Act Randomly Kind Always

Every now and then, everyone gets into a slump. I think I hit one yesterday. After four episodes of C.S.I. today (and, I was folding laundry while watching half of them in my defense!), I decided it was time to get out of the house and seek spiritually higher ground.

When the tough slump, the tough get a pedicure and manicure. After getting two coats of Bastille My Heart on my toes with lovely designs on my big toes and a manicure, I felt somewhat better. Something was still missing.

When the tough slump and can’t be revived by a manicure and a pedicure, the tough make their favorite comfort food. This food happens to be my chicken-green bean stir fry. This dish is so great it would have even made Napoleon feel six inches taller!

I traveled to the local grocery store to shop for my comfort feast. After I gathered my chicken breasts, onions, chocolate muffins (for Iz), two bags of Xmas M&Ms (for Nathan, and they were half price being related to Christmas Past!), and garlic, I got in line to check out. While waiting in line, the woman in line behind me moved to the line to left, and gave me this odd smile. Thinking I had done something wrong, I wondered if it was the “You cut in line in front of me, Bitch, so I’m going to go to the shorter line!” smile.

Being in a slump and paranoid, I thought, “No. I got into this line when there was no one around.” Once again, she turned back at me and smiled. I finally mouthed to her, “What?”

She moved toward the candy display in her aisle and then said, “This is the better line.” I said, “Okay.” She said, “Do you want to come over? You were in line before me.” Totally oblivious to time and place, I said out loud, “Oh. No, thank you. You go ahead. I’m in no hurry to get home.”

She said, “Okay,” and smiled. The man in line in front of me laughed and questioned, "Avoiding going home?" I quickly said, "Err, yes, school vacation and all that, you know." He laughed again.

While standing there, I remembered that I forgot the green beans. There was a young woman behind me with her two little daughters. I said, "You go ahead. I forgot something." I squeezed around her with my basket, got my green beans, and then I came back to the same line behind the young woman who I had let pass me.

As I stood there, the cashier said to the young woman, "$90.78." The young woman ran a card through the credit card machine. I noticed that it wasn't a credit card; it was a blue card with the seal of Massachusetts on it. I then knew it must have been some state-assisted food card.

The cashier looked questioningly at the woman who was bagging the young woman’s groceries, tilted her screen so she could see it, and the woman bagging the groceries said, “It’ll tell you how much is left on her card.” Twenty seconds later, the cashier said, "There's $9.80 left on your card." The young woman asked, "What? I thought there was more. Uh, I don’t have any more money. I'll have to put it all back."

She looked very embarrassed. The cashier asked the woman who was bagging, “Can I void this?” The woman bagging asked, “Was it just food? If so, you can do that.”

Her kids looked restless. It looked like she had done her week's shopping. In an instant, my credit card was out, and I said, "I’m paying for it." The cashier asked, "Are you sure?”

I said, “Yes.” The young woman thanked me. I ran my card through the machine, signed my name, and the cashier handed me the receipt. I then stuffed it into the bag of the young woman’s cart and said, “Here, in case you need to return anything.”

She left with her daughters. The cashier started to ring my comfort food. She said, “"Wow. That was really the Christmas spirit."

I didn’t say anything. After she scanned three items, she said, “If I could give you a discount, I would!” I smiled.

I ran my card through the credit card machine again, signed my name, and she handed me my receipt. She said, “That was really nice of you.” I said, “I’m fortunate. I really am.” When I left, the woman bagging said, “Have a really nice night.” I thanked her and left.

Out in the parking lot, I saw the young woman loading her groceries into her car. I avoided her. While I knew she appreciated what I had done, I knew that it was in our best emotional interests to pretend it all never happened.

Tonight, the woman in line behind me tried to give me a better spot in line; that was kind. I gave the young woman my spot in line; that was just me forgetting the green beans. Paying for the young woman’s groceries made me say out loud how fortunate I was, even if I was miserable every now and then.

I helped a young woman. Today, I think she helped me more. She made me realize how fortunate I was, even if some days, I felt totally unfortunate, especially in matters of the heart. ♥

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