Random act of kindness

Last night I went to the store with just the 5-yr-old. I had a list. But I had left something off. I went blithely through the store, picking up everything, all the while listening to the incessant chatter of my son. His favorite thing to do was yell, "Ooo, oo!" like one of those kids in elementary school who sticks his hand way up in the air and waves it frantically. He did this every time he saw something he wanted, which was approximately every 9.4 seconds.

Finally, we got through the store, paid, and went out to the car. I opened the back, and that's when I saw the roll of paper towels we keep there for checking oil, wiping up vomit, etc. "Paper towels!" I said, smacking myself in the head. "I forgot paper towels!" I started loading things into the car. "I guess I'll put all this stuff into the van and then we'll go back inside for paper towels, 'cause we're completely out."

My son said, "You're going to put me in the car and go back in without me?" a look of horror on his face.

"No, silly, I'm just putting this stuff in the car, and then we'll both go back in." I turned to grab the next bag and saw a man coming towards us across the parking lot. In his hand were two rolls of paper towels.

"I couldn't help overhearing your conversation," he said (oops, was I griping that loud?), "and I happened to have these in my truck." He held the rolls out to me. "I have kids," he said. "I understand not wanting to go back in the store!"

I took the rolls and thanked him profusely, and we were on our way home. Now that's the kind of thing that really restores your faith in humanity.