A mom went into Target store to pick up a few things; however, what she saw in a front row seat made her stunned. She immediately took to Facebook to share the inspiring story.
Sarah Owen Bigler was having a long day at work. She entered her local Target to pick up a few things with her kids because her husband was sick.
Her rush was about to be put to a halt after she watched an elderly lady count out coins one by one when she entered the checkout line. On top of that, she was paying for each item separately. But her mood changed after she saw the 19-year-old employee named Ishmael Gilbert who dealt the situation with patience and politeness.
“Part of me, the part that had a long day at work, the part of me who had a 1 1/2 year old having a melt down in the cart, the part that had set an unnecessary timeline for Target and getting home, was frustrated with this woman and the inconvenience she had placed on me,” wrote Sarah in a Facebook post.
She went on to describe how the Target cashier handled the situation.
“BUT then I watched the young employee with this woman,” she added. “I watched him help her count her change, ever so tenderly taking it from her shaking hands. I listened to him repeatedly saying ‘yes, mam’ to her. When she asked if she had enough to buy a reusable bag, he told her she did and went two lines over to get one for her and then repackaged her items. Never once did this employee huff, gruff or roll his eyes. He was nothing but patient and kind.”
And as she watched him, she noticed who else was peering over the counter transfixed on the interaction between these two strangers: her daughter Eloise.
“She was standing next to the woman, watching the employee count the change,” wrote Sarah. “I realized I hadn’t been inconvenienced at all. That my daughter was instead witnessing kindness and patience and being taught this valuable lesson by a complete stranger; furthermore, I realized that I too needed a refresher on this lesson.”
When it was finally Bigler’s turn to check out, the employee thanked her for her patience with the previous customer.
“I then thanked him for teaching us patience and kindness by his treatment of that elderly woman. And although my timeline for the target was askew, when he was finished I pushed my cart through the store trying to find the manager,” she wrote. “I wanted her to know of the employee’s, kindness and patience, and how much it meant to me. After tracking her down and sharing the story with her, we left Target with a cart full of consumable items, but what is more a heart full of gratitude for such an invaluable lesson.”
As the post became viral, many readers praised the employee for being such a good example for the woman’s children.
“It just feels good to be recognized for good work but this isn’t something new,” Gilbert said.
“I treat all customers the same, the way I want to be treated. It felt good because that’s the kind of example I want to be for my daughter,” he added.
Article Sources: America Now, Forever Mom, AWM Facebook Photo Credit: NY Daily News Embedded Image/s: Sarah Owen Bigler/Facebook