Tis the Season

It was the worst time of the year, Christmastime, at least it is when you work retail. You work long hours with maybe a thirty minute break if you're lucky, deal with rude customers and their kids who run amok throughout the store taking things off the shelves and leaving them wherever they please.

It was Christmas Eve and I had already been working four hours of a nine hour shift when my supervisor came over to me asking if I could possibly stay an extra hour over my shift, one of the other cashier's had called out and they needed someone to stay until closing, letting out a big sigh I agree.

Texting my husband, I let him know I am having to work an extra hour and would be home later. I was going to pick up some pizza on my way home and have dinner with him and our two children, then after putting the kids down to bed we would put their toys together and place them under the tree for Christmas morning as soon as I got home.

The next couple of hours flew by and we were near closing when the next customer came up to my register, to say I wasn't in the best of moods was putting it mildly, I should've been home with my family. It was just me and a couple other cashier's and our lines were long with last minute shoppers. A woman came into my line and started putting her purchases on the counter, she was a young woman, kinda pale looking with light brown hair, her clothes were well worn but clean. She never really made eye contact, keeping her head down placing the items on the counter. Giving her a tight smile I start scanning the items. There was some food for a Christmas dinner, some toys, nothing too expensive, a couple of winter coats, a new pairs of shoes, socks, underwear and a couple of stockings with candy to fill them.

I finished ringing her up and told her the total. Her face got a little paler and I saw her swallow hard. She says she only has so much and ask if she can put some things back. I started taking some of the items off when I heard some of the customers behind her start grumbling. I told her the new total and in a quiet tone she said she still didn't have enough and asked if I take more off. A few of the other customers started voicing their displeasure saying things like, " if you didn't have enough, you shouldn't have bought as much," looking up at me, her cheeks red with embarassment and tears in her eyes she asks me to remove the toys, she was about forty dollars short and I felt sorry for her.

I always keep some money in my back pocket and happened to have a twenty dollar bill I was going to buy the pizza with and taking it out I said I could help make up some of the difference. Her head lifted up with an incredulous look on her face, a man behind her said he could give her ten, and another said they had five they could give, and the woman who had been grumbling the most said she had a couple of dollars, and several others gave too, just enough to make up the difference. I finished bagging up her groceries, toys, coats, shoes and all and told her "Merry Christmas". She thanked each one of us from the bottom of her heart.

Closing time came and as I was finishing up my supervisor came up to me asking about the woman, asking if I had given her money. I explained she was short and I felt bad for her and that I and several customers had pitched in and helped her. She patted me on my arm and told me the woman had come up and told her what had happened she explained that she had been without a job and that she and her children had been homeless for over a year, she had just started working recently and gotten into their new low income rent apartment and that she just wanted her kids to have a good Christmas. She told my supervisor that they were lucky to have an employee like me.

Walking out to my car, a feeling of good washed over me. Looking up into the night sky I see a brightly shining star and remember the reason for this season and thankful for all that I have been blessed with.