I’ve adopted for myself the role of office birthday treat provider. I enjoy it, although somehow it always seems to fall on days where wineglasses explode during dinner and Squiggz fall behind the credenza. And, as happens more than I’d like, I got most of the way through the recipe, only to discover I was out of cocoa. I zipped a coat over my pajamas, scooped up the child who wailed, “No, mommy! Now I’ll miss you!” and headed for the grocery store.
After scouring the baking aisle up and down, and then the candy aisle, and then the hot cocoa aisle, we finally found the cocoa back in the baking aisle and rushed into line. For 7:40 on a Thursday night, the line was long, mostly men by themselves, buying cigarettes, booze, and frozen dinners.
Directly in front of us stood a mother, buying the night’s dinner: two fried chicken legs and some fries. Her son, who by stature I would have placed in 4th grade, but by toothlessness and openness of face more like 2nd, stood a few feet away, mesmerized by the Easter display. He picked up one yellow, cellophaned egg. “Look, mom, I found an egg!” he said, rattling the candies inside.
“Put it back,” she said, abrupt and direct, tinged with exhaustion. No protest, he put it back, and then began exploring the M&M bunny fans, whirring the little green foam blades, smiling, and whirring them again. He turned his eyes to his mom. “Come over here,” she said, stepping forward as her chicken dinner rolled along to the front of the line.
From across the aisle, a man reached over, his long arms allowing him to stay mostly in his own line. “Here,” he said, “get it for him.” He tossed two dollar bills on the conveyor belt, crumpled and smoky. She turned and looked at him, taking him in, his own missing teeth, his black ball cap and black clothes, his complete sincerity. “He doin’ good in school? Get it for him.”
The boy deliberated quickly between the egg, full of candy, and the fan, full of mechanisms, landing on the fan. “That enough?” said the man, adding another few bucks to the conveyor belt as the boy approached. “Say thank you to that man, he bought it for you,” his mother said.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Do good in school. Take care of your mother,” he said, leaning back into his line and going about his business.
In the rush , I sometimes forget that there’s a village out there, taking care of each other in ways small, big, and sometimes both. I’m grateful for the reminder, and grateful to be part of it.
Walking the Walk 
Well, this brought me to tears. I wonder what that man was thinking. I wonder if he saw himself in the boy. Thank you for sharing.
Oh, I love this story. Because it was true and there was love.
And I love how you told it. You showed me, and didn’t just tell me. I could picture you in your jammies running to the story. And I could visualize the man who gave the woman money.
And I could picture the mother just from this,“Put it back,” she said, abrupt and direct, tinged with exhaustion.
I am glad you didn’t tell me what she looked like or what she was wearing. But I liked the detail in the man who bought the candy. The description that mattered, was that the boy and the man were alike in their missing teeth.
leaning back into his line and going about his business.
Thank you for sharing your evening with us. xo Pamela
I love that you were rushing out but were slowed down by that moment in line. Thank you for the reminder of the little things.
I live in a village — rural NM — pretty much housebound with COPD. The local grocery delivers. Today the mayor delivered my groceries because his wife, who manages the grocery store, couldn’t get away to do it before leaving to take care of her mother. To say this story resonates would be an understatement
I loved the way you recreated this scene at the grocery store. From the single men buying frozen dinners and booze to the description of the boy whose stature and toothlessness sent mixed messages about this age. If I didn’t have my “Be Inspired” posts already lined up for my hosting days, then I’d ask if I could use this one since it is JUST LOVELY. What a beautifully written slice of life complete with an important message.
Lucky for me, I don’t have all my Be Inspired posts lined up yet for later this month when I’m hosting the challenge. May I use this Slice? It’s so perfectly told/written.
Please email me at dmurphy[at]msd143.org if I have your permission to use it. Thank you!
Beautiful. What an amazing slice of life to witness and share. You captured it perfectly, it was as if I was there alongside you.
It absolutely takes a village. Thank you for sharing without judgement. We don’t know her story and if she’s in the store alone with a young boy buying pre-made dinner at 7:40 at night, there is definitely a story and I bet it’s a sad one. Thank goodness for the kindness of a stranger who understood and for you to share in such a beautiful way.
There are still good people In this world. It’s nice to be reminded!
So good. His missing teeth and “doin’ good in school” reasoning made me cry, heavy, sad and sweet.
That gesture got me. Wonderful writing here. Thank you.
Such a sweet, sweet story. Thank you for reminding us of all of the good in the world!