Some strangers stay with us for years after a single encounter. For @whatsinthekoolaid, one of those people was a customer she met at her very first job, in a grocery store, when she was just eighteen. The story she shared is a good reminder that small acts of kindness can travel a long way.
The creator got emotional while telling it, and she apologized for crying through the whole thing. The caption describes it as a good customer story, for once. Here is how it unfolded, followed by some general thoughts on helping others with care.
@whatsinthekoolaid
An Eighteen Year Old on Register
She had just graduated high school and was training at the service desk, where she spent most of her shifts. On this particular day she was placed on a register, and two very elderly women joined her line. From the way they spoke, she could tell they had arrived together, though they had separate transactions. She remembered them as sweet, giggly and talkative.
The first woman paid and moved away. The creator then scanned the second woman’s groceries and announced the total, which was twenty seven dollars and some change.
The Missing Purse
The woman turned around to grab her card from her purse and realized the purse was not in the cart. She dug through the cart in a panic. She shook out the coat she had tucked in the child seat area. Nothing fell out. When she turned back, she was crying. She apologized for holding up the line and explained that she wanted to buy the items but could not find her purse.
She said she would have to put everything back. She had come with her friend, she was not from the area and she lived about an hour and a half away. She had planned to get her groceries while visiting. The creator could see how confused and embarrassed she was, standing in front of a whole line of people.
Paying With Money She Barely Had
The creator looked at the total and thought about her own situation. She knew she had about forty dollars in her bank account and would not be paid until the end of the week. She decided it was worth it. She told the woman to hold on, swiped her own card and handed over the receipt, saying everything was paid for.
The woman, already in tears, began sobbing and thanking her. The cashier brushed it off and joked that it would be more work for her if she had to put everything back. The woman left, the shift went on and the creator sometimes wondered whether the purse was ever found.
An Angel Two Weeks Later
Two weeks later, the creator was working behind the service desk when the same woman stepped up to her counter with a small box. She said she had worried she would have to ask someone where the cashier was. Inside the box was a little angel figurine.
The woman, who said she was eighty eight, explained that the day she lost her purse was one of her most embarrassing in a long time. She said she has no family left, and her friend takes her on one outing each week to shop. She had left the whole purse at home without realizing it. She told the creator that the kindness meant she was able to eat that week.
The following week, she said, they went to a paper store, where she spent a long time choosing a gift. She called the cashier an angel sent from heaven. She then waited another week and drove an hour and a half back to the store, hoping to find her. They both cried, and the woman hugged her and handed her a small Bible. The creator was not religious at the time, but she understood it as the most sincere way the woman knew to show her gratitude. They talked so long that she was told to get back to work.
Kept for More Than a Decade
This happened in 2013, and she never saw the woman again. She does not remember her name. She still has the figurine. The wings have fallen off more than once, so she glues them back each time, and every time she sees it she thinks of that day. She ended with the thought that not every customer is terrible, and some are truly wonderful.
Tips for Helping Strangers Kindly
The story shows what a small gesture can mean. These are general suggestions for anyone who wants to help in moments like this.
- Consider your own budget first. Help only in ways you can afford, and know your limits.
- Offer quietly and respectfully so the person does not feel more embarrassed in front of others.
- Workers can ask a manager whether a store has a policy for lost wallets or purses, and keep the line moving by setting items aside for the customer.
- Offer practical help too, such as a phone to call a family member or friend, or a note to hold items for a short time.
- Accept thanks graciously. Gratitude can mean as much to the giver as the gift itself.
Why It Stuck
A twenty seven dollar bill meant a lot to a young cashier with little in her account. It meant even more to an older woman far from home. Years later, the figurine on the creator’s shelf still carries that moment. Kindness does not have to be big to be remembered, and sometimes a stranger will go a long way to say thank you.