Worst Fears – One of.
I have some lights in the living room that require a 12′ ladder to change so I haven’t gotten to them in awhile. Today I sat down on the couch for a minute and my wife said “gee it would be nice to have some light in this room again.” Point made Point taken. I got out the ladder cleaned it off and went up to pull the bulbs out to find out what size I needed. It was a 65w 120 volt flood light. So off to Wal-Mart.
I get there an I’m looking in the lighting isle for the right bulb. Turns out there are 2 size indoor flood light and as far as I know there isn’t any indicator about which one you need. So I’m standing there in the isle trying to decide which is probably the right size and all of the sudden I notice a little girl probably about 10 or 11 and she is crying. Her Dad is there kneeling down next to her and trying to comfort her. I wasn’t intentionally listening in and I wish I hadn’t overheard the conversation.
Girl – she sobbing “but we don’t have money and can’t afford muffle muffle muffle.”
Dad – you don’t worry about that it’s Christmas.
Girl – but you we don’t have money
Dad – You don’t worry about that. That’s my job you let me worry about that. Okay. It’s Christmas.
The girl calms down and the Dad gets her to start walking with him.
Dad – Besides Santa has all the money he needs to buy gifts.
I was floored. I know I witnessed my worst fear happening. The poor guy obviously had lost his job and is probably terrified about how he’s going to keep his family in the house and keep them safe and protected. And here his little girl probably has just been watching and hearing conversations at home and has finally put two and two together and wants to make sure that her family will be okay. But the Dad rightly doesn’t want his child, his little girl to feel this burden so he has to hold it together make her feel better and still be scared to death about what will happen Monday, knowing that he has to make it at least another 2 weeks before companies start to think about rehiring. I admire the man for keeping it together. When I got out of the store I completely lost it.
