Good Samaritan

My dad came over for dinner tonight. It was kind of strange to be a real adult and have my dad over and cook dinner for him because my mom is out of town. But I think I handled being a real adult semi-decently. At least I thought it was a fun night.

I think it's time for my modern day Good Samaritan story. So I was planning on getting some groceries on my way home from work yesterday. Not just a few, but one of those major grocery shopping trips. You know, after 8 months of living in Utah, I felt like I really got the hang of grocery shopping there. I knew what good prices were for different items and I knew which stores to get everything at. But now that we are in Iowa it's a whole new ball game. Good prices here aren't the same as good prices in Utah. And besides Walmart, all the grocery stores are different. Anywho, my mom has always done some of her shopping at a place called Aldi (although in our family it as always been called Aldis...not exactly sure why, but none of us can stop...except dad) and convinced me I needed to do the same. Although she failed to mention some very important details about Aldi which will become apparent in a moment.

Aldi is a very unique grocery store. For many reasons. For instance, you have to pay a quarter to get a cart (you get the quarter back if you put the cart back, it really does keep the parking lot clear of carts), you either have to bring your own grocery sacks or buy some from them, and last, and most importantly, they don't take credit. It's cash or debit, my friend.

My trip to Aldi did not get off to a good start. I couldn't figure out how the darn carts were locked together, so I put my quarter, my ONLY quarter, in the slot that unlocked the second cart in!!! There was no way to get that cart out so I was about to call it quits and just get all my groceries at Walmart (looking back, I should have done just that). But then came my hero around the corner, some stranger looking to get himself a cart. So I asked him if he wouldn't mind buying the cart that was blocking mine, since I put my quarter in the wrong slot. He kindly obliged. Thank you sir. I then proceeded to leisurely peruse the aisles of Aldi, finding many wonderful deals and feeling quite successful. Until I got to the check out. I already had all of my steals placed on the conveyor belt when I heard the lady two in front of me say, "you mean you don't take credit?" dun, dun, dun. Crap. I had a whopping three dollars cash on me and I never use my debit because I always forget the pin!! I tried to calm myself down and think clearly. I knew my pin was in my brain somewhere, I just had to find it in the next three and a half minutes. So I texted Brennan, and I racked my brain. Nothing. So the cashier rang me up. And I tried my debit card. Declined. Twice. I was about to try it a third time, but she told me it would be my last try and I would be locked from using my card for 24 hours. So she let me think about it for a few minutes while she helped a few customers behind me. I was already humiliated, I just wanted to leave. ASAP. But the cashier was ultra Mrs. Helpful. She got me a phone book, and insisted that I look up the nearest branch of the bank I bank with. I didn't even know how I could get cash from a bank at that point! It's not like I could use an ATM without a pin! So as I'm hemming and hawing my way out of going to a bank and trying to decide if I should just leave my groceries sitting there in the cart or if I should put them away, my knight in shining armor, my good samaritan, my hero #2 comes to the cash register to purchase his groceries. Upon hearing about my plight, he asks if I have my checkbook on me so I can write him a check and he will pay for my groceries. I do not. (I wasn't a Boy Scout, being prepared is obviously not my motto.) After thinking about it for a moment, he says "tell you what, I'll pay for your groceries and give you my address, and you can mail me a check." All I manage to get out is a pathetic "really??". I mean not even a courteous "oh, that's not necessary" or "you don't have to do that" or "no, I couldn't possibly let you do that". Just, "really??". Apparently, I look trustworthy. That's what he said anyway. So Al paid for my groceries, wrote his address on the back of my receipt, and was gone. Wow. He is a better man that me. (well, I'm not a man at all, but you know what I mean.) I am sorry to say that I never would have done that. I mean there was a good chance he wouldn't get that 30 dollars back. But I bet he felt pretty good after he did that. I'm sure he could see the relief in my eyes, just to have a way out of the whole embarrassing situation. He was a complete stranger. I don't suppose I will ever see him again. There was no reason for him to do that. But he did. That's pretty awesome if you ask me. Maybe (hopefully), I'll think twice if I'm ever on his side of a similar situation. Because I was sure grateful. And it made me happy. I was smiling and laughing the rest of the day just because I got to witness someone doing a good thing. A real good thing.

So Al, if you're out there. Thank you. You are an inspiration.

And yes, I got his check in the mail. Came home and wrote him out a nice Thank You note right away. Wouldn't want to accidentally forget. Haha, wouldn't that be awful?