“I always rely on the kindness of strangers.”
People are totally nice to pregnant women, as well they should be. Once when I was preggers, I was at the grocery store attempting to unload my cart onto the conveyor belt while also holding a fussy child. Another mom spotted me and immediately came over to quickly unload the cart for me, saying, “I remember being in this stage of life. Please let me help you.” She wasn’t even pausing to get an “okay” from me. She sort of seemed like she was in a hurry, but wouldn’t have taken no for an answer, even if I had (stupidly) told her not to bother. She quickly got the job done, wished me the best of luck and was gone practically before I could offer my thanks. Super cool lady.
Super cool old man story:
I was ready to check out at the grocery store when I had two youngins at this point and another obviously on the way. Then the worst happened: I didn’t have any money with me! Everything had been rung up by the time I realized it. There were, OF COURSE, several people in line behind me, as I, red-faced, apologized profusely to the cashier, realizing that everything would have to be taken back off the register and then returned to the shelves. How humiliating! Then the super sweet white-haired gentleman behind me with ONE THING to buy!! said he would pick up my tab. It came to $37, if I’m remembering correctly, and his item was only $6. Not a mega-amount, but still, right?! I was so grateful I hugged him and got a little teary-eyed (kind of like right now, years later, as I type this.)
And now, possibly the most amazing tale of all: the kind teenage boy story!
Yes, you guessed it, I was at the grocery store. (Do I do anything besides shop for groceries? Oh, yes, of course: I also do laundry!) Anyway, in this story I was also very pregnant with number three, with numbers 1 and 2 in tow, when I was unloading my groceries into the trunk of the car. As I did so, I looked around for the cart return and happened to glance at a parked car nearby and see… Keep reading.