The woman stood, her thin arm wrapped around her chubby, filthy baby. The kid had dried snot on his face, a dazed look in his eyes and a disposable diaper that looked like it should have been changed hours ago. It sagged from his body as though the mom was smuggling a day’s worth of groceries in it.
Her hands shook as she pulled out her coin purse. The woman behind her let out a heavy sigh, her perfectly coiffed hair standing tall, waving as the woman huffed again. She whispered none too quietly.
“Some people just shouldn’t even have kids if they can’t take care of them.”
Another couple behind them murmured in agreement, causing the young mom to blink back tears. She looked at the diapers and formula on the conveyor belt. They were necessary things. She couldn’t just leave.
Counting through her coins, quarters, pennies, nickels, she was coming up short. Digging through her pockets, she tried in vain to find the five-dollar bill she was sure she’d tucked away in her shorts last night.
Stifling a sob, she stared at the belt. The diapers or the formula? She could probably just use some old clothes as a diaper. The formula, that was necessary, though. She switched the baby to her other hip, hoping to try her pockets on more time.
The baby grunted as she settled on her hip and she felt the obvious wetness spreading along her shirt. The diaper was giving up.
Pressing her mouth closed, she handed the diapers to the cashier and shook her head.
The cashier looked at the diapers, then at the child in the woman’s arms. His mouth curled in disgust.
It was all too much. The woman pushed the coins across the counter and grabbed the formula. It would have to do.
Tucking the can under her arm, she started for the door.
“Wait, ma’am, you dropped this!” A well-dressed woman had called out to her. The young mom turned, wondering what she’d messed up this time.
The woman was holding out a twenty-dollar bill.
“That’s not mine,” The mom said, knowing she hadn’t even seen a twenty in far too long.
“Yes, it fell out of your pocket when you were looking for something. It’s yours.” The woman pressed it into her hand.
A tiny dose of hope.
This is my freewrite for @mariannewest prompt today disposable diaper
Oh,@byn, as always your writing skills pull me right in. I love to see when you pop in for a visit. You always make it worth the visit. I can tell you that you brought me to the point of tears reading the story. I identified with this poor young woman with my years with my abuser during multiple separations when he shut off all funds 2 forced me home. Hugs.
I haven't dealt with the abuse, but I've definitely dealt with having kids and no money. It is a devastating place to be and can be so hopeless when we want the best for our kids. <3 I'm glad you found your freedom.
What a wonderful story 😭
Thank you <3 Just a reminder that a little kindness goes a long way. I've been on both sides at different times and I don't want to forget how much even the little things can mean when someone is in need!
Beautiful story sweets 🤗
@alliedforces curate 2
Keep up the great work and join us in The Castle sometime!
The #spreadlovenotwar curation campaign is under the guidance of witnesses @enginewitty and @untersatz.
Thank you! <3
Anytime, good to see ya out and about :)
Nice story, sad, realistic but very meaningful at the same time. Sometimes good things really do happen to people who need them the most.
I had times in my life when someone just happened to appear with a tiny bit of hope in the midst of hard times. It's almost impossible to know how much even a little gesture can mean to someone who needs it!
Very Moving..
Especially when You know...
I've had the blessing of being helped by someone else in my darkest times as well as had those times when I was able to help someone else. I like to think that people will help when they feel that little nudge!
!SHADE 5 !DERANGED
@byn you have received
5 SHADEfrom sgt-dan!View and trade the tokens on Steem Engine.
This tip bot is powered by witness untersatz!
Lol! I didn't know what this was about when I first saw the comment :) I thought you were just calling me deranged... which might actually be accurate anyway ;)
No, you were supposed to get a deranged coin. The bot works now and again. Especially when I have enough! Evidently I didn't have enough. 🤣
Oh no, sorry. It did give me the coin, but all I saw in my 'replies' feed was "DERANGED" and I assumed it was on one of my more horror-centric stories!! :)
My favorite for today. Well done.
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Thank you so much!
Awesomely heart-pokey (in the good way) piece, @byn. Missed seeing your face on the blockchain! 🤗 😊
Thank you!!! I see you occasionally on FB (they are so bad about showing posts sometimes though! I hope to get back a few times a week.
Oh good, somebody helpful showed up in this story, just in the nick of time.
I occasionally write hopeful kinda things :)
I am glad you do! Although the creepy stuff is good, too.
Sweet!! There are some people with a heart! Glad that you are here and I hope you tell us all about what you have been up to.
Man, I wish I knew what I was up to. It's been... interesting and boring and typical and atypical! Things are looking up in some ways, though, so YAY!
looking up is good!!
Well, well done ... the cruelty of the masses, the hope from just ONE person with compassion ... thank you for helping us be that ONE where we are ...
It doesn't always take much! Even a kind word can go a long way!
It doesn't always
Take much! Even a kind word
Can go a long way!
- byn
I'm a bot. I detect haiku.
IRght -- thank you for encouraging the encouragers with your writing!
This was such a beautiful short story. I am still drying my eyes. I am thankful that @enginewitty shared this will all of us on #PYPT. I especially liked where the person helping allowed the young mother to keep her dignity.
That is a very important aspect that I didn't even think of. I know sometimes it's necessary to accept help, but it can be so hard to do so!
You need more DERANGED (5 DERANGED is needed to send 1 DERANGED a day)
All I have seen are the tragedies brought on by financial struggles in many of the preceding years of my life. You have painted this picture with a deftness and the emotions of the mother were depicted so well. I hope that it plants a seed of benevolence in those with hearts full of avarice and puts the idea of humanity into the heads of anyone who might have been in the line, giving out their looks of dissent.
So many people born with a silver spoon stuck up their ass. If I was still angry with the world I'd tell them to take it out and eat the shit off of it for not making sure that baby got fed if they had the money to help.
Now, I just hope that they find the kindness in their hearts to do that the next time, because lacking that kindness makes them far more devoid of what is valuable than that struggling mother. Thank you for this contribution. This is very moving.
Thank you. I've been in that place more often than I care to think about. It can be so devastating. I'm hoping that even if a couple of people read it and think even a little differently next time they're in that situation that it will make a difference in someone's life.
I read it to my girlfriend, and I didn't cry while reading it... 😜