the woman in the supermarket

I had a beautiful exchange with the woman working at a supermarket check out today.

I put my wallet on the counter and she complimented it. I said thank you and then explained where it came from. She then told me she used to do leather work. I got excited as I also work with leather. I then watched years drop away from her face and her eyes sparkled. She told me that when she was 15 she made a wallet for her grandmother. On it she stitched icons that represented her grandmother and her life. She then lashed the sides of the wallet. As she told me of this she illustrated the whole making process with her hands, smiling. Then she gave it to her grandmother. Her grandmother was cautious of banks and her pension payout so she took out an amount every week and placed it in this wallet and placed it in her drawer. When her Grandmother passed away she got the wallet back in absolute pristine condition. A much prized possession. She left enough money in the bank account for her own funeral.

I have a theory that I make people want to tell me things. I don't know what it is but a lot of the time within a couple minutes i'll know some strange facts about a stranger, have a memory of theirs or have discussed their views on life and whether they are happy where they are. This is one of the things I do enjoy about myself - I seem to encourage confidence.

I would not trade this for anything.