Brandon stepped into the gas station clutching a paper cup filled with coins, hoping it would be enough to buy dinner for his kids. Life had been hard—he was doing his best to care for his four children while living in a tent beside the station—but he hadn’t lost his sense of awareness or compassion.
Near the counter, an elderly man stood, confused and hard of hearing, trying to purchase a bottle of water. The line behind him was growing impatient.
“I’m sorry, what did you say about the water being funny?” the man asked with a polite smile.
The cashier, clearly exasperated, raised her voice. “No! I said you don’t have enough money!”
Still unsure, the man smiled again and replied, “Yes, it was a sunny day!”
A customer behind him stepped forward, shouted in his ear, and repeated the message more harshly. Embarrassed, the man asked quietly if he could buy a smaller bottle to take his medication.
The cashier shook her head, grabbed the bottle from him, and snapped, “Just leave. You’re holding up the line.”
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