Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Chivalry is not dead, but it's in critical condition
Our final hour of business on Friday night is usually pretty slow. So D-ball and J were in the back doing some closing work and I was left out front alone. I see a gentleman approaching the counter with a small boy. I noticed right away he seemed to be lurching and clutching his side. I immediately wonder if this may be another member of my Quasimodo-filled fan club. He stops at the counter and gasps loudly and desperately for air before panting-ly asking to withdraw $75 as he slides his ID across the counter. I immediately start filling out a counter check for him, and ask cautiously, "Are you OK?" "Yes," he gasped. He was gasping so loudly that I could barely make out his explanation, "somethingsomething, wheeze, gasp, something, but you do NOT disrespect a woman that way, somethingsomething, had to step in. Wheeze somethingsomething gasp wheeze, three of them something something. Believe it or not somethingsomething they're worse off than I am." He went on to say he could feel at least one rib moving, maybe more. The way he was gasping, I was sure he'd punctured a lung. "Are you going to be able to get home OK? Are you SURE I can't call someone for you?"
"No," he gasped, "That's what the cash is for--I'm gonna buy a bunch of Ace bandages and wrap them real tight. That oughtta fix it."
"?" I was dumbfounded and glanced at the boy with him, who was on his tippytoes peering over the edge of the counter at me. Dad glanced at his son and said, "Don't worry, this happened while he was in school, he has no idea."
This was not a comfort. He instead diverted my attention by pointing out that the big paper hat his son was wearing was celebrating his 100th day in Kindergarten. I was familiar with the project--my kids did something similar. Each student brings in 100 of something to show how many 100 is. "What did you bring in?" I asked the boy. He immediately became too shy to speak and leaned toward his dad's legs. Dad nudged him, "Go on, tell her what you brought." "Rice!" he said excitedly with a big smile. "Very cool." I told him. With is son safely distracted now, dad took his cash and lurched toward the pharmacy.
I worried all weekend about him. Why wouldn't he just go to urgent care for an X-ray? Probably no insurance. I recall those days all too well. He bank account was now about empty.
Monday afternoon, he showed up again with a tax check to cash, his son in tow once again. I couldn't contain my relief--"I am SO glad to see you! Are you doing better today?!?" He assured me he was nearly back to normal, just a little sore. I counted back the cash and picked up one of the bills and showed it to the boy, "And look--it says 100!" He was duly impressed.
"No," he gasped, "That's what the cash is for--I'm gonna buy a bunch of Ace bandages and wrap them real tight. That oughtta fix it."
"?" I was dumbfounded and glanced at the boy with him, who was on his tippytoes peering over the edge of the counter at me. Dad glanced at his son and said, "Don't worry, this happened while he was in school, he has no idea."
This was not a comfort. He instead diverted my attention by pointing out that the big paper hat his son was wearing was celebrating his 100th day in Kindergarten. I was familiar with the project--my kids did something similar. Each student brings in 100 of something to show how many 100 is. "What did you bring in?" I asked the boy. He immediately became too shy to speak and leaned toward his dad's legs. Dad nudged him, "Go on, tell her what you brought." "Rice!" he said excitedly with a big smile. "Very cool." I told him. With is son safely distracted now, dad took his cash and lurched toward the pharmacy.
I worried all weekend about him. Why wouldn't he just go to urgent care for an X-ray? Probably no insurance. I recall those days all too well. He bank account was now about empty.
Monday afternoon, he showed up again with a tax check to cash, his son in tow once again. I couldn't contain my relief--"I am SO glad to see you! Are you doing better today?!?" He assured me he was nearly back to normal, just a little sore. I counted back the cash and picked up one of the bills and showed it to the boy, "And look--it says 100!" He was duly impressed.
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