| THE GROCERY LIST...pg 1 --- another story I found on the web (or should I say one that found me!!!) So the story isn't mine, but the rhyme is....and rumor says it's a true one!!! Enjoy.... |
ONCE UPON A TIME A WHILE AGO A DRAMATIC TALE WAS TOLD IT HAPPENED IN A GROCERY STORE ONE WINTER, DARK AND COLD A WOMAN IN A THREADBARE COAT WHO WORE NO HAT AT ALL SEEMED QUITE FROZEN AS SHE ENTERED AND STOOD BACK AGAINST ONE WALL SHE JUST HUDDLED THERE A MOMENT SHIVERING, BLOWING ON HER HANDS TRYING TO BRING THE FEELING BACK BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH HER PLAN.. ONCE WARM AGAIN, SHE TOOK A BREATH AND LOOKED AROUND THE STORE UNTIL SHE SPOTTED THE MANAGER ACROSS THE ENTRY'S TILE FLOOR.... SQUARING BOTH HER SHOULDERS SHE BOWED HER HEAD AND SEEMED TO PRAY THEN WALKED OVER VERY SLOWLY AND ASKED FOR A MINUTE OF HIS DAY THE MANAGER LOOKED HER UP AND DOWN NOTING THE SHABBINESS OF HER COAT HE SIZED HER UP IN JUST AN INSTANT THEN LOUDLY CLEARED HIS THROAT "WELL, WHAT IS IT LADY? I HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO... WE'RE NOT HIRING IF YOU'RE LOOKING I HAVE NO NEED OF SOMEONE NEW...."' SHE LOOKED UP WITH TEAR-FILLED EYES AS SHE SLOWLY SHOOK HER HEAD... MY HUSBANDS OUT OF WORK...HE'S VERY ILL AND WE HAVE 6 CHILDREN TO BE FED... WE QUALIFY FOR A GOVERNMENT CHECK" SHE EXPLAINED WITH GRATITUDE "BUT I'VE COME TO ASK FOR CREDIT BECAUSE WE'RE COMPLETELY OUT OF FOOD!! I PROMISE I WILL RETURN TO PAY FOR WHATEVER YOU'LL ALLOW.... AS SOON AS THE MONEY'S IN MY HANDS BUT MY KIDS ARE HUNGRY NOW!! I'VE SHOPPED THIS STORE FOR MANY YEARS AND WAS HOPING YOU COULD SEE YOUR WAY TO TRUSTING A LOYAL CUSTOMER WHO NEEDS SOME TIME TO PAY...." THE WOMAN HAD SPOKEN SOFTLY IT WAS CLEAR SHE WAS ASHAMED TO HAVE TO ASK FOR SUCH A FAVOR EVEN IN HER CHILDREN'S NAME.... BUT THE MANAGER ANSWERED CURTLY.. "THIS IS NOT THE WELFARE LINE!!! GO THERE AND ASK THEM FOR SOME HELP THEY DO IT ALL THE TIME!!" THE POOR WOMAN DREW A DEEP BREATH AS SHE FOUGHT BACK HER TEARS TO SPEAK "WELFARE IS FOR THOSE WITH NOTHING I'LL HAVE CASH WITHIN THE WEEK!" |
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