The kindness of strangers

Today Grace and I went to Wal-Mart.  While we were there, Grace managed to have a huge meltdown.  She kept screaming an ugly four-lettered word at the top of her lungs over and over.  I was horribly embarrassed and frustrated. I wanted to beat my child in public, regardless of where we were or who was watching.  I refrained, though.  My child, however, did not.  She screamed like a banshee all over the store and kept yelling this four lettered word that grated upon my last surviving nerve....  "MINE!  MINE!  MINE!" Regardless of what I said or did, Grace continued to act like a heathen.  I was forced to cut our excursion rather short and told her that she could scream as loud as she wanted but she most certainly was not getting any candy or toys or anything else she thought was "hers."  After a few minutes that seemed like hours, she finally calmed down.  We arrived at the register and she saw this

By this time, Grace had finally figured out that screaming wasn't going to work.  So she changed her modus operandi.  She turned into a sweet angelic child.  With crocodile tears slowly rolling down her face, she meekly says "Fishies, Momma.  I want fishies.  Peas!"  I simply replied with a resounding, "No."  She continued to plead with me in a very soft voice "Peas, Momma.  I want fishies.  Peas."  She was the picture of complete innocence. 

And a kind lady standing in line behind me, who did not see Grace play the part of a terror by the way, picked up a box of the goldfish crackers and asked me if she could purchase some for Grace.  It took me completely by surprise.  I thanked her but told her that Grace had thrown a utter fit in the store and I had already explained to Grace that she couldn't have any because of her actions.  The lady smiled and said she understood.  We left Wal-Mart and headed home, but that lady's small act of generosity has stayed with me.  Thanks to one lady whom I will never know, one uncomplicated and innocent act of good will brightened up what seemed to be a bleak and stressful outing and left me with a smile.