On an average shift as a cashier I see roughly 150 different people. Over the span of a year, I talk to tens of thousands of individuals. I like to think that during my past four years in sales I’ve seen every side of people. Unfortunately, that includes when people are rude, impatient, or even both. Most people are often in a rush. They have places to be, and those places do not include the line in front of my register. Sure, I get it, but it can be disheartening.
However, there are times when people surprise you, and in a good way.
Less than a week ago, on a Friday actually, I was working my usual shift from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It had been an average day, not too busy, and people seemed to be in a good mood because of the nice weather we had been having. It’s interesting to realize just how dependent upon weather most people’s mood is. In the summer it is too hot and in the winter it is too cold. Sometimes I feel as if I’m talking Goldilocks on the other side of the counter.
However, there are resilient people who do not let the weather dictate their mood or their way of living. In fact, it is exactly one of these resilient folks who is the center of my story this week. Her name is Mrs. Roberts. She is a small woman with curly white hair. Her wide rimmed glasses always rest upon a smile, and she often wears delightfully floral shirts. Mrs. Roberts is well into her eighties, yet walks to our store every single day rain or shine. I once asked her, “Mrs. Roberts, why do you walk everywhere?” Looking back at me, she smiled saying, “You see, Branden, it’s a habit. I walk everywhere and it is simply something I do. However, if did not walk all these years, I would not be able to walk.”
Talk about profound. I was amazed at the power of good habits, and a short conversation with Mrs. Roberts was all it took to realize this.
On the particular day of this story, Mrs. Roberts has once again walked into the store and is buying her groceries. As she enters through the alarmed doors I look up and call out “Hi, Mrs. Roberts!” She politely replies, “Hello, Branden. How are you today?”
I soon return to what I was cleaning and allow Mrs. Roberts to shop. A few minutes later she has assembled all her groceries on the store countertop. The New York Times, yogurt, toilet paper, waters, a quart of 1-percent milk and even a package of Klondike Bars litter the countertop. I soon begin cashing Mrs. Roberts out and bagging her items for her.
During this process, Mrs. Roberts gets my attention and places two dollar bills into the palm of my hand smiling and saying, “For all the times I’ve missed.” Of course, she rarely is without a few dollars to give to whoever happens to be at work that day. Smiling back, I say, “Thank-you Mrs. Roberts. I appreciate it.”
By now I’ve finished bagging her goods and tell her the total is $31.05. “Well, yes, of course.” Mrs. Roberts responds as she begins fishing through her pocket for her debit card. Pulling a few bills out of her pocket, Mrs. Roberts realizes her debit card is not there. “That’s funny, ” she says. “I just had my debit card with me at the last store.”
As Mrs. Roberts continues to search for her debit card it becomes apparent that someone else has also noticed her problem. A younger woman in a blue dress silently gets my attention and motions for me to run her card for Mrs. Roberts’ order. I give her a thumbs up, run the card, and just like that, the lady is out the door. After she has left, I tell Mrs. Roberts that someone else has vouched to pay your bill. She just looks back at me and smiling says, “People can be great, can’t they?!” I agree with her.
People can be pretty wonderful. Whoever that was, they sure helped Mrs. Roberts out that day. People are awesome, and working as a cashier I sometimes get to see the best in them. It may only be one person, but I have hope for the modern-day Good Samaritans who are still out there in the world silently doing good.
