Random reminder

Press, 5 September 1983, Page 25

Random reminder

THE QUALITY OF MERCY ...

A solo mother of two small children was recently stricken with a severe bout of ’flu and she had to spend a few days in bed. Her six-year-old son had saved two weeks’ pocket money, and it was burning a hole in his pocket. He arrived home from school, tossed his back-pack on the floor in a comer, took his 50 cents, and dashed off to the local shops, for his big spend. He burst into the only book shop, spent some time sorting through the “get well” cards, chose one, presented it at the counter, only to find that he had insufficient money to buy a card of any description. Next, he turned his attention to the small posies of dried flowers and

hesitantly inquired the price, but was again foiled from making a purchase because of lack of finance. Unbeknown to him, his teacher was

standing quietly at the back of the shop, and she beckoned to the shop owner. A few whispered words from her, and the proprietor called the lad to the counter and told him he had one or two 50 cent “specials” this week, and would he care to look at them?

A few minutes later, a small boy emerged from the shop proudly carrying his posy of flowers, all wrapped in florist’s paper, plus his “get well 1 ’ card, written on and in an envelope. Where else but on the West Coast could this have occurred?