a conversation with a checker

Ever since Nate was diagnosed in-utero with a heart defect almost 3 years ago, I have been afraid of the grocery store checkers.  They always ask "how's it going?" or "are you having a good day?"  I know that they ask those questions of EVERYONE and that they are not sincere.  But, for some reason, I have difficulty responding insincerely.  So, I tend to fear that interaction.

This week, as I was checking out I had a conversation that I never planned on having.  The checker asked me if she could "round up" the total for a donation to some sort of foundation (colon cancer or something).  I responded with a "sure, that would be fine".  She then went on to tell me about an experience that she had had with another customer.  She stood there complaining about someone that, as she said:  "wouldn't even donate 20 cents for a good cause". 

"Well you never know what is going on in someones life that would cause them to do that"...was my response.  She kinda laughed at my comment and looked at the person bagging my items for assurance (probably thinking that I was a little crazy). 

I could have walked away at this point. 
I considered just keeping my mouth shut and minding my own business. 
I told myself that it wasn't my responsibility to educate people on the hardships of life and that I should just worry about my own problems. 
All of the options swirled around in my head during what had to be a 10 second time period of her handing me my receipt. 

So I just took the receipt and left...

I couldn't do it. 
I couldn't just walk away under these circumstances. 
I had to say something. 
I just HAD to.
And I did.

In a sweet and kind voice I explained to the checker that sometimes, people have an experience that prevents them from doing certain things (I still didn't get to her). 

I went on to tell her that I have a hard time donating to CHOC (the children's hospital right in our community that EVERYONE loves and supports).  She looked at me with shock and confusion.  As if the word that I uttered were of another language. 

I further explained that even though they do amazing work and they provide life-saving help for many, many children...I have a hard time giving them my money (she started listening more intently). 

I then went on to say that a mistake that they made caused my son to die (now I had her attention).  I summed it all up by once again saying...
you never know what's going on in someones life and you never know why they make the decisions that they do.

I walked out of that store feeling like I had served my purpose for the day. 

It was a good day.