offers

Yesterday afternoon in Walmart, on my way to the stationary aisle in search of Morning Pages notebooks, a very short, older woman stopped me and asked me if the card she was holding was a right one for an anniversary. I stopped, and read the card through, out loud, coming to “Congratulations on your wedding.” “I don’t read English,” she said, “and it’s my husband’s and my 55th anniversary today.”

I put the card back, scanned for “Anniversary” and found one under “Husband.” I read the card to her and some of the way through she put her hand over her heart and her eyes grew big, a “Yes, this is the one” look so clear. I reached for the envelope, gave it to her, and congratulated her on their anniversary. “Fifty-five years,” I said. “Congratulations.” It was a strikingly emotional moment.

A minute later, me in stationary, the very short, older woman came up to me and asked my name. “Buddy,” I said. She said she was going to include me in her rosary. Being in an anniversary/couple space, I asked would she include Buddy and Ann in her rosary, and she said she would.

And then I went looking for brocoli and avocados.

Offers.