My dad told me this story about his grandmother, who lived to be over 100. I got to meet her, and so did several other great-grandchildren. She raised eleven kids — her husband died much younger and she never remarried — who all had kids when they grew up. Since none of her siblings had kids, Dad and his dozens of cousins joked she was making up for them.

Dad would do her grocery shopping once a week. One week, when he came to get her shopping list, she looked very concerned about something.

Dad: “Grandma, what’s wrong? You look so worried.”

Grandma: “I think I’m losing my mind.”

Dad: “You’ve always seemed sharp when we talk. I haven’t noticed anything wrong. What makes you think that?”

Grandma: “This morning, I was sitting here trying to name all my grandchildren, and I can’t do it.”

Dad: “Grandma, you have more than fifty grandkids. No one knows all their names! Your memory is fine.”

That reassured her! She lived about another fifteen years after this conversation, and her memory stayed intact the whole time. She even hosted big family dinners every Sunday well into her nineties.

This story is part of our Feel Good roundup for November 2020!

Read the next Feel Good roundup story!

Read the Feel Good roundup for November 2020!

I am the customer waiting my turn behind an older woman being helped. The clerk is asking the woman to call and make sure the person has received what was sent. The older woman, however, is getting frustrated and doesn’t understand what is being asked of her.

She turns to me to commiserate and says:

Old Woman: “I can’t stand this newfangled technology!”

The technology in question? A fax.

I am visiting my grandmother and grandfather who live in an extremely nice assisted living community. We are “out to dinner” at the on-site restaurant, which is almost entirely staffed by wonderful high school students. A boy probably no older than fifteen is serving us.

Teenage Server: “And what can I get for you, ma’am?”

Grandmother: “Well, dear, I would like the shrimp with the—”

She suddenly stops speaking and releases the longest, loudest passing of gas I’ve ever heard. My uncle can barely contain his laughter, but the young server doesn’t even blink.

Grandmother: “Excuse me! As I was saying, the shrimp with the collard greens, dear.”

Teenager Server: “Absolutely, ma’am, that will be right out for you.”

The server walked away still without any trace of a snicker or embarrassment. Now that’s professionalism! Just goes to show that age and maturity are not always connected!

It’s Tuesday. I’m ordering in my department and an older woman approaches me.

Customer: “Excuse me. Do you work here?”

Me: “Yes! Can I help you?”

Customer: “I’m looking for glitter.”

Me: “Oh, sure! I can show you which aisle that’s in!”

The aisle with the glitter isn’t far from where I’m ordering, and our company policy is to show customers to the items they ask for most of the time, so I walk her to the aisle.

Me: “Glitter is right in this aisle!”

I gesture, and the customer thanks me profusely. I head back to where I was when she first approached me and continue my order. Another customer passes me and I greet her, and then the older lady from before catches my attention.

Customer: “Excuse me!”

Me: “Did you need some more help?”

Customer: “Yes! I’m legally blind, and I’ve lost my husband! He’s tall with white hair, and his name is [Husband].”

Me: “Well, I’ll see if I can find him! Otherwise, I could always page him for you.”

Customer: “Oh, page him! What a good idea! You’re wonderful!”

Me: “I’ll see if I find him, or I’ll have someone page him for you.”

I walk away to head to a phone, but I take a quick little detour through a couple of nearby aisles, just in case her husband is down one of them. As I round a corner, I see a man matching his description a few aisles down.

Me: “Are you looking for your wife? Are you [Husband]? She’s over this way!”

The husband smiles a little at me, looking relieved, and follows me to the aisle where I’ve left his wife browsing.

Me: “I found him! Didn’t even have to page him!”

Customer: “Oh, there you are! Look, I found these! She helped me!”

They both thanked me, and I smiled and assured them it was no problem and went back to my department. I saw the couple a few minutes later, holding hands. Part of me wishes I would have stayed with her a little longer and helped her find the colors she needed, but she seemed to have it handled when I left her the first time.

This story is part of our Feel Good roundup for October 2020!

Read the next Feel Good roundup story!

Read the Feel Good roundup for October 2020!

I am making a drink for a white-haired, little old lady customer. I am a twenty-two-year-old male barista. Though she is always nice enough, she is very chatty with baristas. Today, she has gotten a very particular drink.

Me: “Wow, you have got one heck of a drink today.”

Customer: “Well, you see, I got my free reward drink today, so I ordered my special one.”

Me: *Laughs* “I’ll make sure to give it its proper attention.”

Customer: “I am sure that you’ll make it just fine.”

After a bit more talking, I hand off her drink and she walks off.

Customer: “Oooh!”

The customer quickly walks back and leans over the counter, and I am prepared to remake the drink for some mistake.

Customer: “I just wanted you to know this drink is nearly orgasmic!”

I am taken aback and can think of nothing to say; I just laugh and stammer.

Customer: “But I shouldn’t say something like in public, now, should I?”

The customer then left as my wide-eyed coworker started laughing at me.