Walking to the car
in the Cancer Center parking garage,
basking in the glow of a positive scan result,
they pass a little old lady
who wanted to talk.
Her emotional story
about her daughter’s recent death
and her new responsibility to raise her granddaughter,
living in subsidized housing,
lacking the money
to purchase the granddaughter’s medication
or provide dinner that evening,
crying convincingly,
and answering their questions,
they reached for their wallets.
Eighty-five dollars later,
they walked away
as the old lady blessed them in Jesus’ name,
a hundred times, if once.
They felt good about helping
for a few seconds
until they began wondering if they were scammed.
They debated all the way home,
alternately feeling good then dumb,
finally deciding it is better
to be trusting
than doubting,
and concluded that in either case,
she needed help
and they gave it.
The discussion ended
with no clear understanding of where the truth lay,
but accepting of the outcome,
believing that it is better to trust than to doubt,
sharing their good fortune that day
With one who needed it as much as they did.
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