Christmas was three days away and the state of Maine was under siege. A mini hurricane blindsided the state, blowing down thousands of trees, thrashing unsuspecting citizens with torrential downpours, damns near bursting, evacuations, mudslides, and power outrages that threw 400,000 Mainers into the dark.
Food shopping became an adventure. I entered Shaw’s Supermarket with cash in hand, ready to buy the Christmas ham. Rumors spread that the cash registers were off-line, slowing transactions, and creating long lines. I stood in line waiting my turn. I noticed that the young cashier was frazzled by the slow working of the register.
Three people were in front of me. The first lady in line did not have enough cash and started to put some of her purchases to one side. Suddenly, the second person in line leaped to her aid.
“Here, take this twenty-dollar bill and buy what you need,” she said.
“Are you sure?” inquired the first lady, acting a bit stunned.
The second lady smiled and nodded.
The exasperated cashier watched the encounter. She slammed her hands on the counter and proclaimed loudly, “I knew there was going to be a Christmas miracle today!”
We all were startled by the outburst.
I asked, “Did you tell people that you thought there would be a Christmas miracle today?”
“Yes, I did, “she said definitively.
We all smiled.
Amid a trying week for Mainers, this simple act of charity brightened up our day, giving us hope that human kindness was alive and well, even at your local grocery store.