Dr. Pepper Smiles

This morning I braved Wal-Mart for much needed groceries. After I filled my cart to the brim and checked out, I stepped out into the sunshine and prepared to go to the car. As I exited the doors, I had to stop before I could venture across the crosswalk. In front of me stood 5 pleasantly plump, perfectly coiffed grey-haired ladies. With carts full of giant cases of Dr. Pepper and Diet Dr. Pepper (not another thing--just Dr. Peppers), they were in an animated conversation about where they had parked their vehicle.

I never heard any names but I am sure at least one of them was Rose and another named Betty. (They just looked like ladies that would be named Rose or Betty.)

One was pointing into the distance and said, "I thought we parked over there."

Another stated, "No, I am sure it was row number 7."

One piped up, "Isn't that it over there?"

Because they looked like very smart women and there weren't that many cars in the parking lot, I felt confident they probably could find it without my help, so I smiled and went around them and went to my van.

I opened the back and began to unload. I looked up and here the ladies came. It was row number 7. They pushed their Dr. Peppers in front of them and smiled at me. One of them stopped and asked me, "Ma'am, do you need any help?"

I smiled back and said, "Thank you so much but I can do it. It is sweet of you to offer."

Her gaze fell to my large, pregnant belly, then rose again to my face. She smiled a doubtful smile and said, "O-Kay" as if she still wasn't sure I would be able to handle it but was resigned to it anyway.

I stopped loading the car and watched the group take stiff steps in their Easy Spirits up the hill to their car. I wondered who would unload all of their cases of soda for them.

As I finished, and took my buggy to the cart corral, I thought about how many able bodied young folks have passed me lately while I was loading groceries, flats of flowers, cans of paint or tile. I wonder if it occured to them to ask me if I needed help and they just didn't or if it didn't even cross their mind. Or how many times, I might not have noticed someone who needed my help.

There have been so many times this pregnancy that I have become frustrated about what my body couldn't do. I would almost curse it for not being able to climb those extra steps, or load that mulch, or carry bins of clothes to the attic. I have had a glimpse of what it might be like when I get a little older and have to concede to my limitations and ask for help even when I don't want to.

I hope that when I age a score of years or two, that I will still feel like helping pregnant ladies load up their groceries. I hope I will have 4 friends who will help me find my car. I wonder if I will develop a need for large amounts of Dr. Pepper?

But for now, I will be on the look out for people who need me. Despite my lack of muscle power, they probably have some other need I can fill. Maybe you could keep an eye open too.