Unfiltered Story #213155

I’m at the pharmacy with my mom, picking up some medication for her and my dad. Near the counter we’re standing at are a couple of chairs for people to sit in while they’re waiting. Both are occupied, one by an elderly gentleman, one by slightly younger woman, with a walking stick, (likely mid-fifties) talking quite loudly on her phone.

As my mom and I turn to leave the counter after picking up our items and head toward the other section of the store, I notice a large purse/wallet on the ground in such a place that it’s clearly fallen out of the seated woman’s bag. Being that she has a stick, and my parents, who both use one, both have trouble reaching the floor while seated, I hurry over and pick it up, handing it to her with a muttered ‘I think you dropped this.’ She simply takes it, without so much as looking at me, and continues her conversation. ‘No worries,’ I think to myself, ‘a smile might’ve been nice, if only to let me know it was definitely her purse, but whatever.’

Mom and I head over to look at another section and, a few minutes later, head for the other counter to check out. As we’re standing in line, there’s a tap on my shoulder and I turn around to see the phone lady standing there with a bright smile on her face. She gives me a firm handshake and says “Thank you so much for picking up my purse. I didn’t even know I dropped it!” and hurries out of the shop, still beaming.

It may not have been a big thing to do, but the fact that not only did she somehow catch sight of my face at some point while I was standing near her, but also stopped to thank me for something any decent person would have done definitely made that few seconds worthwhile and improved what had otherwise been a very bad day. You really can’t underestimate how much impact a tiny act can have, be it on yourself or others.