A little earlier this evening I brushed the snow (about 4-6 inches) off my car and made a short run to the nearby small supermarket . While I was standing at the checkout I noticed the young mother with her roughly four yr old pre-schooler at her side immediately in front of me in line. The little boy had picked up a package of M&Ms and was showing it to his mom for her approval. She waved no, and sadly he put them back. I thought, She probably doesnt want him eating candy, but then I noticed that she was paying for her meager supply of basics like milk and juice with food stamps, and she seemed to feel badly about turning down her little boy, because when she picked up her groceries to leave she directed him the gum ball machine a few feet from the checkout, took out her purse, dug down in it and came up with a quarter. She gave it to him and motioned toward the machine with her hand. He put the quarter in the machine, turned the handle and nothing came out. He looked stricken, and I saw her say something to a nearby employee who just shrugged. Well that was it for me, I grabbed a package of M&Ms, threw them on the counter and said to the clerk, How much? OMG, a nickel bag of M&Ms from my childhood, and there was more in the bag back then, was a buck thirty something. I gave the clerk the money, caught up with the mom and little boy at the door, and offered up the M&Ms to him. His eyes lit up as he eagerly accepted them saying, M&Ms and holding them up for his mom to see. She smiled a thank you to me and said to the little boy, Say thank you to the nice man. The little boy, now smiling broadly himself said, Thank you! And I said Youre very welcome. As they walked to their car I could see the little boy continuing to hold up the package of M&Ms to his mom like a treasure as he chattered away to her. I just stood at the door silently watching them and thinking, I was the one who should have said, Thank you. How often do you get a chance to be a hero for under two dollars? I dont think I would have slept tonight if I had let that little boy go home with nothing. And as much as that little guy seemed to be pleased, I think Im getting more out of those M&Ms than he did. Its been a couple of hours now and Im still glowing in the warmth of their gratitude.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 03:32:42 +0000
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