Yesterday I went into Sunflower Market. I love their bulk foods section so I decided to look around there a bit before hitting the produce aisle. As I browsed, I noticed a young man of about 19 or 20, who had parked himself in front of one of the bins, and was eating, quite heartily, a handful of trail mix. He was serious and deliberate as he ate, and unapologetic.That attitude got me a little heated. I took my time, pretending to shop, but I really just watched him. He moved to another bin, scooped out another handful of food, and began eating that with the same intensity. I was steamed at this point, at his blatant disregard for the law, and decided I had better go get my grapes and cool off. I loaded up and came back by the bulk section only to see that he had moved to yet
another bin, still eating unashamedly. I marched my cart right up to the check stand and informed the employee that there was a gentleman
feasting on the bulk foods. He immediately went to find the guy and invited him to leave the premises. As I watched the young man leave, I had the impression come into my mind that he was
truly hungry and suddenly I felt ashamed of myself. Ashamed of my desire to judge him so quickly, and ashamed that my quickness to anger had most likely blocked that impression from coming sooner. I wish I had been more observant of his shabby clothes, and his hollow looking face. And I wish I had smiled and offered to
buy him a bag of trail mix. But I didn't.
I may have been totally in the right for wanting justice,
but I completely forgot about the mercy part, until it was too late.
