The Coin in the Fountain

Short Stories • July 25, 2025

Sophie collapsed onto the edge of the old marble fountain in the city square. Tears blurred her vision as the midday sun warmed her cheeks. It had been the worst morning of her life: fired from her job, a parking ticket, and a fight with her best friend—all before noon.

A Random Gesture

She blew her nose and noticed a shining coin at the base of the fountain. A coin, polished and golden, casually resting on wet stone. She thought: “Someone dropped it.” She bent down, picked it up—then paused.

“What if it’s meant for the water?” she mumbled. She tossed it into the fountain, watched the ripples. Five, six rings in the liquid before it disappeared into dark depths.

“Just a simple wish,” she whispered. “Not for me. For someone else.”

Moments Later

A stranger approached—a young man in a grey suit, face solemn yet kind. He paused at the edge, looked at the fountain, at Sophie. Something clicked.

“I lost something important this morning,” he said softly. “I came here to wish for it back.”

Sophie shared what had gone wrong in her day, tearfully but truthfully. He listened, nodded. “Funny,” he said. “I lost my brother. He died last year. Today would’ve been his birthday.”

A Shared Silence

They sat in silence. No clichés, no platitudes. Just company. In five minutes, Sophie felt less alone. She realized that kindness isn’t always loud.

A Coin of Hope

As he left, he looked at her and said, “Your wish just brought me mine back.” Then he placed a small slip of paper on the fountain’s edge and walked away.

Sophie unfolded it: it was a number—an online donation confirmation. Enough to cover her debts and start over. “Maybe someone wanted me to find that coin,” she thought. “Or maybe I was meant to wish just to receive hope.”

Unexpected Bonds

The next week, Sophie used that gift to pay rent and buy groceries. She returned to the square and found that young man again—he introduced himself as Amir. They talked for hours. No romantic spark—just humanity.

Where It Led

Sophie started volunteering at a local soup kitchen. Amir joined too. They turned a fountain coin into a ripple of kindness across their community.

“Sometimes one small coin can return more than you ever asked for.”

Final Thought

This story isn’t about magic. It’s about moments. About being seen, even for a fleeting minute. About the ripple effect of hope.

If this touched you, explore more uplifting tales in our Inspiring Stories section.

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External reference: The Science of Kindness – Happify Journal