A Hug For Thanksgiving

(I am shopping in a grocery store with my two-year-old son. My son is VERY shy. It has been a tough few years; my son’s father had an accident and couldn’t work. We went from a two-income family of three to a one-income family of four. All of our savings has been spent in the last two years, and I am calculating my overtime pay to try and serve Thanksgiving supper. We pick out a whole chicken to roast, a bag of discount potatoes, and a few apples. We get into line. My son runs into stranger in front of us, and wraps himself around the stranger’s legs.)

Son: “You look so nice; I just want to hug you.”

Stranger: “Why, thank you, young man!”

Me: “Oh, my. He is usually so shy. I am sorry for the intrusion.”

(We chat about small things: football, weather… Our financial situation never comes up.)

Stranger: “Is this Thanksgiving supper?”

Me: “Yes, sir. Gonna make roast chicken and potatoes for the family.”

Stranger: *to cashier he has just approached* “I would like to buy her groceries; please add them to my bill.”

(To the unnamed angel who helped us: I was able to keep our lights on due to your kindness. It was only $25, but that made the difference in having heat and no dinner, or dinner and no heat. You, sir, restored my faith in humanity.)