Monday, March 17, 2025

Baggin' it: my Parkinson's and the kind-hearted stranger

 


Parkinson’s update: My left arm shakes to the point of uselessness whenever I’m under duress like, for instance, in the self-checkout aisle at the Giant Eagle. It’s stressful because shoppers treat it like they're participants in an Olympic event. So there I am struggling under the glare of hyper-efficient shoppers who appear eager to bag me. Just as I’m about to cry a woman emerges from the line and says, “You look like you can use a hand,” and begins to bag my stuff. Guess what I did…


a). I glared at her and said, “Take your stinkin’ paws off my Fruit Loops, you damned dirty ape!”


b). Jumped into her arms and said, “Mama, take me home! Me love you long time!”


c). Told her it was all part of a shoplifter sting operation and advised her it was in her best interest to consent to the pending strip search.


d). Genuinely thanked her for her gracious intervention.


Answer: “d).” The only thing she could have done to make it even better was if she’d have ponied up for the groceries and thrown in for good measure one of them Cadbury Eggs I find so irresistible.


Before I made it to the car I said a prayer that someone as good-hearted as she will be there for her to make it all better next time she struggles. In those few moments, she’d changed the world.


She took a sad song and made it better.


Lesson: If you see some one struggling with their burdens, momentarily set yours aside. Truly, you will change the world.


Or just go ahead and deport their sorry asses. 


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