The gift

"Excuse me."

So it was my second time in line.  I had been in line once before to buy an item, now I was going to build up some store credit with some books I had sold back to the store.  You see I was at Recycled books  It's a used bookstore up here in Denton.  The setting of this story however, may not be as important as what day it was... it was Christmas Eve.

My Christmas Eve caught up with me being in the domestic.  Doing the wash, deciding on the potential of two docs to create this upcoming semester, and the fun of making sure that my classes are able to make.  Too much distraction... I mean fun, yeah... that's what we will call it, and of course cleaning about the house.  In cleaning my house I had come across some books I wanted to trade in to a used bookstore:  Recycled Books.

Well in the torrent of things to do I went to Recycled.  As it was Christmas Eve, the store was pretty busy.  As a common  trait among many established used book stores, the store perfectly reflected the tomes it sold; a little well worn, signs of age are present, but the store, and its customers reflected only nurturing comfort.  At the purchasing area a short haired brunette brazened with the bandana of a Rosie the Riveter greeted me.  Through her black thick rimmed glasses one expects in a college town, she confidently began the shuffle.  "What is your first name again?", followed by the "Okay... it will be a little while."  All of this I was used to.  I knew I would go and loose myself in the trove.

"Excuse me."

The trick is the same at most retail.  You give the customers time to spend money at the store while they wait for the service. I had made my usual rounds.  I spent my time looking at books, then at people, all the while carrying out conversations in my head.  I found an item, waited in line, and sat to read while I waited for my credit to be ready.  When they called my name I went to go get it and got right back into line again.  This time, a new employee had stepped forward to the two operating registers.  I hadn't seen her in a long time.  As our conversations were always good, I hoped that I would get to be her customer.  I looked at the line, figured out that the odds seemed to be in my favor and smiled.  The line moved forward at a steady pace...

"Excuse me."

That is when I saw her.  Well actually heard her.  Looking down there she was.  A girl somewhere between the age of 9 and 10 holding out a flower that seemd so large in her tiny hand.  She held a bunch of similar flowers in her other hand and it obvious that she had picked them from the bush outside.  Yet her smile was so earnest.  So unblemished by any motive save to say: "Excuse me, but I wanted to give you a flower and tell you I hope you have a Merry Christmas tomorrow."  Her smile turned into an open grin as I reached down to take her gift from her.  "For me?Well thank you young lady.  Looking up, I saw her mother standing about 8 feet away holding a larger bouquet.  But looking back at the girl I saw her begin to laugh.  "Well you have a lot of flowers", I stated. "Yes, I am going to give one to every person in the store.  I want to make sure they have a Merry Christmas."  "Well that's a good idea," I replied.  "And I hope you have a Merry Christmas!" 

Her response to my announcement, merely displayed the unbridled joy of Christmas.  She laughed.  That unfettered laugh that comes so easily as a child, but sadly grows more difficult as we get older.  "It's not Christmas today!", she bellowed.  "It's not?", I replied," Well I want you to have a Merry Christmas both today and tomorrow."  This little bit of minor madness caused both her and her mother her to giggle.  "Thank you so much for your gift."  I told her.  "Now you better get going and deliver more."  It was now my turn at the front counter.  The sales attendant I hadn 't spoken to in a while was behind the register. 

"Excuse me." could be heard in the distance.  Out of my peripheral vision she was spreading joy to the world the best way she knew how, by giving all a simple, hand picked yellow flower.  Never forget, the power of one good act in a weary world.

"Excuse me."

Never hesitate to practice random acts of kindness.

"Excuse me."

I am only telling the readers to.... what?  Okay.  I will tell them.

Merry Christmas.