Helping Is Its Own Reward – But Cake Doesn’t Hurt

I am 62 years old. This happened when I was 5 and I remember it like it was yesterday.

My mom and I are in the checkout line at a grocery store. I had asked my mom earlier if I could have some snack cakes. She told me no as she only had so much money for the groceries.

This older, rather grumpy-looking man has an armful of snack cakes in his hands along with a walking cane. He has such a scowl on his face that I find him a bit scary.

He is juggling the snack cakes and his cane while trying to get his wallet out of his pocket. The inevitable happens and he drops the snack cakes and his cane. Thankfully, he does not fall, but he does wobble a bit. I am the closest to him so I am able to steady him until my mom can hand him his cane. While she sees to him, I pick up the snack cakes and hold them for him until he can get to the register.

As we were leaving, he thanked us for our help. With tears in his eyes, he told my mom that she was doing a fine job of “raising her (me) right” and, with her permission, he would love to give me one of the snack cakes. My mom looked at me with pride and said yes. I ate one of the snack cakes and gave the other to my sister. That was the best tasting snack cake I ever had. I have often thought of that old man many time over the years. Even now, it still brings a tear to my eyes.