A Secret Forever Kept

The old woman had abandoned her scooter-cart to retrieve a can of green beans from the top shelf. She had stretched her 4foot 9inch frame as far as possible in order to grab the very last one, though her fingers barely grazed it. I shifted nervously from one foot to the other, unsure of what to do.

Finally I make the decision to help her, so I step twards her as she still teeters on her toes reaching for that can. I notice her cart is filled to the brim with items, a whole feast just waiting to be whipped up. I then reach up to grab the can, but she pushes me away with such force that I am startled backwards.
"I had it" she says with ice in her voice. I put my hands up in defeat and walk to the next isle.

As I walk though I can still see her struggling figure through the shelves still reaching for that can. I glance around, when she steps away to catch her breath I reach over and scoot the can an inch closer to her isle. She then stands straight and stretches as far as she can, and finally wraps her fingers around the green beans and pulls it off the shelf. I watch as she smiles at her victory. I smile too.