A couple years ago, when our washing machine went on strike for having to work overtime, I began washing clothes across the street at a local Laundromat. My four children thought this was the height of fun (shows how pathetically we attempt to entertain them) and always wanted to accompany me.
Of course it was only after we arrived and loaded all the machines with our dirty laundry that I realized I had forgotten the laundry soap at home. I told my kids we would walk to the convenience store next door to grab some snacks and some detergent, but as we headed for the door a man approached and stopped me.
"Do you need some soap?", he asked. I said yes but we were headed next door to buy a bottle. He handed me is half empty jug of soap and said, "Here. You can have the rest of mine. I am done with everything I have to do." Gosh, how nice of him. Was he sure? Yes, he replied that it was fine. I thanked him and filled our machines, plugged in the quarters and turned to give him his soap back but he was gone.
I grabbed the kids and we headed next door for drinks and chips, but as we walked into the store we all froze. The cashier was doubled over, her forehead was bleeding and another teenage employee looked to be in shock and wasn't moving.
We had just missed being smack dab in the middle of a store robbery and, in fact, if the nice man hadn't stopped and offered his laundry soap all four of my children would have been with me, in the store, during the robbery. We arrived in time to assist the cashier, get ice for her head and call 911, but missed the robbery itself.
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