By guest author Michaela Heilhecker
A few years ago I found myself sandwiched in line waiting to check out,
this is not an odd occurrence. The woman in front of me had 5
children she was wrangling (which did not seem odd to me), as well as
the fact that the children were a mix of Caucasian and Hispanic short
people (again, hmph...didn't notice until it was pointed out to
me).
Yes, I said pointed out! The people behind me, as I controlled
my own kids, began very loudly whispering things like: "How many baby
daddies do you think she has?" "Can't even dress those kids for
weather!" "Just wait until she whips out the food stamps." I contained
my kids and my anger, and looked incredulously back at the well
dressed, normal couple spouting such, well, total CRAP!
I looked
forward to see a woman fumbling with separating clothes items; coats,
shoes, socks, and underwear, from food items with the black plastic
separators. There were five kids, two that shared her same blonde hair
with jackets and warm shoes and three, beautifully dark haired, with
deep brown eyes, sad eyes; wearing shorts and flip flops. Note that it's cold
outside in Colorado at night in November!
It was true she was struggling
with a food stamp card and she didn't know what buttons to use to
complete the transaction. As the class act behind me deeply sighed and
said, "There's our tax dollars neatly at work!" I shot them what I can
only imagine was the death glare only a mother can execute to
perfection.
I stepped forward and kindly said, "Can I help? These
things are confusing." She looked at me. I quietly asked, "Foster or
Adopted? I have fostered several kiddos...two bio, two adopted, I get
it, please let me help!" She smiled, embarrassed. "New Foster Mom, this
is my first time using one of these, they came last night, gonna be with
us for a while. They gave us food, but the kids needed clothes, but we
haven't received the stipend and it will be another month before we see
the 80 dollars for the year for each child."
I looked at the kids and
smiled, and turned to her and said, "Beautiful children, I am glad you
all have each other!"
I showed her how to use the card as the Jackholes
behind us snorted. I explained to her how she doesn't have to separate
items and that the items get separated by the computer at check out and
how she pays the balance after she runs her card. She handed each child
their new coat, loaded up her cart as she left I side hugged her and
told her, "You got this!" I then gave her my number in case she needed
any further advice or help.
After they were out of ear shot...I turned
with tears to the smug well dressed man and woman behind me. "Those
children? They lost the right to live with their parents just last
night. Those clothes? Probably the only clothes they came with, own,
or got to leave their home with. THAT woman? Opened her home to
strange kids, kids that needed a safe place to go, when few would, when
the home they lived in no longer proved safe enough or secure enough for
them. The food stamps, something health and welfare helps an already
mother of two feed three additional new mouths. There are not nearly
enough woman or people like her in this world!"
I whipped back around
and started slamming my groceries on the belt, and then turned back
around...Voice shaking; "AND even IF those kids were all hers, and she
had a dozen baby daddies, and was on food stamps...NO CHILD in this
great country or any other deserves to be cold or hungry, I am sorry,
but your behavior? Poorly done, VERY Poorly done!"
My new 'friends'
left the checkout aisle and joined another...silently. I grabbed a bag
of peanut M&M's for emotional support. As I finished checking out,
the girl checking me out smiled and winked, "Single mom on WIC and food
stamps, what you said...ROCKED!"
I grimaced and said, "Thanks, I wasn't
sure I should have gone off like that...hug those babies of yours
tonight, in their warm beds and with full bellies." I cried as I loaded
my car and ate my favorite peanut M&M's. You foster or adoptive
moms out there...hold your heads high, you are the hands and hearts
that are the strong and the steady for small ones when they need it the
most. Hats off and so much love to you!
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