Life lesson

7:56 am: On my knees pulling eggs forward and as always, doing the shit that was supposed to be done the night before. Cursing my night guy in my head, I was sure it was going to be a bad day from the start.

7:59 am: Can this day really start out this way? Why do they let the customers in so early! GOD I HATE THIS JOB! GOD I HATE THESE CUSTOMERS!

8:00 am: Still on my knees, I look down at the end of the isle, there she is, the kind of customer I hate the most, the early bird that thinks she is going to get the freshest stuff, fucking up my department already by pushing all the milk to one side so she can get that qt. of skim milk she is so sure has an expiration date of 6 months away! I can’t see her as she pushes her cart right at me, I can only see her ugly ankles and old lady shoes because she is so short. I try to come up with a name to describe the left wheel that is wobbling and squeaking. Le’ squabble? I chuckled to myself. I decide not to move and stay focused on trying to look like I’m doing something important with the egg, not wanting to stand up, I look forward, intently hoping not to be acknowledged. But that never happens; these old people just have to make a stupid remark. And, as sure as shit, I hear “Sir, can you hand me a container of Egg Beaters?”

Handing one backwards, without saying a word, I look straight ahead as if a chicken is going to pop out of the eggs! Then I hear those words I just love so much “These are $2.99 at Hillers Market and a $3.19 is too expensive for me on a fixed income”.

As she hands them back to me, I tell her to go to Hillers! (In my head) “I’m sorry Ma’am I don’t make the prices”.

Forced to turn around, I have to be polite and interact with her. Standing up, I tower over her, and looking down, I am shocked at how damaged her face is! Her mouth is all twisted and gross. I can’t get out of there fast enough! God is she messed up. I don’t say anything as I walk to the back room.

After a few minutes, my thought goes back to that ugly old lady, I come out of the back room and grabbed a container of Eggbeaters.

“Take this free of charge” I say. “We might be a bit more expensive on this, but they don’t have me working there and I’m worth the extra money!”

As she looks at me, she manages to force a smile. “Thank you. You’re a very kind man.”

Out of nowhere I respond with “Partakalo.”
“How do you know I’m Greek?” she asks. “Do I know you?”
“No, you don’t know me but I know you” I say.

Standing there looking down on her, I look into her eyes, and, as my own fill with tears, I hug her and whisper, “I think you’re a wonderful and beautiful person.”
Her eyes fill with tears. We don’t say anything as I put her items in a bag and the cashier finishes ringing her up.

As she is leaving we hug again and I kiss her on her beautiful cheek. She says, “I will never shop at Hillers no matter what the cost!”

I walk back to the cooler and hide in the corner so no one will see me cry. I feel so ashamed for hating that customer.

The cashier comes looking for me, “John, that old lady told me to tell you that you are an angel and she will never forget your kindness. How do you know her?”

I don’t really know her, but I know of her. About 3 months ago, she was on television and they were doing a special on her and her life.

She was a little girl about 12 when the Germans invaded her island. The Island of Crete. She was living in a rural village when a group of German solders came through and terrorised her family. Her mother and sister were raped and killed. Her father was killed also. She was raped and shot point blank with a shotgun in her face and kicked into a ditch to die. After 4 days of lying in the ditch, she was found still alive.

She lived with family members never dreaming any one would want to marry her with such a disfigured face. She was wrong. She married a wonderful man and raised several children.

As the cashier walks away, I think to myself, God I love my job! God I love my customers!

By John McCarthy