or friendly
- Petrosky
- the name of the man who lived in the cabin
- mailbox
- a box where letters and packages are delivered
- oil paintings
- pictures made by painting with special colored oils on canvas
- curtains
- cloth that hangs over windows to block light and hide what's inside
Why was Mr. Petrosky so grumpy?
He was lonely and sad after his wife died, so he kept people away. When Diego showed him kindness, it helped him feel better.
Is this story about making friends?
Yes—it shows that sometimes people who seem mean are just lonely, and that one person's kindness can make a real difference in their life.