Mary had just finished picking up a few essentials at the grocery store when she realized her wallet was missing. “Oh no, I must’ve left my wallet in John’s car. I’m so sorry. I’ll have to come back for these later,” she told the cashier, who began putting her items back. Prepared to leave, Mary was stopped by a voice from behind.
“Wait, ma’am! You don’t have many things. I can cover it,” the boy behind her in line offered. He looked no older than 12, and from his appearance, Mary could tell he wasn’t from a wealthy family.
“Oh no, I couldn’t let you do that,” Mary replied, embarrassed by the situation.
“I insist, ma’am,” he said with a smile. “Sometimes we need to help others. Karma will reward us later, right? That’s what my grandma always says.” Without waiting for her response, he paid for her items, which thankfully weren’t much.
Mary, who had traveled from San Diego to Santa Ana to care for her daughter Anastacia—who was down with the flu—thanked the boy as they left the store. “I’m Mary Cummings. What’s your name?” she asked warmly.
“Mark,” the boy answered.
“Thank you, Mark. You saved me an extra trip. How about you give me your number so I can pay you back when I get my wallet?” Mary offered, and Mark scribbled his number on the receipt.
“Don’t worry about it. There’s no rush,” he said with a shrug. “I live nearby.”
“Still, I believe in paying my debts,” Mary insisted with a smile, and they went their separate ways.
Later that day, Mary told her daughter about the kind boy at the store. “It was just a few items for soup, but it’s nice to see such generosity in a young person,” she remarked.
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