Monday, September 26, 2005

My Huckleberry's hero

Tonight after dinner, my daughters and I walked to Huckleberry's. It is sort of a tradition. The girls split a pink cookie, I get a magic bar, and we sit and chat. However, this evening, after the cookies had been rung up, I realized I had left my wallet at home, and I had no cash. I could feel the blush rising on my face. I could walk back home, get money, walk back to Huckleberry's, eat, then walk back home, but by that time it would have been way past the girls' bedtimes.

As I considered what to do, the cashier, Vinh, said, "I'll pay for it. Don't worry about it. Just catch me next time." Then he pulled out his debit card and paid for my cookies. I was shocked. I had never seen this guy before, and he trusted me. Sure, it was only three and a half dollars, but I was still shocked and heartened by this display of generosity. I must have said thank you a dozen times, and, as the girls and I sat eating the cookies, I kept saying, "That was really nice of him," to the point where Claire said, "Dad, that's all you're saying."

So, when we got home, I found a fiver (it's all I had--I wanted to give him a ten), hopped in the car and hustled back to Huckleberry's to pay him back. He did seem a little surprised to see me--and his money.

Funny how a loan of $3.50 can make your whole day.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I believe that Vinh was shocked to see you because he wasn't expecting to see you. I don't mean to say that he thought you would never return to the store, but he did out of the kindness of his heart. He wasn't expecting or, I suspect, even wanting you to pay him back. He did it because he wanted to, and that's is most macho.