I was in line at Walmart and witnessed a Christmas Miracle:

In front of me was a rough-looking kid wearing an over-sized leather jacket and baggy pants; he had a “doo-rag” on his head and iPod ear pieces in his ears– you know the type.  In front of my doo-rag wearing friend was a little old lady wearing a doo-rag of her own.  A woman I would estimate to be in her early 70’s wearing a shower cap over some hair curlers– you know the type…  

I couldn’t hear all that was going on but I gathered that she was late in preparing to have her family over for dinner; that she would never be caught dead in public like this but she needed some last minute things; on and on.  The guy in front of me and directly behind her, heard none of this; but I could hear the thumping of his rap music leaking out and around his doo-rag.

Using my past experiences and preconceptions I was able to conclude both what was happening in front of the line with the little-old lady AND what was going on with my gang-banger friend directly in front of me in line.

This is when the problems started.  That 70’s-something lady in front did not have cash with her and had only her checkbook; no wallet, no identification.  The young pierced and tattooed, gum-chewing gal at the register (you know the type…) would not take her check without proper ID.  I was late for an appointment and was growing impatient (you know the type….) and the doo-rag guy in front of me was oblivious as he be-bopped along rhythmically slapping his thighs and “rubber-necking” his head and shoulders.

Before I could even think or react it happened; there was nothing I could do!

The thug in front of me yanked the ear-plugs from under his doo-rag and in a voice louder than necessary (as though he had been listening to loud music- duhh!) spoke abruptly to the little-old lady in front of him saying, “Lady!”  (I braced myself, ready to react but not knowing how or to what!) “You look honest; write the check out to me.  I got this….”  He then reached deep down into his baggy pants and pulled out his wallet from somewhere below his right knee and paid for that 70’s-something lady’s groceries with cash, and took her personal check.

It is so wonderful to know that no matter how they may look or sometimes act, this next generation (you know the type…); THEY’VE GOT OUR BACK!

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Lon Kieffer is proud to announce “Defending the Caregiver!” in a new format as a one-man play, a Dramedy (dramatic-comedy), celebrating, “The Caregiver!”

  NOW APPROVED BY THE ANCC FOR FOUR CREDIT HOURS.

To learn more visit:  www.DefendingTheCaregiver.com

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Lon Kieffer, author of “Get Out of Bed and Go to Work!”, Speaker, Consultant, Expert on Workplace Culture Change and Generational Conflicts, gives seminars, keynote and plenary addresses, runs annual sales meetings, and provides Common Sense Consulting at:  www.LonKieffer.com. He can be reached at:  (302) 462-6748 on Facebook or via email at:  Lon@LonKieffer.com