Scene: J and I are in an aisle at Home Depot, comparing sandpaper. A white-haired older man, a Home Depot employee donned in an orange apron with the name "Ernie" scribbled in black marker above the pocket, approaches us.
Ernie: Well hello! Is there anything that I can help you with?
Me: We (I mean, he) has an upcoming pinewood derby race and we need some items to finish designing the car.
Ernie: Oh, really! I JUST helped my grandson with that. Do you know that he came in second place? I can really teach you some tricks that will help you win.
Me: Well, I wrote down a list of things that I think we need. **Reading from list** Sandpaper, primer, paint, and weights. Will this sandpaper do the trick? All we're trying to do is round out the edges.
Ernie: Yes, it will. We'll grab that and now, follow me. **he motions with his finger**
**Ernie walks us to the front counter and points at a tube of graphite lubricant.**
Ernie: You see, you want to put this on your axles so that it reduces the friction between the wheels and the axles. **He looks at J** This will help you to go really fast!
Me: OK, great!
Ernie: Now, let's go look at some paint.
**Ernie walks us to the paint aisles and asks the lady behind the paint counter about spray-on primer. She points us to the containers that have paint and primer combined.**
Ernie: What color do you want it?
J: Red.
Ernie: About as red as your jacket?
J: Yes!
Ernie: **directed towards the lady behind the paint counter** Can you get us a red about the same color as this young man's jacket?
**She disappears**
Ernie: Do you have brushes at home?
Me: Not any good ones.
**Paint counter lady reappears with the paint.**
Ernie: Can you pick us up a brush too?
**Paint counter lady (PCL) leaves again and then comes back with some brushes.**
Ernie: **looking at the items and the paint lady** Good. Now how much is all of this?
PCL: I know that this **pointing at the paint** is $2.69. I'm not sure about everything else off-hand. I can check.
Ernie: **taking off his Home Depot apron** That's ok. I will see. **he taps me** Please be patient.
**Ernie walks away with my items. I smile b/c I was so happy that he was helping me. Ernie then returns with everything paid for in a Home Depot bag.**
Ernie: **pats me on the back** Merry Christmas.
**Ernie hands me the bag and then disappears between the aisles. I thank him as he walks away.**
I woke up yesterday feeling so heavy. Reality had set-in overnight, and although I plan to fight the decision, I was disappointed in myself. All I really wanted to do was stay in bed, but I had a tight schedule and taking a moment to feel down was not an excuse to NOT handle other business.
A couple of posts ago, I mentioned having a 5-year plan. Well, at the end of those 5 years, I hoped to be back home closer to my family. In my mind, passing this test was going to help me get back there sooner, b/c having those extra initials would automatically make me more marketable...even in the toughest of markets. So I wanted to get it knocked out as soon as possible. The next one is being offered in October, but for some reason, that's not good enough for me.
Anyway, it's amazing how someone's act of kindness can not only motivate you to keep going but can also motivate you to be a better person. I will definitely pay it forward.
Thanks, Ernie.
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7 comments:
Wow, there aren't very many people that would have done that these days it seems. We never know how our kindness will effect someone.
As far as your test, I see that you are very disappointed but we never know what is in God's plan.
That was very nice of him. Heck you should have told him to spread out a table and help J right then and there with the car. LOL~ Last year I magically forgot the date of his pine wood derby race and he never brought it up.. I can't speak to you going home sooner than later, but maybe it's not in God's plan for you to be there. It seems as if you keep trying to get there and he keeps providing above and beyond what you need where you are. Have you ever asked yourself why he placed you there anyway?
@ This One Woman - You're right.
@ S23 - I asked myself that not too much longer after I moved here. The answer that I got was that I needed to be challenged here and I grew more spiritually in the small time frame that I've been here than all my years back home. But right now, I feel so far removed from where I used to be spiritually. Maybe it's not the right time for me to go back home, but I pray that that's a dream deferred, not denied.
One thing I have learned (and seem to be living now more than ever) is that,...when you are a child of God and acknowledge him in your life, things really do align themselves for the greater good. Even when it doesn't look like it, it does.
Go Ernie!
Be patient. Just be patient.
Now THAT'S Customer Service!
You're going back home. And it will be at the right time. Really.
And sign up for that test again, man.
That was sweet.
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