Positively Silent

Daily writing prompt

Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.

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I’m not sure if this counts as random, but when I worked as a cashier in retail, I met a woman shopping last minute. With a little over a year of experience under my belt, I knew it was common for customers to sneak in shortly before closing. However, I wasn’t expecting the line of children filing after her. As the kids shouted and screamed excitedly, I listened to my supervisor groan into the radio and lament our luck. 

Chuckling, I turned down the radio and welcomed the woman into the store before I returned to cleaning. Several minutes later, she approached my register, kids in tow, and handed her items over the counter. I glanced at the woman between bagging items while trying to make conversation.

She looked as tired as she sounded. Digging through her purse for payment, two young boys tugged on her shirt, vying for her attention. Frustration creased her brow as her digging became more frantic. 

Finally, I turned to the boys and asked softly but firmly, “Mommy’s trying to check out. We need to ‘shhh’ for a little bit.” I placed a finger beside my lips to encourage silence. “Who thinks they can do it longer?” For five minutes, the kids and I played the quiet game until she was finished. When the customer was done, she looked up, met my eyes, and mouthed, “Thank you.”

I love kids, but I’ve always struggled with handling them. This moment brightened my night and showed me that I could handle some situations properly if I tried.