Michelle McNabb

Random Acts of Kindness

I was driving down the street to make my weekly grocery run contemplating how I'm going to make $160 dollars in food stamps last me all month. I had recently lost my job because my employer demanded that I work while sick and contagious. This was at a restaurant so I declined. I was trying to make ends meet until I found another job and decided I would apply for food stamps, which I never thought I would have to do. As I'm walking up to the door of the store a lady approaches me and asked if I could spare any change. I started digging to see if I had any and managed to find 2 quarters. She said "please anything, I've have been out here all day". At that point I looked at her and could see the pain and truth in her eyes. I truly believe other people walked by and ignored because she wasn't dressed to well, and her hair was a mess. She said "I have been out here all day and only managed to come up with 5 dollars. I have 7 kids at home that I need to feed." After hearing this my problems seemed so minor. I was trying to figure out how to just keep myself feed, and I couldn't imagine what it would be like to try and keep 7 kids plus myself feed. I remembered I had 7 dollars in cash on me so I decided to give her that. I explained that was all I had an I wished I could give her more. She thanked me and we parted ways. By the third week of my budget I had finally found a job but I wouldn't get my first check for another 2 weeks. I had my aunt, my roommate and her two kids with me on my next trip to the store. We split ways and proceeded to shop. We all met back up and went to go check out together. This is about 10 o'clock at night and there is only one lane open to check out on the far right of the store. We turn the corner and our favorite cashier is working. Who without fault manages to mess something up every single time we use her register. My aunt and roommate check out first and get through the line no problem. I'm thinking to myself this might be a good night. The cashier begins to check me out and I told her I would be paying with food stamps and whatever is left I would use debit card. She said ok and asked me how much was left on the card. I told her 50. So the nice lady begins to enter the amount and tells me the balance. Now I'm standing there questioning what I got as she tells me the balance. I told her I would not have enough and that I would have to put some things back. She took a deep breathe and we both looked back at the line of about 5 more people. My roommates kids are crying and ready to go. I start going through the things to put back as the cashier is waiting for the manager to come to help her with a void. At this point I'm embarrassed, not only am I paying with food stamps but now I cant afford everything to last me two weeks. It had been a good amount of time and the lady's behind me started to get impatient. One of them spoke up and said "I'm in a hurry and have to go, can you just add her balance to mine and I will pay for it." I apologized for holding the line and she said "no worries", paid and left. The manager finally arrived at this point and after explaining what just happened figured out that the cashier had typed in only .50 cents. This was a 70 dollar purchase. Now I would be able to make it for the next 2 weeks. Do good and good will follow.