I never imagined that a simple trip to Walmart could change my life forever. But that’s exactly what happened one quiet Saturday afternoon.
It was one of those weeks when every dollar counted. Standing in the toiletries aisle, I found myself doing mental math again — could I afford both shampoo and conditioner this time? Prices had climbed so high that even basic things started to feel like luxuries.
Then I spotted a yellow sale tag. A 2-in-1 kids’ shampoo and conditioner was marked down. I tossed it into the cart, trying to ignore the tiny sting of embarrassment. My son, Joey, looked at the bottle and wrinkled his nose.
“Isn’t this for babies?” he asked.
“No, honey,” I said with a smile. “It smells like strawberries. Way better than the boring kind we usually get.”
He shrugged, and we moved on to grab some mac and cheese for dinner — our go-to meal when times were tight. I worked long hours as a medical receptionist, always just barely making ends meet. Every paycheck was a balancing act.
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