Pay It Forward

Our Mother was adamant about one thing.  Her daughters never left the house unprepared for an emergency, i.e., an unexpected trip in an ambulance, or a chance encounter with the Pope.

It is a rule that Ellen and I have never forgotten although some of her other admonitions may have gone astray throughout the years.

Consequently, when I heard this story, I knew it had nothing to do with the way my Sister looked.  She dresses for her supermarket trips exactly as my Mother taught her, freshly pressed clothes, hair coiffed, and makeup perfect, and of course, earrings.

However, Ellen, a Florida resident, now ensconced in the Pocono Mountains in order to escape the searing heat of summer, lives simply during the summer months, and her kitchen is not quite as well equipped as the one in her primary home.

When she went food shopping last week, she automatically filled her cart with more items than she really needed, especially the package of pork chops.

One of her favorite family recipes is a pork chop casserole. requiring several hours in the oven.  As she approached the checkout, she realized she really didn't want to heat up the cabin and changed her mind about the purchase.  She replaced the chops in the meat refrigerator.

Later standing on the checkout queue for a few minutes, the items were rung up, and she noticed an extra bag in her cart.  Opening it, she said to the cashier, "I didn't want these.  I put them back."

The young clerk replied, "Another customer bought them for you.  She told me she didn't want to see you do without food you apparently wanted."

Looking around, my Sister didn't see anyone behind in the line, and the store manager was unable to provide any additional information.

When she arrived home (with the pork chops) she phoned me and said, "Anne, I was well dressed.  Why would someone do this?"

I recently heard from Randi, my friend in VT, about the "Pay It Forward" philosophy.  I told Ellen I assumed the Good Samaritan merely saw someone return an item after apparently thinking about it, and decided it was a case of financial need or choice.  However, Ellen now has the problem of "Paying It Forward," and finding someone on her next trip to the supermarket who might like a large package of pork chops.  She may have to linger a bit at the meat counter to find an appropriate recipient, and this may be why she got the donation in the first place.

It is an interesting philosophy, even if it went a bit astray.  However, in a week where the I word has filled the airwaves, (immigration, impeachment, infanticide) it is rather nice to know that there is an undercurrent of Loving Your Neighbor still alive and well in our country.