Random acts of Kindness

A sudden spatter of rain was just ending as I pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store earlier this afternoon. I skirted puddles as I hurried inside, dumping my handbag into the shopping cart. Half asleep I ambled past the display of pears and apples and halloween paraphenalia, and almost collided with a pretty elegant, much older lady, quietly doing her shopping and minding her own business..I apologized, she smiled and I hurried on.

Not ten minutes later I rounded an aisle and noticed her at the other end, a small gathering of people surrounded her. I edged closer. She had a trickle of blood running down her cheek and someone was dabbing it ineffectively with a kleenex. She had apparently reached up for a tin of something and pulled another down on top of herself. The irony was that she has reached for the that tin on the top shelf for a youngster who couldnt reach. He was standing a little to the side looking a little dumbstruck.

The nurse in me surfaced through the grogginess of too little sleep, which had I must admit slowed my thinking up somewhat. I moved forward and checked the small cut above her eye, her fragile skin had torn easily but it looked worse than it was. I had some wet wipes with me and her small wound cleaned up easily. She was stunned, a little embarrased and smiled sheepishly as I tended her and asked if she was ok..

Suddenly I felt tears prickle. From the corner of my eye I noticed the teenager opening a bandaid which he had obviously got off a shelf from somewhere in the store. We all stood quietly by as he painstakingly tore the bandaid out of its wrapper, reached up and stuck it gently in place...

It was the sweetest thing ever..