~SHOES~

After High School, my daughter worked in the local Pharmacy. She was a very good tech but dealing with people, at times, turned out to be quite challenging.

There was one particular man who was, in her words, the biggest grouch in the world! He was a regular customer, so, she had to deal with him often. Oh, how she dreaded it when he stepped up to the counter. He was always complaining and never had anything nice to say.

One day, she came home from work in tears, saying she was going to quit her job. Mr. Grump was in and was exceptionally nasty. "That's it! I've had it!" She sobbed. I calmed her down and said he must be sick or in a lot of pain, to have to take so much medicine. I suggested she try to find something nice to say to him. How hard could that be?

The next day, he came in early to pick up prescriptions. He was in true form. " I had better not have to wait," he grumbled loudly. She smiled and said, "good morning sir," and was trying hard to think of something nice to add. She just couldn't think of a thing. She glanced down and noticed his Niki shoes. "I love your shoes! I have a pair just like them," she blurted out. He seemed a little surprised and pleased and said he had just gotten them. They chatted about Niki shoes, running and how she loved being on the High School track team.

After that day, when he came into the Pharmacy, he always asked for her to help him and he

often stopped by just to say hello.

She and I learned a great deal from her experience with this man. It had a lot to do with the "turn the other cheek" thing. Oh, I did ask her if her shoes were really like his. She shook her head and replied, " not even close Mom, not even close."