I was waiting in a checkout line. A woman and two boys were ahead of me. At the cash desk, a white-haired man had begun to1 his goods. Then came the question. Sometimes it's a customer with multiple coupons (优惠券), or someone who forgot to2 a piece of fruit. Fair enough. One waited.
But today, it was something else. The man didn't have3 money. So he began the process of choosing which4 to keep and which to hand back. He paused over each one before keeping or5 it. We waited. Longer lines surged ahead.
6 , his7 came to an end. The man turned back to us as he left,8 and apologetic. We waved off his chagrin (懊恼). It could happen to anyone.
But I had no idea just how9 the family of three ahead of me were until their turn came. The woman asked the cashier to add all the10 goods to her bill as quickly as possible. Then the two boys11 through the exit with the small bag of groceries. When they returned, it was clear that their mission had been12 .
Then I13 all it took to witness this flash of14 was waiting a little longer in a checkout line. I could have caught the bus. But I felt so15 on my feet that I walked home instead.
