“Thank you for everything.”
And just like that, all the years of distance and heartache melted away. 3. I Was Kicked Out of a Luxury Store, but a Kind Cop Brought Me Back Later
“Grandma, I don’t care about prom!” my granddaughter, Anne, said through the phone, trying to sound indifferent.
I knew her well, though. She was embarrassed because we didn’t have enough money to buy a dress. My daughter, Lisa, and I scraped by on our limited incomes, and Anne didn’t want to ask for help.
But I wasn’t about to let her miss out on such an important moment. “Are you sure, sweetie? Prom can change your life!
Your grandfather asked me to his out of the blue, and we were married months later,” I told her, hoping she’d reconsider. “Grandma, it’s fine. I don’t even have a date,” she replied and soon hung up.
After that call, I decided I wouldn’t let her stay at home. I had been saving a little bit of my pension every month for my funeral costs, but this was more important. Anne deserved a beautiful dress for her prom, so I decided to buy one for her.
I went to a fancy boutique at the mall the next day. I was admiring one of the dresses when a saleswoman approached me. “Can I help you… uh, ma’am?” she asked, looking me up and down with disdain.
“I’m looking for a dress for my granddaughter’s prom,” I said with a smile. “Well, these dresses are quite expensive. Perhaps you’d be better off shopping at Target,” she suggested, crossing her arms.
I understood what she was trying to imply. She didn’t think I belonged there because of how I looked. “I know they’re expensive.
I’m just going to browse around, okay?” I responded, trying to remain calm. The saleswoman followed me around the store, throwing more insults. “Hey, you!
You can really get it at Target in your price range. This is simply too much!” the saleswoman insisted. “By the way, we have cameras everywhere.
You won’t be able to stash anything in that ugly old bag of yours!”
I wasn’t expecting that. I felt so hurt and ashamed, so I hurried out of the store. I couldn’t hold back my tears and started crying standing outside the store.
Suddenly, a kind voice interrupted me. “Ma’am, are you alright?” A young police officer named George asked. His face darkened after I explained what had happened.
“That’s unacceptable! Let’s go back in and get you that dress,” he said firmly, taking my hand and leading me back to the boutique. The moment we walked in, the saleswoman saw us and changed her attitude instantly.
“Oh, officer, how can I help you?” she asked sweetly. “We’re here to buy a dress, and we’re not leaving without one,” George replied. As I picked out a beautiful dress for Anne, I heard George complain to the manager.
I felt a bit terrible when I saw the saleswoman being scolded. But that day, I realized it’s people like George who make this world a better place. I could’ve never bought a dress for Anne if it wasn’t for his kindness.
