Angels Among Us

I needed to pick up a few random items from the store the other day - envelopes, hangers, cat food, cheese.  Not a Polly's or Kroger run, so it was either Meijers (allllll the way across town) or the Axis of Evil (aka WalMart).  For a variety of reasons I do everything in my power not to set foot inside AofE, but on Tuesday, armed with my list, I grab a handbasket, lower my eyes to avoid seeing clients, and walk as fast as possible to Get. This. Over. With. 

"You're wearing my hat."

I look up to see an impeccably dressed older woman pushing a grocery cart, looking directly at me.

"You're wearing my hat," she says again.  I touch the red cloche I had bought a couple of days before at Elder-Beerman - after-holiday sales are a blessing.  She is sleek and sharp and beautiful in her leather coat and black dress and heather grey stockings.  Her gold earrings reflect her gold-rimmed glasses, behind which are the kindest eyes I have ever seen.  I am the anti-her, in my red hat, slightly dirty blue Columbia jacket, tan sports slacks (they can't be sweat pants if they're boot cut, 'k?) and running shoes.

She pats the little black leather beret perched jauntily on her perfectly coiffed hair (and yes, tilted ever so slightly to the left) (really, if you had seen this woman, you would use the word "jauntily" too) and says, "I bought that same hat last year at Elder-Beerman - it's my favorite hat!  I was going to wear it today but I thought this one went better with my outfit.  I loved it so much I went back and bought a black one.  I wish I had bought more - I wear it all the time.

She reaches out and touches the flower on the side of my hat.  "I think my flower is different than this; maybe a little smaller," she says.  

"I bought it this weekend," I reply.  And then, for no reason I can justify, I simply say, "I'm learning to wear hats, because I start treatment in a couple of weeks and will start losing my hair, so I decided to invest in some fun hats, but I bought a wig, too, but I don't like it as much as hats so far..."  My voice trails off because I suddenly realize I'm telling a complete stranger all these personal and private things about my life and me and I cannot understand why I am doing this...

She lets go of her cart and says, "I have to give you a hug, come here."  And I do.  I let her envelope me in her arms and she rocks me back and forth, hugging me tightly, saying, "Honey, you're going to be okay.  It's all going to be okay.  I know it is."  I hug her tightly, trying desperately not to cry - what is this??

She lets go slightly and steps back, her nose just inches away from mine.  Her sparkling eyes look into my soul, I swear, and she says, "You are going to be okay."

We step back from each other, and she grabs ahold of her cart again.  "Still love that hat," she says.  "Happy new year sweetie!  I'll say a prayer for you!"

And she's gone.

I realize that I never got her name - never thought to ask.  I wander around, hoping to run into her again, but I don't see her anywhere.  

The kindness of strangers is a rare gift indeed.