Crooked Fingers.

So here I am shopping this afternoon just me and little Ole Stumpy Dumpy. He decides as most 20 month olds do at some stage, that perhaps he wants to walk.

So walk it was, along side the trolley. I pull up long the tin section and as I am trying to find reduced salt baked beans ( as you do ) a man pulls along side us.

He just stands there and smiles at Ole Stumpy Dumpy, who by the way shoots the biggest pearler his way.

I watch the old man smile and notice that he does not have much in his trolley. Ole Stumpy Dumpy points up towards a ball hanging on one of those in between racks. The man comes over and reaches with his crooked small fingers and gives it to Stumpy.

Stumpy thinking he has nothing less then hit jack pot, jumps a few times and says " Ta Ta". The old man smiles again and pats stumpy head.

" Your a good little fella", he said.

Then I watch him push his trolley slowly up the isle.

Stump and I start out journey up the other lane and all of a sudden along comes old crooked fingers. He turns to face me and says...."Here please take this money and buy your little fella that ball. Promise me you will buy it for him. It's important to me. He reminds me of my daughter.

I stared at him and tried to say no, but he looked at me blank, begging me to take the $2 the ball cost and making me promise I would buy the little ball. He held my hand so tight that I swear I could feel his pulse.

"Promise he said".

"Promise I replied".

Wondering where his daughter was now, and hoping like mad he had someone to go home too.

I looked everywhere for him at the checkout and even went back a few isles to say thanks again.

But he was no where to be seen.

It was like he was never there in the first place.

BUT...I know he was because Stumpy is out playing with the ball.

What a beautiful old soul. You have touched the life of a small child and his mother and showed me that no matter what is thrown our way, there are always people in your life that you will never forget.

No matter how small the gesture is.

I will never know if you gave your last dollar to us, or if you went without something special this week.

I hope someone touches your heart crooked fingers, like you touched mine today.....