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| image courtesy photobucket.com |
With no stroller, or baby buggy, my mother often carried my baby sister, while my 18 month old brother held my hand as we walked to our corner store for a few small items.
One day, the baby was asleep and my mother needed a loaf of bread. She explained to me how I should walk to the store, ask for a loaf of brown bread and quickly return home.
Taking the dime from her, I felt proud of the responsibility given to me to purchase some bread. So what if I was only three years old! I was the oldest child, and a big girl.
At the store, I gave the man my order and held out my ten cents. “You have two pennies change coming back, so would you like to select some penny candy,” he asked me.
He stood in back of the candy display and my little eyes widened. The candy sticks looked good and so did the suckers. It was difficult to decide which would be the best choice.
Taking a long time to make up my mind, he offered some suggestions and I told him, “Yes please.”
Hurrying home with my loaf of bread and my small sack with the precious candy, I happily showed mother my purchases.
Undaunted she did not hesitate, because those two pennies were needed for other things, and certainly not for candy.
Quietly she asked me, “Just exactly what did I send you to the store to buy?” I replied, “A loaf of bread.”
Her words rang out soft but clear, “And did I tell you to purchase anything else?”
By now I was crying, but she wiped away my tears and told me. “We need to correct this now so that it will never happen again.”
Rehearsing what I was supposed to tell the store man, I returned to the store holding my small bag of penny candy. Fortunately I had not eaten any of my tempting stash.
As I handed him the sack of candy, through tears I told the store man, “My mama said, I was only supposed to buy the bread, so please give me my money back.”
He did return my two cents and again I was proud to return home – mission accomplished.
A couple of years later our circumstances changed and there were times when we could afford the luxury of some penny candy.
However I am thankful for mother teaching me this life’s lesson; how to stand up for myself and ask for the correct change, or return an item that is not right.
It is good to stand firm and not be a push over - - even if it is about penny candy.
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This post is linked with Ann Kroeker’s, Food on Fridays
Also Linked with Laura’s Faith Filled Friday
And you will find it again on Tuesday at:
Tell me a True Story at http://letmetelluastory.blogspot.com/
5 comments:
What a difficult but sweet story of a little girl learning to grow up. Thank you for sharing it with the Food on Fridays group!
Your mother was amazing! I can't imagine having a clear and straight and sweet lesson that would last for your lifetime.
You were blessed.
I love those stories... I'm fascinated by the small incidents of our lives that our parents use to guide us and teach us the true values in life. One day that you can recall from early childhood helped shape the true strong women of God. Good stuff. Thanks Hazel.
What a lesson at such a young age! Those were the days when a three year old could walk to a store by herself! Those days are LONG gone!
Keep your stories coming!
That is a great story. And doesn't it highlight how early on kids used to take responsibility for tasks?! Imagine sending a three year old to do that now. But then, kids of young ages were already running errands and doing chores. Great story on many levels.
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