CARRY OUT ON SIX

Recently I was in line at a grocery store behind an elderly woman who seemed reasonably fit and had purchased a fair amount of groceries and had just checked out in front of me. She was pleasant and thin built and was putting away her things in her purse and the checker ask if she needed help out with her purchase. She smiled slightly and said yes please, that would be nice. Then over the loud speaker that could have been heard a half-mile away and certainly on all 16-checkout stations I heard the blast, “Carry Out on Six!”

The poor lady was humiliated, and stood looking down at her purse clasped in her hands and waiting for the Carry Out. She was so embarrassed. Everyone in the entire store and some from the parking lot were looking in to see who needed the Carry Out. A nineteen year old approached her and said in too loud of a voice, “Hi, I’m Jeremy, you need a Carry Out?” She just nodded yes.

With all the lost independence that comes with the elder status I don’t think this was needed. They might as well have blasted out, “A very old little skinny lady on Six needs help getting her groceries to her car because she can’t carry her own stuff anymore.” There must be another way to do this. I was going to volunteer to help her but had concern she might have thought I was going to hit her over the head with my carton of almond milk and rob her. There still must be another way.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” Jesus