(I wrote this post a few days ago so today was actually a few days ago).
My life is pretty simple for the most part, but today was the exception. It would have been a totally horrific day if it weren't for these three key players:
Player number 1. The hispanic woman standing in front of me in line at the close out sale at Albertsons. Everything was 75% off a friend had told me, so I decided at 11:00 in the morning that I would just pop in with my two boys to see what the deal was. Pop in. Ha. I should have realized the warning signs of the full parking lot, void of any shopping carts and got the heck out of the there, but the "deal shopper" in me urged me to go in and have a look. After a man graciously approached me and offered me to follow him to his car while he unloaded his groceries so that I could have his cart that he himself had waited a whole hour for, I walked in the busy store. Here are the words that come to mind when I wonder how to describe this Albertsons close out sale. Zoo. Apocolypse. Chaos. I have never been to a black friday. For good reason.
I should have been warned yet again at the sight of all the people. And if not that, at least by the sight of the horrendously long lines going from the check out stands through every isle in the store spread like a spider web around and in and through the store. Surely the wait could be no longer than a half hour. Ha. 30 minutes later I picked a line. After only a few minutes, a little, old, hispanic woman in front of me and I started chatting. She started telling me about things that were left in the isles. "Go". She said. "I take baby and the boy, you go shop". I know it sounds crazy, but I trusted her. So she pretty much babysat my boys while I shopped for good deals. After an hour of standing by her, chatting with her, and her playing and helping me with my boys, I felt like she was family.
Player number 2. Sister Tuttle. I sat in that line for 1 hour, and moved 1 foot. After getting word that people half way up the line had been standing there for 2 or more hours, I started to panic. Claustrophobia set in. The boys felt it too. Not to mention that lunch time and nap time had come and gone. The box of kix and the fruit snacks and the sucker had ran there course of desperation, but they couldn't play the part of a warm cozy bed. I started to get desperate. I came to the realization that a. I was stuck in a horrifically long line, with people all around me. b.I had already eaten some produce and had to wait in-line to pay for it.
It was then that Sister Tuttle, a woman from my old ward, came as the blessed answer to my prayer. "bring your stuff to me" she said. "You don't have very many things, I will just buy them for you and you can pay me back". I quickly followed her with Buster, who was crying in my arms and Warner by my side, and somehow managed to push my cart at the same time. Her cart was literally spilling over with things it was so full, but still she insisted on me leaving my things there. Oh the sweet woman. Oh the joy of getting out of that store, because of that blessed woman. The boys fell quickly asleep after a good meal, and I knelt down and said a prayer of thanks for Sister Tuttle. (By the way she ended up saving over a thousand dollars, and only spent 300, she ended up waiting there for 3 more hours in that line, bless her heart).
Player Number 3. This was the player who triggered the tears that later, in the quiet of my bedroom went flowing into my own personal gratitude tear pool. The boys and I were worn out after our little excursion, but we had only a little while before it was time to get up and go get L from school. I no sooner had left the house in a rush to go get her, then I realized that I had promised her I would bring change for her to buy something from the bake sale. I walked on knowing that my options were either to be late picking her up, which I know would seriously scare her, or turn around and go back and get some money. I decided I better go pick her up. When I got there and saw her walk out with her little class and line up against the brick wall, she caught my eye, then pointed to the bake sale and mouthed the words with a sort of panicked expression "Did you get money for the cupcakes?!" I frowned and shook my head. She tried to hold it together, but I heard a little sob sneak out. She bowed her head and let it hang there until her teacher tapped her on the shoulder and said "Do you see who you go with?" As soon as she got to me she let the sobs come quietly out more freely now. She had been in class all day anticipating a cupcake that I had promised, I felt terrible to have let her down.
Unbeknownst to me someone, was watching this whole exchange. This someone is the dad of one of the little Hispanic girls in Liv's class. The little girl, as well as her family speaks very little English, and they don't look like they have a lot of money. Often times the little girl comes in mismatched clothes and really worn down shoes and jackets. This is why I was so touched, when the Dad looked at us and smiled, walked over to the cupcake table, purchased one cupcake, handed it to his daughter, mumbled something in Spanish which I couldn't understand, but did because he nodded and pointed to Liv. He didn't say anything and neither did she, they both just approached us with smiles on their faces and nods. Then, noticing Warner, he looked at him, looked at me, pulled out his wallet and handed me a five dollar bill and said "Go. Buy." I kindly rejected his offer and told him thank you and that they could share the cupcake. I payed the man back the very next day and thanked him again for his kindness. I don't know why this touched me so much, but it really did.
In the end, it turned out to be one of the greatest days of my week. I'm grateful for those two rough moments, because in the end I was left inspired by the people who reached out to me. There is nothing quite like being spontaneously served by a perfect stranger or a long lost acquaintance to inspire you to watch out for those in need and be actively engaged in helping those around you.
