Angels all around

After a baseball doubleheader with nephew Vance's American Legion team, Eric went went with Vance and family back to their house to go swimming with a friend. Jodie and I went down to the river to see the sights.

On the way home, we stopped at Safeway. I parked on the outer edge of the parking lot. Our Sprinter van is so big, and our rear lift comes out so far...I like to operate it where there is less traffic.

I got my scooter out and went in the store. I keep forgetting to put my basket back in the van. It was filled with parade candy last week.

I piled what groceries I could on the floor of the scooter and on my lap. My helper, Eric, wasn't with me to help me. I was having trouble balancing everything.

I don't feel "disabled"...but when I am on my own around people who don't know...I feel really disabled.

I made it up to the checkout line. An older lady was in front of me. She had straight white hair. When she saw me on the scooter loaded down with groceries, she instantly started helping me get the groceries onto the conveyer belt. I did not find her as being intrusive at all, just hospitable, part of her nature.

The checkout lady was seasoned as well. She seemed well acquinted with the lady who had helped me. As she checked out, she gave her the maximum five dollars cash that her card would allow.

After I checked out, the checkout lady came around. She and the bag girl hung a plastic grocery bag on each arm of my scooter and helped me arrange stuff on the floor of the scooter.

I scooted out to the van and loaded up. I was thinking that the ladies in the store probably would not imagine me driving our monsterous rig.

I drove out onto Division and I stopped at the light at Burnside. I saw the same older lady who had helped me waiting at the corner to cross Division. She was talking to another lady who was with her. She did not see me

A tingle went down my spine as I realized...there truly are angels all around us.