Michael Jordan sat alone in the quiet corner of the McDonald’s, his food forgotten and cold on the table in front of him. The sight of Leroy Wilson, his long-lost childhood friend, flipping burgers in the kitchen, had shaken him in a way he hadn’t expected. It had been years since he’d seen Leroy, the boy who had taught him the fundamentals of basketball on a cracked, outdoor court in Wilmington, North Carolina. The boy who had believed in him when no one else did. Now, here was Leroy, much older, working a minimum-wage job at the very McDonald’s where Michael had stopped in to grab a quick meal.

Michael had grown accustomed to the fame, fortune, and adulation that came with being one of the greatest basketball players to ever live. He was a six-time NBA champion, a billionaire, and a global icon. But seeing Leroy again, in such unexpected circumstances, brought back a flood of memories that left him grappling with an unsettling mixture of emotions—guilt, sadness, and regret.

Leroy was still the same in many ways. He moved with the same grace, flipping burgers with the skill of someone who had spent years perfecting the craft. But there was something about his presence that spoke of missed opportunities, broken dreams, and the hard realities of life that weren’t kind to everyone. Michael could barely recognize the boy who had been his best friend, the one who had shown him the art of the crossover dribble, who had shared his precious basketball with him, and who had once promised that they would both make it to the NBA.

When Michael first saw Leroy at the grill, a deep ache settled in his chest. His mind raced with questions—what had happened to Leroy after he disappeared from Michael’s life so abruptly before high school? Why was he working here? Did Leroy ever play basketball again? Did he have a family? Did he ever think about Michael? The questions flooded in, and yet, Michael stayed frozen in his booth, unable to bring himself to speak to Leroy. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of betrayal, not just from Leroy’s disappearance, but from life itself. While Michael had gone on to become one of the most successful athletes of all time, Leroy had slipped through the cracks.

Michael watched Leroy carefully as he worked. The man still had the same sense of dignity, even in a job that many would look down upon. Leroy moved with purpose, his brow furrowed in concentration as he tended to the grill. He checked the temperature, called out instructions to younger coworkers, and smiled warmly at a clumsy teen who dropped a tray of cups. Michael couldn’t help but admire the calm confidence with which Leroy handled the situation. He was still the same man who had stood up for Michael all those years ago, the same man who had believed in him when no one else had.

Yet, the years of life’s hardships had clearly taken their toll on Leroy. Michael noticed the subtle limp in his friend’s step as he walked back to the grill. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for Michael to catch it—an old injury, perhaps arthritis from years of hard work on his feet. And in that moment, Michael’s chest tightened with a sudden, overwhelming emotion. He remembered the summers they had spent together, practicing basketball in the hot sun, pushing each other to get better, to become great. Leroy had always said, “It’s not the skill that makes you great, Mike. It’s the heart. Heart is what counts the most.” Those words had stuck with Michael, and they had fueled him through every setback, every challenge, and every moment of doubt.

But now, Michael was faced with a harsh reality: while he had achieved everything he had ever dreamed of, Leroy had remained stuck, working at McDonald’s, living a life that no one would have expected for the boy who was once the brightest star of their neighborhood. And yet, despite everything, Michael still felt a deep sense of gratitude toward Leroy—the man who had believed in him when nobody else had.

Michael’s thoughts drifted back to their childhood days, the countless hours they had spent together on the basketball court. Leroy had been the one to show him how to dribble between his legs, how to fake left and drive right. Leroy had been the one to share his basketball with Michael, even though his family didn’t have much money. Michael remembered the promise they had made that summer, a pact that Leroy had written down on a scrap of paper: “We, Leroy Wilson and Michael Jordan, promise to practice every day and make it to the NBA someday.” That piece of paper had stayed with Michael, preserved in a frame in his office as a constant reminder of where he came from and who had believed in him first.

The memory of the day Leroy disappeared came rushing back—one summer, just as they were preparing to enter high school, Leroy was suddenly gone. No goodbye, no explanation, no letter. He simply vanished, and Michael was left holding their shared basketball, confused and heartbroken. He had knocked on Leroy’s door, only to find that his friend’s family had moved without any warning. Michael had been left with nothing but questions and a feeling of abandonment that stayed with him for years. It was the beginning of Michael’s journey to become the best, but it was also a deep wound that never fully healed.

Now, sitting in that McDonald’s, Michael couldn’t shake the feeling that he had missed something—something important. Leroy had believed in him, and now it was Michael’s turn to believe in Leroy. He had promised himself that one day he would make it to the NBA for both of them. He had kept that promise, but now he was faced with the reality that Leroy had never made it. And yet, there was still time. Michael knew he couldn’t let another day pass without reconnecting with his old friend, without finding out what had happened, and without making sure Leroy knew just how much he meant to him.

The next morning, after a restless night of memories and reflections, Michael made a decision. He would go back to McDonald’s and speak to Leroy. This time, he wouldn’t just watch from across the room. He would finally take action, not just for himself, but for the boy who had believed in him before anyone else did. The promise they had made to each other all those years ago would not go unfulfilled. Michael Jordan would make sure of that.