Christmas Eve morning I was shopping for a few last minute items at our local QFC. It was very busy and twice I crossed paths with a young mother and her two children. She was holding her toddler son who was seemingly inconsolable and she did her best to navigate the crowed isles. Soon I was standing in the check out lines next to her, the toddler still fussing. She comforted him as he continued to struggle. We spoke briefly and as I stood there, I looked at the others waiting in line and nearly everyone was smiling. It was Christmas, we did not mind the fussing child.

A young man completing his purchase turned and unloaded the Mother’s cart so she could be checked out. At this time I asked the clerk if I could pay for her groceries and that’s when I learned why the lines were so long… the credit card readers were all down. I did not have cash or my check book. My attention was diverted away to my own lane where my groceries were about to be checked and I told the clerk I would need to withdraw cash. As I left the checkout station I passed the young mother and saw that she was in tears. I immediately got the attention of a store clerk and asked again if I could pay her groceries as I didn’t want her leaving without them after such a long ordeal. The clerk told me that they (QFC) had taken care of her purchases!

Merry Christmas to QFC for recognizing this mother needed the honest to goodness Christmas Spirit of giving.

Karol Bennest

Enumclaw