$5.25 in change
times get hard sometimes right before payday. on tuesday we ran out of oranges and i was running low on dinner supplies so i stopped at wal-mart on my way to work. i was out of cash and didn't want to use my debit card for lack of funds so on my way out the door i had grabbed a handful of change. inside the store i carefully counted my nickels and dimes to ascertain just what i could afford to buy. i ended up with five oranges, four packets of ramen, four ramen lunch bowls, three boxes of macaroni and cheese, and one 30 oz can of chili beans. at the checkout i put my basket on the counter and waited with my fistful of change for the cashier to give me my total: $5.09. i said to her, "don't hate me, but i have $5.25 in change." she didn't complain as she took my coins, just said that it might be a minute. she kind of smiled as she counted it out. "i've been there myself," she said, nodding. "me and my husband both. right before payday?" "monday," i said. "yes, i've been there. using pennies for gas--i've been there. you know, some cashiers used to refuse to take my change." "really? that's very rude." "i know. money is money. they just didn't want to count it. i told my husband that if i were ever a cashier i would never do that." "i really appreciate it," i said. we wished each other good day and i left the store with tears in my eyes.
posted by Amy at 7:40 PM
4 Comments:
Isn't it amazing the people God sends into your life when you need a little kindness and understanding. I also have been in that situation a time or two in my life. You are a great shopper by the way, that's a lot for $5.09!
I remember our first month here. The two of us standing in front of the open refrigerator at a single carton of soymilk, wondering how much longer our pocketsful of coins would last. God may not multiply our loaves and fishes, but he can sure make a few coins go a long way.
you know, just as angela lost her wallet and believes that she will find it, so you have found someone whose good deeds to you have come around from something they experienced. i think it just shows you how much our small acts of kindness mean to other people. it really does come back to us someday. :)
amy, that was an incredibly beautiful post. i can't believe it's taken me so long to find it. thankfully, when i had only coins, charissa and jeff helped to multiply them. wow. and when we all lived together someone else had coins when we were running low. it's good to take car of and understand each other.
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