The Man at the Market

When the supermarket clerk tallied up my groceries, I was $12 over what I had on me.

I began to remove items from the bags, when another shopper handed me a $20 bill. “Please don’t put yourself out,” I told him. “Let me tell you a story,” he said. “My mother is in the hospital with cancer. I visit her every day and bring her flowers.

I went this morning, and she got mad at me for spending my money on more flowers.

She demanded that I do something else with that money.

So, here, please accept this. It is my mother’s flowers.”