she was in the checkout line just in front of me

something about her looked tired

like her shoes

world weary

her cart filled with simple things

beans, bread, eggs, milk, cans, pasta

and what looked to be a special treat

one small bright orange

maybe for someone little waiting at home

 when it was her turn

she paid

with what was left on her food card

 then tried a credit card

and still

didn’t have quite enough

 she looked back at me

with apologetic eyes

sorry for the trouble

 she fumbled in her purse

looked to see

what she could put back

not sure what to do

I heard the clerk tell her

that she needed

one dollar and seventy cents more

 my heart went out to her

not knowing her life

I said that I had that money

 I was happy to give it to the clerk

 she looked at me with shy eyes

nodded thank you

 carried her bags out

and I thought about

how that one small orange

would make such a difference

for someone special

  maybe

my small act

had made a difference

in her life too

 made it

a bit easier

just for a moment

and at that moment

I knew

there was absolutely

no finer way in the world

for me to have spent

just one dollar and seventy cents.

—

‘remember that the biggest thing you could do today is a small act of kindness.’

-cory booker