So I'm shopping for my items, a little of this and that, when I come to the granola bar section. I'm studying the selections looking for the certain one my mother told me to get, when this black lady turns into the aisle. I go to move my cart to let her through and she motions that I'm fine where I'm at. So I stand there and continue to search for this item, noticing that she's still there just kinda looking at me. Since there was a woman in front of me, we stand there for a good minute or so and in this time, I got a cold chill, so naturally I shivered. The black lady asks me if I'm cold, which today has been unusally cold so I was, so I politely responded yes, I was in fact cold. Next she proceeded to aske me where I worked, that I looked familiar. I told her Biscuitville, though I had never seen her in there in my entire life. A few seconds later she makes her way around me and starts to talk to me some more. After a few seconds I realize she's asking for money for a bus fare. Now lately I've been trying to be a better person and less self-centered, and seeings how I actually did have five dollars in my purse from a shirt I had just returned, I thought what a perfect way to start. So I handed her the five dollars. After that, I figured she'd go on her way. Boy was I wrong! She then proceeded to ask me for a ride. Being a little sketched out, I told her that I had to go to work, at my other job after leaving here. Well it just so turns out that where she was wanting to go, was right up the street from Clapp's. So I told her sure, why not, I'd give her a ride. However, I wasn't done with my shopping, but she literally followed me around Wal-Mart until I was. Every now and then she'd ask what I was looking for so she could help me find it. Then, she asked if I would buy her a drink. She needed the money I'd given her earlier for the bus fare and she was thirsty. Ok fine. THEN, after passing a starburst free-samples stand, she asked if I'd buy her a bag of starburst, when I threw a bag into my cart. Sure, why not?! After all, they were only 48 cents with the coupon. So at this point, I hurried on my way to check-out. I didn't want to eventually have her entire kitchen pantry in my buggy. At the register, as I throw her things up on the counter to pay for them separately, she throws up an energy drink as well! This lady had some nerve, but at this point I was already too far invested. Finally out at the car, I get her inside and hide anything of value, which is nothing except my wallet, then take her to her destination and let her out, all the while praying that I'm not somehow not going to get murdered. I got a good laugh out of this little black lady, and though I probably helped her out in a small way, she probably touched my life more. I guess people have started to use Wal-Mart instead of street corners to ask for things.
All of this however, was a very humbling lesson for me. While I was upset earlier about not having a ton of money in the bank... at least I have some money in the bank. While I was upset about having to buy new tires... at least I have the money to buy the tires, and a car to put them on. While I was complaining about the weather... at least I don't live outside in it. The economy is in shambles and people are a mess, but I still have a roof over my head and food on the table.
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