(Doing) Good

Grocery shopping at Target.  I should know better that to attempt such folly.  Fruit was on my list.  I wanted to get fresh fruit to add to oatmeal and greek yogurt - berries, maybe mango.  The blackberries at Target were apparently quite precious, coming in at close to five dollars a pound and the strawberries were nowhere near ripe.  I didn't find any mangos.  I filled my basket with my other necessities (ZipLoc bags, a loaf of whole wheat bread, razor blades) and checked out.  It's a gorgeous and sunny day in Houston.  I considered driving through Sonic for a rootbeer float.  Nah.  I'm not running and the lack of caloric expenditure is not good for my waistline.  Thus the quest for fresh fruit.

Kroger is a few blocks from Target.  I wanted to use the CoinStar machine and get an Amazon certificate so I decided to zip in, do that, and look for some fruit.  (I save my change from my purse in a bowl on my coffee table and cash it in every month or so.  CoinStar doesn't charge a surcharge if I get a gift certificate.  I have my eye on a tripod for my camera.)

As I entered Kroger, I was met by two grade-schoolers who immediately asked me if I wanted to donate money to the Houston Food Bank.  Well, let's see.  I was carrying around a sack of change, going into a grocery store on one of my two days off of the week from a job that pays me really well to do good work and stimulates me intellectually.  Yes.

I told them I'd stop on my way out.  I noticed that they glanced at each other.  I wondered how many times they'd heard people put them off today. 

I took care of my business in the store, stuck a few dollars in my pocket and stopped to talk to the little girls on my way out.  They had a hand-lettered sign that said, "Give $1 to the Houston Food Bank.  Root Beer Floats"

I handed my money to the girl with the big brown eyes and long dark hair.  "Look!  I've made the most money today!"  She squealed to her friend.

She turned to me and asked me if I wanted a rootbeer float.

How could I resist?

I was so impressed with the excitement and dedication of those girls today.  They both talked to me with interest and enthusiasm.  They were out doing GOOD. 

On the other hand...

I noticed that CoinStar charges a >10% fee if the customer changes those coins into bills.  Awful.  Really awful.  Opposite of Good.

©Michelle Scofield, January 12, 2014   All Rights Reserved