There was something in the elderly woman's grace that caught my eye. Although slow and unsure of her steps, the woman moved with deliberation (从容), and there was no hesitation in her gestures.
It was a few years ago, and I had taken a part - time holiday - season job in a video store at the local shopping mall. From inside the store, I could see the people outside rushing by.
The elderly woman entered the store, along with her daughter, who was displaying a serious case of impatience, rolling her eyes, sighing and checking her watch every few seconds. I guessed if she had possessed a rope, she would have fastened it to her mother to drag her along to keep step with the rush of other shoppers.
The elderly woman separated from her daughter and began to seek through the DVDs on the nearest shelf. After the slightest hesitation, I walked over and asked if I could help her find something. The woman smiled up at me and showed me a title written on an old piece of paper.
Rather than rush off to locate the DVD for the woman, I asked her to walk with me so I could show her where she could find it. Looking back, I thought I wanted to enjoy her company for a moment.
Something about her deliberate movements reminded me of my own mother, who'd passed away the previous Christmas. I missed my mom and still felt regretful about the moments when I'd used my impatience to make her life unhappy.
As we walked along the back of the store, I introduced its floor plan: old television shows, action movies, cartoons, science fiction. The woman seemed glad of the unrushed company and casual conversation.
We found the DVD and she thanked me, saying that it was the one she'd enjoyed when she was her daughter's age. Unwillingly, I accompanied her to the cash register, realizing I had to return the elderly woman to her daughter, who was still tapping her foot at the front of the store.
Paragraph 1: As the elderly woman was waiting in the queue at the cash register, I walked over to her daughter.
Paragraph 2: Together they made their way toward the store's exit.
