In order so that I might not forget, he reiterated, “Lamont, you know, like Sanford and Son”.
In my usual early morning scurry, I turned my key to lock they front door as I left for work this past Wednesday morning. Imagine my surprise when I went to pull my key out of the lock, and noticed that it had broken in half—inside the deadbolt! Pinching at it precisely with my thumb and index finger, I grabbed at the broken piece of the key that was stuck inside the lock and successfully removed it from the keyhole. God forbid I leave it in the keyhole and some burglar see it and help himself to a home full of “stuff”.
Running late for work, again! . . . Ugh! It’s ALWAYS something! ~ Oh, well. On my trek to work I went.
Later that evening I stopped off at my friendly neighborhood Home Depot to grab a quick replacement key. As is customary in the life of Gracie, I grabbed a cart. You know—just in case! One never knows what one might need! (or want.)
Up and down the aisles I went, searching through bin upon bin upon bin of miscellaneous hardware items, closet organizers, paints, faux kitchens—well, you get the gist. I made my way to the lighting section and searched through beautiful lamps and other light fixtures. Wow~I want that one! I want that one, too! Ooo, how much does this one cost? Oh, a little too much . . . more than what I’d be willing to pay, or budget for.
“Excuse me,” I asked a clerk I just so happened to see at the end of the aisle in the paint department, “where do I get a key made?”
I held up my two broken pieces of key, as she replied, “Oh, that’s all the way down in Aisle 10, front of the store.”
I approached the key maker man, and as he was making my new key, I found myself sifting through a bin full of beautiful lanyards.
No, I really don’t neeeeed one, but they are “oh, so pretty!” There was a pink one with hearts, but too girly for me, I thought. There was a black one with little pink breast cancer ribbons and a little metal heart attached to it that read “HOPE”.
Dare I get the black one? I shudder as I think, “no, don’t . . . it might be an ‘omen’”. Hmm. So many decisions!
“Here’s your key, Miss. Can I get you anything else?” . . . “Umm, yes, do you know if you sell Armor All Wipes here? I know this is ‘home’ depot, but I just thought you might carry them.”
I hadn’t seen them in my earlier store exploration, but I really wanted them for my new car.
The store clerk said it was no problem for him to walk on down to see if he couldn’t find them for me since I hadn’t spotted them while perusing the aisle for my cleaning supplies. My cleaning lady was due to come clean that upcoming Saturday morning, and it’s a great thing that I remembered she had asked me for utility towels and Scrubbing Bubbles! (Thank goodness I grabbed myself a cart! ~ you see how that works!)
I waited for the clerk, and continued to sift through the bin full of lanyards. Ah, yes. I will take the black one with the pink breast cancer ribbons and the metal heart that reads HOPE for me, the pink one with hearts for my grandniece, Lexi, and the pretty purple paisley one for my niece, Jessie.
Ever since I’d purchased my new vehicle, I’ve been able to visit Jessie and Lexi, as it’s only a three-hour drive from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando. I don’t like to show up at their home empty-handed, and so I take with me little trinket-gifts with which to bless them. Hey, any little thing can touch the heart! Oh, speaking of heart . . . let’s get back to Lamont.
I quickly grabbed the three lanyards, threw them into my cart, and made my way towards Aisle 1, to see if I couldn’t help speed things up a bit. Perhaps the sales clerk had gotten interrupted and forgotten all about my waiting back by the key station for him.
As I made my way towards the helpful cashier, I ran into Lamont once again.
He approached me with a humble heartfelt, almost embarrassed smile. He said, “Miss, if it’s okay, I will take you up on that offer if that’s still okay with you?”
“Of course! It would be my pleasure. I’m just waiting on the clerk here so I can go to the cash register to check out.” I replied.
Earlier in my tour around the store, Lamont had approached me with his palms full of loose change. He told me he needed 86 cents with which to make his purchase of the one and only item he needed and for which he came to Home Depot.
I quickly let him know that I would be more than happy to assist, but that I never carry any cash, so I would make the purchase for him on my card.
He felt that it might be best for him to take a quick run around the store to see if he wouldn’t be able to find someone with a dollar, or the exact change with which to make his purchase.
I told him that if he wasn’t able to find someone to give him the money he needed, to find me, and I’d make the purchase for him.
That’s when he told me his name was Lamont.
In order so that I might not forget, he reiterated, “Lamont, you know, like Sanford and Son”.
This second time when I ran into Lamont, he shared with me that it was wire he needed for his weed whacker. He restated that he’d only needed 86 cents, since that was all he was short.
I let him know that I was waiting on the cashier, but would be more than happy to help him.
Off we went towards the cash registers, no Armor All wipes here!
As we walked he shared his story.
“You see, ma’am, I am here for work, but they laid us all off. I just spoke with my mother last night, but I couldn’t tell her that I was out of work. They were so proud of me when I got the transfer to Fort Lauderdale to work with the news station, and I just don’t have it in me to break the news to her. I’ve been out of work now for 13 weeks, and I just find little odd jobs here and there to bring me an income. That’s why I need this piece, for the Weed Whacker.
If I don’t get this, then I won’t be able to do that lawn job I was given. I’d hate to lose that opportunity. I need all the money I can get just so I can live and feed myself day-to-day.”
The tears streamed down his face as he spoke, and my eyes and heart were welling up with tears, too.
We were next in line now, and I first made my purchase, and then a separate one for Lamont.
Good Lord! I didn’t know that it would cost $26, but I cheerfully and willingly offered to purchase the item for him–and purchase it, I did!
Now that I knew his back-story, he could now save what monies he did have for food, if that’s what he so chose to spend it on.
He cried, and couldn’t thank me enough. I cried, too.
We bid our farewell as I walked off with my cart, and as I made my trek across the parking lot to my car, I couldn’t help but turn to see where he’d gone. Surely, he’d be walking out of the store by now. Had I missed him? I scoured the parking lot with my eyes, and there was no sight of Lamont.
I sat in my car after unloading and then walking my cart back to the cart corral.
Hmm, I wonder where he went . . .
I’ll never know what happened to Lamont, but I do know this . . . one act of kindness can touch a heart like nothing else.
It not only makes the person on the receiving end melt like butter on a hot summer day, but it also brings a smile to one’s heart when extending a helping hand to another fellow human being.
When you are out-and-about running your busy-self around, take some time to see if there’s not someone whom you can help with what to you seems teeeeeeny weeeeeny, but to someone else might be GIGANTIC and insurmountable a challenge.
Psalm 37:21 ~the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
Proverbs 19:17 ~ He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
Proverbs 28:27 ~ He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.
Matthew 25:34-46 ~ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Luke 6:38 ~Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
2 Corinthians 9:7 ~ Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, [so let him give]; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Hebrews 13:2 ~ Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
1 John 3:17 ~ But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
Author: Gracie Creswell
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