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 to 1 his goods. Then came the 2 . Sometimes it's a customer with multiple coupons （优惠券）, or someone who forgot to 3 a piece of fruit. Fair enough. One waited.
But today, it was something else. The man didn't have 4 money. So he began the process of choosing which 5 to keep and which to hand back. He 6 over each one before keeping or abandoning it. We waited. The line became longer.
Eventually, his 7 came to an end. The man turned back to us as he left, 8 and apologetic. We 9 off his chagrin （懊恼）. It could happen to anyone.
But I had no idea just how 10 the family of three ahead of me were until their turn came. The woman asked the cashier to add all the 11 goods to her bill as quickly as possible. Then the two boys 12 through the exit with the small bag of groceries. When they returned, it was clear that their mission had been 13 .
Then I realized all it took to witness this flash of 14 was waiting a little longer in a checkout line. I could have caught the bus. But I felt so 15 on my feet that I walked home instead.
