Brenda was having a problematic day, and it started on the morning, after her trouble with her husband.
On her way, she had a quarrel with another driver, where they rolled their windows down and called each other names. And when she arrived at the post office, where she was working, her supervisor had scolded her.
“That wasn’t even my fault,” Brenda said to herself. Everyone she saw that day was giving her a headache. She took some medicine, but it didn’t helped.
She was waiting for the day to end, so she would get back at her home and stay in the bed until the next morning. She saw an old man at the door, but she wanted to go back home. “We’re already closed. Come back on Monday,” Brenda said.
“Please, ma’am. I need to send this. I walked 4 miles in the rain to get here,” the old man said.
As Brenda sighed, she decided to arrange the shipment for the old man. The old man’s hands were shaking, and his writing became illegible.
“Sir, I do not understand what you’re writing. I’m not an expert in deciphering hieroglyphs!” Brenda yelled, “Write more clearly!”
Brenda was worried that she would be late to pick her son from the school, then she called her husband to inform him.
“Can you please pick Ava up from school today? I’m running late as a customer came in at the last minute,” Brenda said to her husband.
It was raining outside, the old man was right. As Brenda was talking with her husband, old man approached to her, and wanted to give his old overworn coat to Brenda. Then Brenda saw that old man had a pacemaker. Her late father used to have that too, so she saw the device from the wrinkles of his clothes.
It softened Brenda, as she realized how much she missed her late father.
“I understand that you are angry with me. I’m sorry for coming into the post office so late. I could not hail a cab because of the rain, so I had to walk. These knees aren’t strong anymore, so I couldn’t make it here quicker,” the old man said, and apologized. “I will send the package on Monday. Please, go home to your family.”
“Don’t worry, sir. I’ve already asked my husband to pick up my daughter from school. What is your name? Come, let’s process your package,” Brenda said, as she smiled.
“Thank you, dear. My name is William,” the old man said, as they went back inside together.
“My daughter turns 50 tomorrow. I wanted to get her something special because it’s difficult for me to commute to visit her. I saved up for it, and I’m worried it won’t arrive on time,” William explained when Brenda asked about the box he was sending.
But it was late now, and the shipments were already sent out. So the package wouldn’t reach to it’s destination on the next day.
“I hate to break it to you, sir, but this package would arrive late if we process it here. We’ve already sent out our next-day delivery packages. This would arrive on Sunday,” Brenda said, and then she noticed that the location was two hours of drive away.
“Come with me,” she said to the old man, and asked her friend to lock up the post office, as the shift was over.
“Where are we going?” William asked.
“We’re going to your daughter’s house to celebrate this milestone birthday with her in person,” Brenda smiled.