To adults, Jimmy was excellent in every way. But to him, it wasn't a big deal. Yes, he was very smart, and his future inventions could save many lives—but none of that would come for free.
In his old hometown, they had dismissed his inventions, so if they wanted access now to everything he was going to invent, they'd have to pay like everyone else.
For Jimmy, charity had ended—something he chose to bury when he moved to Texas. Even so, he felt flattered by the kind comments from Sheldon's family. It was the first time he'd ever received compliments.
Seeing how friendly everyone was, Jimmy got so excited that he foolishly revealed all the details about what he was currently inventing.
Everyone listened, but the only thing they really understood from his long explanation was that he was part of a new TV program set to premiere in a few months.
Finally, in that warm atmosphere, Jimmy took the initiative to talk about the hardships he had experienced in his old town.
"I'm really sorry for what happened to you," said Mary, truly saddened.
"Well, at least you learned an important lesson—don't trust people. Especially your family," Connie said, staring daggers at George, who simply looked away with a grunt of disapproval.
"Thanks…" Jimmy felt the kindness of everyone, and after talking about it, he seemed much better—more relaxed.
Little Sheldon, who was there too, suddenly showed a surprising spike in emotional intelligence and immediately expressed concern for his friend.
As little Sheldon spoke his caring words, the innocent feelings between the two young friends seemed to click in that moment—they truly understood one another.
When George returned with a cold beer, he found a cheerful scene at the table.
"Well, at least now I can watch my movie in peace," George said, clearly more relaxed now that he knew he wouldn't be bothered again.
After placing the cold beer in front of Grandma Connie, George, glad to finally have some free time, drank his beer in peace.
As for Mary, after fully understanding Jimmy's situation, she gradually began to accept him as her son Sheldon's friend.
…
Meanwhile, a conversation was unfolding at the dining table in Ally's house.
Ally had been acting a little strange ever since she came home that day. She rummaged through a wardrobe she normally didn't care about and was humming a little tune in her room.
Her upbeat attitude was a complete change from how she'd been two weeks ago.
At the table, her father asked gently, "Ally, how was school today?"
"Not bad at all…" Ally smiled, recalling her day.
When John, Ally's father, saw her smile like that, he wondered what could be going through his little girl's mind, and asked, "Did something good happen at school?"
"I got to know someone better… His name's Jimmy. I heard about him when you were in the hospital. It was during a very prestigious math competition—and he won first place," said Ally, who had quite the bittersweet backstory.
Ever since her mother passed away, her world had fallen apart. Their once loving family of three shattered. Even though everything collapsed around her, her father John—thanks to his natural charm—never let her forget how to smile.
And just a few months ago, when they moved from the city to this small town in Texas, she thought she'd never find anything interesting… until she met the boy who made such an impression on her during a really hard time.
When that someone turned out to be just a boy… and seeing the joyful look in his daughter's eyes, John—who had been raising her on his own—went on high alert.
With a tone that tried to sound casual, he asked, "So… what grade is this Jimmy in? Does he play sports? Is he the popular guy at your school? Does he smoke...?"
"Dad!" Ally cut him off immediately when she noticed his questions getting more and more outrageous. Smiling, she added, "We just met!!"
To avoid triggering his daughter's rebellious side, John quickly changed tactics and asked, "Okay, okay… So, can you tell me more about this Jimmy?"
Ally also felt that the way she got to know Jimmy today had been like something out of a dream, so she happily shared the whole experience with her father.
John couldn't help but smile as his daughter kept talking about the boy named Jimmy.
He had been worried that his daughter might not make any friends at her new school. Now that she had made one—and seemed a little "obsessed" with him—John felt both relieved and a bit melancholic.
As Ally continued to praise Jimmy, he muttered under his breath, "I hope that Jimmy stays as nerdy as you say he is… or I'll kick him out of our lives real fast."
"Dad, that's impossible…"
…
Back at the Cooper household, dinner had just ended. Jimmy, who was about to head home to continue his research, ran into Sheldon and Tam—who had shown up at some unknown hour.
The two were heading to the garage to work on the rocket that Sheldon had been bragging about for the past few days.
Maybe it was because Jimmy had bought Sheldon an ice cream earlier, or maybe it was the new train he gave him—but surprisingly, Sheldon invited him: "Jimmy, would you like to witness my very own invention?"
Judging by Sheldon's smug expression, he was clearly showing off in front of Jimmy, who didn't even react—he was lost in thought, deciding how to respond.
"No, thanks," Jimmy replied, then warned him, "If your rocket has a powerful propulsion system, I suggest you launch it somewhere more open."
"Thanks for the reminder…" young Sheldon said proudly as he walked past Jimmy, with Tam following close behind, invited to witness the invention.
This boy clearly wanted to prove he could invent things too, something Jimmy noticed right away.
Jimmy just shook his head and walked home.