Kindness In The Grocery Store

I was in the grocery store and there was an older woman in front of me who had a few grocery items and was trying to pay for them with a food stamp debit card.  The card was not going through and she explained to the cashier several times that this was a new program and it did not always work.  The cashier said that she would need to pay cash for her groceries as the system was not accepting the card she was using for payment.  The woman very quietly explained that she would need to put the food back as she did not have the funds to pay in cash.  I asked if she would let me pay for them to which she said - "Oh no, I can't pay you back right away" and I said "It would be my pleasure to pay for the groceries"  I went on to explain to her that I had a Mother who lived 45 minutes away and who did not drive or have a car and that she had wonderful neighbors who took care of her since I lived far away and this was my way of paying it forward to her.  She insisted that I give her my phone number or address so that she could send me the money and I said no - I would like to be able to do this for her and that I understand how the new food stamp cards may not always work each time, etc.   The grocery store clerk explained that the woman's groceries totalled $6.30.  She was astounded that I had offered to pay for the groceries without even knowing the total.  I left the store feeling pleased that I was behind the woman in line and thinking there was a reason I chose that line instead of the other open lines at the store that night.  Since that day, my life has been going very well for me and while there is no way for me to be sure it has anything to do with my Random Act of Kindness, I like to think it is God's way of paying it forward.


From Sandy in PA