(It’s a slow night, so I take out some of my craft supplies. As I’m piecing together an earring, a regular customer walks into the store. I smile as I tuck away my supplies.)

Me: “Hello! How’re you this evening?”

Regular: “Good! What were you doing just now?”

(I pull out the earring.)

Me: “Oh. I was making a pair of earrings to pass the time.”

Regular: “You make earrings?”

Me: “Yeah, I’ve made a few necklaces too.”

(I pull my necklace out of my shirt to show him.)

Regular: “That’s really nice. Hey, I’ve got some beads and stuff that my wife bought. We were going to make jewelry to sell, but we never got around to it. When I get home tonight, I’ll get her to help me dig out some of the beads. I’ll bring them in, or send them with Mom, okay?”

Me: “Okay, thanks!”

(A week later, his mother comes into the store. She hands me a package containing dozens of hand-blown glass beads, along with a note.)

Mother’s Note: “These are just some of the beads. Hope you can use these in your jewelry making. We’re still trying to dig the rest of them out. It may take a few more trips, but we’ll get them all to you.”

(It’s the nice people like that who make my job worthwhile!)