This morning, I was groggy behind the register when a customer walked in, exuding nervous energy. He hurried to the candy counter, grabbing a mint chocolate bar—an unusual choice for such an early hour.
He asked me to break a $100 bill, and my heart sank. “I don’t have anything smaller. I just really need this,” he admitted, revealing that his cards were maxed out. “It’s for my wife. She’s pregnant, and her cravings are crazy.”
Instead of sending him away, I said, “You take it. You can come back and pay me later.” The relief on his face was priceless as he rushed out with the candy.
He returned later, calmer, and handed me the money along with two handmade knitted duck keychains from his wife, Sarah. “She wanted you to have this,” he said. I offered my number, inviting him and Sarah to connect with my family. As he left, I tucked the little ducks into my pocket, feeling a meaningful connection had been made.
