I work in a food service store. It’s much like a grocery store, but we focus on serving restaurants, caterers, or those planning big events — bulk food. Every so often, I am asked to help someone load their vehicle, either because they have large volumes or, in the case of this story, the customer is just not strong enough to load three fifty-pound sacks of flour into their SUV.
Two sweet elderly ladies had me help load their SUV, and I had a genuinely nice time chatting with them as I did so. But as I closed their doors and thanked them for shopping, I felt my hand get grabbed.
This sweet woman suddenly had the vocal intonation of Senator Palpatine as she hissed:
Woman #1: “Take it. Shut up. Shut up and take it.”
Then, she released her grasp, leaving me with a $5 bill in my hand.
Suddenly, sweet as candy, she thanked me for helping and got into her car. I was amused, and I began gathering a couple of carts to take back into the store. Then, the same SUV stopped beside me as they made their way out of the lot.
The second lady rolled down her window and produced her hand as if to shake mine. I obliged, and as I was expecting another thank you, I got:
Woman #2: “I just want to thank you for— don’t say a d*** word and just take it — and have a nice day!”
This lady also spoke with the snap change to Sith Lord mid-sentence before she pulled away, leaving a second $5 bill in my hand.
I’ve rarely received tips — no, not tips, monetary gifts — at work. And talking with my coworkers, I am the only one to have gotten a drive-by donation that we know of.