Well, Merry Christmas then…

Throughout my brief, part time work day I have to deal with people. Not always pleasant, and today was one of those days where the unpleasant ruled. I kept thinking about how much people annoyed me, how I really just don’t like them much and how it would be so nice to not have to deal with them on a regular basis. They can ruin your day.

On the way home from work I stopped at a WalMart that I rarely go to in order to pick up a few odds and ends. Because of lack of cash lately, I’ve gone without honey for over a month. In that first cup of coffee, drizzled on ice cream when I can afford ice cream, it’s one of those things I do to treat myself. With the crap part time job I’m working and the bad day I just had, I decided I needed that treat.

Honey is cheap at Wally’s World, but then, what isn’t. A three pound jar for under $9 you won’t find anywhere else. And there it was, sitting on the top shelf, all the way in the back. The last jar. At 5 foot 9 and not the longest arms in the world, it was far out of reach. I considered standing on one of the lower shelves, but I knew how that would turn out.

I wandered up and down the aisle looking for anything that might give me the reach I needed to reach what I wanted. Nothing in sight. Tools and brooms and things with long handles were all on the opposite side of the store. No small feat to go fetch one if you know how cavernous these stores are, but it was being considered.

At that moment a woman appeared in the aisle. She was riding one of those motorized shopping carts that WalMart supplies if you can’t handle walking the miles of aisles.

On top of her pile of odds and ends was a cane.

I couldn’t believe it.

“Excuse me, this is going to sound really weird, but could I borrow your cane?”

Without hesitating she lifted it up and handed it to me. “You must need something real bad.”

“You’ll see in a minute, I have to have my honey.” As I scooped the jar from the far reaches of the shelf I heard her laughing behind me. “I owe myself a present for the day I’ve had,” I told her as I put her cane back on her pile.

“Well, Merry Christmas then, I’m glad I could help.” And she laughed as she motored down the aisle.

I have a very good friend that is religious, very much so. I am the polar opposite. He’s not the bible beating holier than thou type and our conversations on the subject are very rewarding. When he reads this, I’m never going to hear the end of it. This is the very type of thing that he believes in. When in need, God gives what is needed.

On many different levels apparently.

Part of me wishes the events of the day didn’t turn out like this. That what is written above never happened and I made it all up to make a point. But then, I wouldn’t be sitting here with goose bumps on the back of my neck dwelling on the symbolism behind this days series of events, would I?

I’ll chalk this up to coincidence for now. Really, what else could it be?