Why I Love Women
I love women…
The other day I found myself in the rare situation of being childless, husbandless, and in the unfamiliar territory of being pretty-much-caught-up-with-stuff… baring laundry, coming up with a new kid craft, cleaning out my car…
And in my possession: a $25 gift card to a new favorite store of mine…
So what to do? Why, go shopping of course!
I embarked on my shopping journey and found 2 pairs of summer crop pants, and $25 off- perfect! I was leaving the store, when out of the corner of my left eye- a red sign caught my attention… 25% Off.
And it was in front of another favorite store of mine… I timidly walked over to check it out, and then hesitantly, walked into the store. I’d already dared to spend money on myself, let alone the time I’d spent ‘frivolously’, instead of cleaning, washing, cooking, or setting up playdates, don’t push it, I thought…
And then an older woman approached me, “Do you have the 20% card?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Here you go, it’s good only for today.” And she handed me the card.
“Thanks, but I thought it’s 25% off today.”
“That’s just clearance, this is additionally 20% off everything.” She made sure I had the card in my hand and briskly left with a smile on her face and bags of purchases on her arm…
Cool! I looked around and of course, I didn’t find anything on the clearance racks I wanted… or needed.
But I did find a great REGULARLY priced pair of summer
pants… and now I had the 20% off card-
So I bought them.
Sometimes shopping and sales can bring out the worst in people, in women. Bridal sales and holiday shopping can bring about a migraine.
But on this day, it brought out the best. As women were milling around the racks of clothes, people were making sure their fellow shoppers had the 20% off card, that some had gotten in the mail.
It was just us women, in this together, helping each other get a discount!
I was leaving the store when out of the corner of my left
eye again- I saw a woman pause by the red 25% off sign and maybe, a bit
longingly, look in- like a young fawn about to enter a meadow or clearing…
I was about to go on with the rest of my day, and abruptly stopped myself,
“Do you have the 20% off card?” I asked her.
“No…”
I reached in my purse and placed it firmly in her hand, “It’s good only through today.”
She looked at me and started to smile, her eyes curled up in her grin,
And we had a moment, a little shopping moment, but still- an unadulterated, female-helping-female moment,
“Thank You!” She beamed.
“No problem!” I watched her go into the store, and thought, ‘Go forth, and prosper…’ Again, a moment, albeit a little one, but still- a moment.
And I turned and made my way back to my car, with a spring in my step and a song in my heart.
I had succeeded in discount shopping- and I passed on the discount-love to another woman.
I didn’t know her name or anything about her. And yet, I somehow knew she would do the same...
And that’s why I love women.
You can also find Nicole concentrating on 'the good stuff' over at BananaBlueberry.
