Kindness & Love at the Hardware Store

I wrote earlier about the etched silver locket I wear with Kitty's photo inside.  My daughters and two oldest granddaughters also have them.  I wear mine every time I leave the house.  Kitty is my personal guardian angel who protects me whenever I venture out into the world's craziness.

Often, I receive compliments on my pretty necklace and - every now and then - I get THE question.  If you also wear a locket, you know already what people ask:  'Who do you wear in your locket?" 

 I straight out tell them that it's my granddaughter and, sure enough, they just have to be curious and ask the follow-up: "May I ask?  What happened?  How did she die?"  Oh boy, are they in for it ...

I usually know what's coming next.  So, I pause, take a breath and give them the condensed version of my story.  Most of the time, they end up in tears.  Or they get a look on their face that says it all, 'Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut?  Now what do I say?'   

Except for that one time.

It was a weekend not long after Kitty died and I was at my daughter's house helping with spring clean-up projects.  We needed a bucket and other random supplies from the local hardware store and I was nominated to make the trip into town.  The store was quiet and just as I finished shopping and headed toward the register, the clerk asked if I found everything I needed. Yes, thank you, and the checkout process began.

Then she did it ...  She noticed the locket and asked the question.  After I told her it was Kitty and how she died, she didn't say anything.  Instead, she walked around the counter, wrapped her arms around me, told me how sorry she was and then proceeded to tell me that she heard the sirens that night and had prayed for our family. 

I never got her name and I most likely will never see her again, but I will always remember that trip to the local hardware store, where kindness and love was thrown in with the cleaning supplies.  And I didn't even need a coupon!