(this isn't so much a poem as a tale i feel deserves to be told.)
yesterday i was out shopping for christmas gifts,
and the sweater i was purchasing at j.c. penney was supposedly on sale.

i told the cashier, "excuse me, but can you please check the price on this?
i want to make sure it's not actually 68 bucks like the tag suggests."
and he said yes, of course, and scanned it for me,
and confirmed that it indeed was 24.99 rather than 68 bucks.

i asked if i should scan my card now, and he asked if i had any coupons.
i said no.
was i sure?
i said yes.
not even one on my phone?
i said no.

i asked again if i should scan my card now, and he said to hold on.
he reached into a trash can under the counter, pulling out a used coupon,
and scanned it for me.
for me!

i told him thank you,
thank you, thank you (i don't recall anything else i said),
and he just smiled and told me that my total was 16.99,
and that i deserved it for saying the magic word.
thank you! was all i could say,
and he just continued to smile as i walked away.

i don't believe that the world or people are inherently good,
but some people nevertheless can be good just for the sake of being good.
i usually forget that.

(i'm glad that, for at least one day, i could remember.)