Wipe It Clean

My Tuesday morning off from work was full of stuff to do. After taking my wife to work at 6:30am (one car between the two of us), and voted for Gahanna’s mayoral candidates. At 9:40am I had several warts frozen off my hands at my dermatologist. I then stopped by the library to make an addition to the post Neverending Praise.

In the handicap parking space, I made two phone calls. One was to our insurance company for a claim for my daughter that was processed incorrectly. The second inquiry was to our vet to have a detailed price list for teeth cleaning (both our male Chihuahuas needed it).

Before going home, I stopped by a nearby automotive store to have new windshield wipers installed. (They weren’t handling this morning’s rain very well.) I came to the counter, and asked “Donna” for assistance. As with most strangers I meet, our conversation goes places that I’m sure they never intended to go with a complete stranger (see Question and Answer). 

After Donna got the model and year of my car from me, she proceeded to show me all the different types of wiper blades and their costs. They were sold in individual units. I chose a brand that was durable and affordable at $22 each. (Donna was nice enough to give me an unasked for 10% store discount.)

The topics I remember discussing in the store were the way registers had changed over the years, and people unknowingly learned electronics when they used a u-scan or ran a register. What a difference a greeter makes upon entering a huge store (like Wal-mart). I asked Donna if men thought this was a “boy’s domain,” and did not think females should be working in an automotive store. (Donna honestly responded, “yes”).

As Donna and I walked to my car, I admitted I had no automotive experience. I was delighted the store offered this service. Donna efficiently replaced my warn wiper blades with the new one’s in less time than it would have taken for me to read (and understand) the package directions.

I found out Donna had grown up in a mostly black neighborhood. Though she loved her parents, they were quite a bit prejudice. She was determined not to repeat that with her two teenagers (a boy and a girl).

Both parents worked outside the home. Her father allowed her mother to do all work in the house without any assistance from him. In his defense, I told Donna that was the norm for his era. It was different than today.

 Donna admitted her sixteen year-old daughter “Clarisse” entered high school this year. She’d noticed Clarisse was a lot more secretive with her communication than in middle school. Donna was not bothered by Clarisse’s eccentric friends. Whomever Clarisse dated was OK with her as long the other person treated her right. Though dating had not yet happened, Donna wanted grandchildren one day.

If you have children (or a close relative that is like a child) what positive differences can you make in their life that did not happen when you were growing up? It’s never too late to make a change in someone else’s life for the good. Be a beacon of encouragement and growth.