Paying for an old lady's grocery
By mimico
@mimico (3617)
Philippines
June 19, 2008 6:20am CST
While waiting for my turn to pay in the grocery today, I saw an old lady in the next lane counting small bills to pay for some grocery items. She only purchased basic goods such as a small pack of soap, a small can of soup, some crackers, and some vegetables. I really took pity upon her when she didn't have enough money to pay for the small pack of soap, so I offered to pay for her entire bill. I told her that it wouldn't be a hardship on me and that I was happy to do it, but she refused and got even got mad at me for pitying her! She left the bar of soap and took off in a huff as soon as she could. I didn't min the people who were staring at me, but I really felt bad that the old lady reacted that way towards me. I know it's not my business whether or not she could afford to pay for her grocery items. And I'm aware that her ego was probably hurt, but I was just trying to help her out.
Should I have offered to pay for the soap instead of her entire bill? Or should I just turn a blind eye? What would you have done if you were in my situation?
2 responses
@ayumitakashi (4462)
• United States
19 Jun 08
I think that what you did wasn't anything bad. But then there are some people who are to proud to accept help from anyone and react that way. I don't really know what I would have done to tell you the truth.
@risris24 (712)
• United States
19 Jun 08
I think your small act of kindness was nothing to huff about. However she is elderly and maybe never had anyone to help her so instead taking it as a kind, neighborly gesture, she took it, as you said pitying her and her first reaction was to be mad. There should be more people who are willing to do something positive for another person, especially a total stranger and maybe there would be less negative things in this world. Did you ever see the movie Pay it Forward, what you did was a lot like that, except, the elderly lady was supposed to accept that gesture and do something kind for someone else and so ona nd so forth, hence the term pay it forward... If more people did that, then the number of people doing nice things for others would continue to just grow and grow.
