Shoes-Just Ask

Shepherd's Field asked me to bring shoes...

I asked the Walmart manager for a discount...

And a stranger asked if he could help too...

A few days ago I got a list of supplies requested by the wonderful team at Shepherd's Field. The list included five pair of toddler shoes. So tonight I made a trip out to Walmart to get five pair of shoes.

I found the shoes but since they were not gender neutral I decided to get five boy pairs and five girl pairs. (Judging from the number of Chinese orphaned boys I've seen dressed head to toe in pink I know it probably didn't matter but it did to me.)

So  I put ten pair of shoes in my cart and turned the corner to go check out and instead ran straight into another bin of sale shoes.

 Why not?  I mean seriously I think we've already establish I have a thing for shoes.

 I started digging and found more of the style of shoes needed.

Before I knew it my cart looked like THIS.

I headed for the checkout lane to pay but then at the last second instead of going to a cashier I headed to customer service.  I figured it couldn't hurt to ask if maybe, since I was buying so many, the manager would be willing to give me a discount.

The night manager came over and asked how he could help.  "I'm going to China to adopt a child and I'm bringing these shoes to her orphanage and I wondered if you might be able to give me a discount?"

That's it no long explanation or sappy sad orphan story. I was hoping for 10%, just a token price cut and I was prepared for a big fat "NO".

He didn't even hesitate, "How about $2.50 a pair?"

Are you kidding that's awesome! THANK YOU!!

Sweet right?

It gets sweeter.

In the middle of paying for the shoes another man came up to me and asked "Did I hear you say you were buying these shoes for orphans?"

I smiled and nodded and told him I was.

He then handed me a $10 bill and said, "Here, let me buy a few pair of shoes too".

And that's when I lost it.  Tears of joy and appreciation and love for all that is good and kind....IN WALMART.

It's not the 90% discount or the $10 donation that moved me but the fact that these men were so willing to help children in need.  Let's face it we are in the middle of tough economic times and its easy to understand why they wouldn't/couldn't help, (particularly kids in another country) and yet they did.

So thank your Justin, Night Manager at the Streetsboro, Ohio Walmart for passing on a generous discount and thank you kind stranger for your spontaneous cash donation. Random acts of kindness rock and so do you.


A vote would be a very kind act indeed!