I Did a Nice Thing Before Christmas

I hesitate to admit this, because I treasure my reputation as an unsentimental hard-ass, but I committed an unrequested, unrequited Act of Kindness and Senseless Beauty a few days before Christmas.

It made me feel good, too. Dammit.

I was in line at the checkout at a big discount store. I had about a dozen items, and there were two people ahead of me. I was shopping on my lunch hour, but I wasn't late - even with a delay, I'd get back to work on time.

Another cart pulled in behind me. I heard a woman say, "Please, just be quiet and still for a few minutes until Mommy gets through the checkout, then we'll go home."

Maybe it was the tired desperation in the woman's voice; maybe it was my terror of being trapped in an enclosed space with a toddler, but I turned to look.

Yep, there was a small boy, maybe three or four, in the cart with just a few items, pushed by a woman who looked at the end of her rope.

I pulled my cart back and to the side, and waved her ahead of me.  She said, "Are you sure?" I nodded yes, thinking it unnecessary to explain how much I hate children and that the sooner the little monster left the area the happier I'd be.

"You have no idea how much I appreciate this," she said.

And you have no idea how much I appreciate you getting your yard ape away from me.

This is a confession, not a plea to be emulated.  I mean really, if everybody did that, where would the cynics among us be?