1/ Yesterday I went shopping in #yeg for a modest set of adjustable dumbbells. I was checking second hand stores, pawn shops.

No luck - but then I spotted a liquidation store that advertised itself as having sporting goods.

They had what I was looking for at a reasonable price.
2/ There was another customer looking for the same thing. The sales clerk came over, chatted us up, offered a further discount if we both bought.

It wasn't the perfect model, but fine for home exercise during COVID-19 restrictions.

While the other customer and I were talking
3/ it over, a woman came in to the shop. She was a senior, struggling a bit with a walker in the rain. She was there to pawn something.

Our clerk explained to her that this was no longer a pawn shop. Then he asked if he could do anything else for her.

She hardly looked at him.
4/ She turned around, muttering "not unless I can get some money" and headed for the door.

Our chipper young sales clerk - a wiry small energetic man - moved toward her. It looked like he was going to help her with the door.

But as he moved, his had went into his pocket and
5/ brought out a $20 bill. He quietly pressed it into her hand.

She looked shocked. "I'll pay you back," she said. "When I get some money, I'll be back."

"No need," he said. Then helped her out and went back behind the counter.

A simple act of kindness to someone in distress.
6/ Part of what many of us miss during our pandemic is seeing these small moments of grace in our community - because we are out less. I don't even carry cash because I use debit for my groceries and I don't really go anywhere else - the coffee shops where I usually use cash.
7/ Now, I don't know if this generosity on the part of the clerk is his usual behaviour, or if he is observing Ramadan and is particularly aware of being charitable, but he took a moment to be respectful and kind to someone who needed it.

When we are all stressed, the small
7/ gestures are magnified.

Yes, I bought the dumbbells. I didn't know what I needed more was to see that moment.

And now the dumbbells will remind me to exercise generosity.

#NotAngryAB #yegartist #yegdt
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