grocery store strangers

I generally don't go to the grocery store expecting to be reminded how good people are. I generally don't go to the grocery store expecting anything good to happen aside from acquiring food, because grocery shopping is of the devil. But I digress. 

On some days, though, mundane tasks like grocery shopping remind you of the goodness in the world. Like the guy on the phone confirming that brown rice was indeed on the grocery list, thus reminding me that I was also out of brown rice. You weren't trying to help me out, Brown Rice Guy, but kudos to you! Your unintentional kindness was rather helpful!

And then there's Lemon Juice Guy. He's the real hero of my little adventure to Smith's. In the midst of my shopping experience, I was on the phone with Jess and asked her if she happened to know where the lemon juice is in the grocery store. I'd looked in every place that makes sense to me—I have a thing or two to say to Smith's about their organizational techniques—but no luck. 

Then Lemon Juice Guy walked into my life. He'd overheard me talking to Jess and piped in, informing me of where the lemon juice is found. I thanked him profusely, and went on my merry way. 

But even with Lemon Juice Guy's directions, I still couldn't find it. Rather frustrated, I took to wandering the aisles aimlessly hoping that a neon sign pointing to the lemon juice would pop out unexpectedly. But this time wasn't completely wasted—it was at that point that I remembered a few other items I needed to buy, including the brown rice featured in the previous anecdote. 

I didn't get a neon sign, but I got the next best thing—Lemon Juice Guy appeared at my side holding both lemon and lime juice. 

"Were you able to find the lemon juice?" he asked.

I told him I hadn't, and he extended the spoils to me. "I wasn't sure if you only needed lemon," he said, indicating the lime juice.

"I actually needed both," I told him truthfully, astonished at his thoughtfulness. "Thank you so much!" 

And then he was gone. 

I know this is such a little thing, but it warmed my heart in ways that are hard to put into words. This twenty-something guy took the time out of his day to not only assist a complete stranger, but then carry out the task when she (me) was unable to do so. Who does that? Who follows up with a person they gave information to in the grocery store and picks up the items just in case their mission were unsuccessful? 

Humans do that. Humans do that, because they're good. 

And just so that I could try to be as good as Lemon Juice Guy (and to send some more good karma my way), I yielded for every pedestrian on the way home, even the ones who had barely entered the crosswalk and who I could justify not yielding for AND the ones who just cut across the street in a crosswalkless area. 

Thank you, Lemon Juice Guy, for being a good person and inspiring me to be better.