Something For Tomorrow

 

Cashier: “$42.17 mam”

Older lady: “I have $35.”

Cashier: (leaning close to the older woman to speak confidentially) “That’s close enough. whenever you can if you can.”

Cashier takes the difference from her wallet and completes the transaction.

A smile rests in the moment thankfully without snoring.

The cashier starts to ring up the next order (me) as the older woman waves the bagger off pushing her kart of groceries towards the door. Halfway there she stops to talk to a friend.

A shopper unable to find another store associate approaches the register: “I thought these were on sale.”

Bagger (with a smile): “No, they were on the shelf.”

Cashier (responding to the customer ignoring her ever ‘helpful’ bagger.): “No, that was last week.”

Shopper: “Ok, hmmm. Well, I thought they were on sale.”

Shopper walks off to complete his shopping.

Bagger (to the cashier): “technically, last week they were in the warehouse.”

Cashier shakes her head and smiles.

Bagger beams. He knows his audience.

Cashier: (quietly to me) “Don’t worry (nodding to the older woman who is still talking to her friend) She is ok. But sometimes we old timers have to help each other reach tomorrow”

I smile, uncertain, but warmed by her concern not sure if I need speak.

Me: “It’s a lovely day outside.”

Cashier: “Yes, yes, even though it would be nice if it rained at night so each morning we could wake to everything fresh, new, washed clean and gleaming with hope.”

I nod. But think about how nice it is to walk in gentle rain.

A pause in the conversation: Me thinking about walking in the rain. The cashier wanting her moment of kindness to go on forgotten so it can stay as an act of the heart.

A customer joins the queue with a shopping kart holding 6 gigantic boxes of donuts.

There must be another sheriff's convention in town I joke to myself.

Cashier: (with a smile almost waking me from my thoughts) “I pray every year for it to rain at night so of course it rains during the day.”

I laugh.

Cashier: “Are you saving the coupons for the pans?”

Me: “No, thank you.”

I gather my sacks from the bagger and head to the door.

Money is nice to have but a friend with a kind heart is a treasure.