March 1999

I was shopping with dad and Keith. Dad had come into some money recently (because it was his birthday anniversary?) and we were at the mall to spend it. Dad looked a little apprehensive, not having had this kind of money for quite some time. He didn't know how to spend it exactly. On our way up a flight of stairs we passed my a white-haired old woman who was making her way very slowly. At the top of the stairs there was a wide table, and dad took a chair there, sitting to figure out his money situation. He had the check out on the table and I saw that it was worth some seemingly arbitrary figure, like "$9,674". Then there was a powder blue sweater on the table in front of dad. He'd picked it up before, I guess; one of his finds. I suggested that Keith and I go it alone for awhile to find more stuff for dad, but Keith was reluctant. Dad understood and told Keith that they two would have their time together later, after he figured out this money thing, and that he should go with me for now. Keith headed deeper into the store and I was set to follow when I heard struggling from the staircase behind dad (who was lost in concentration). Another younger woman came up the stairs paying no mind to the white-haired woman, so, curious, I went to the stairs to look down. She was muttering about something under her breath, and seemed to be having quite a lot of difficulty, so I decided to help her up the rest of the way. We made it to the top and I continued helping her walk - past dad at his table - deeper into the store. And as we walked she relied on me less and less, and eventually she let go of me and strolled quite easily, stopping in front of a rack of clothing. I found this odd, and asked her how she was able to walk on her own so suddenly. She said something sly about not being as old as she looked, and peoples' generosity toward an old woman being one of the last few ways she knew to have people touch her.