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Perspective

Cailey Tarriane

    All the medicines look the same. And the lollipop wasn’t perfect. But I know that’s not the only reason why I want to go home and cry. I bury my face with my hands, exasperated.
    “What’s wrong?” the cashier asks. She’s the only other person in this pharmacy.
    “My mother and my little daughter are coming home from the hospital. I don’t know what type of medication my mother needs, none of these are what I’m looking for!” I wail, putting back a packet of tablets on the stand.
    Within minutes she helps me find the right medicine. It turns out I couldn’t find it because it was tucked behind a candy stand!
    “Don’t you find it funny?” the cashier stops laughing when she sees my face. I see the light side of it and start laughing, too.
    “How about the lollipop?” the cashier asks gently.
    “It’s for my daughter. But this isn’t the brand she wants. It’s blue; she likes pink. And she’s very insistent on it.”
    “I think your daughter wants to feel special,” the cashier comments. “Tell her that the blue one is the new bubblegum flavor. Kids come here everyday to have a chance at buying it, and right now it can be all hers!”
    My mood lifts. “Why was I being so negative earlier? My problems are solved in less than fifteen minutes!”
    “Maybe it’s more than that.”
    I think deeper. For some reason, this cashier didn’t feel like a stranger. “I guess I’m nervous. What if I lose my job and can’t support my family? What if my diabetic mother does the impossible and sneaks a treat? I don’t know how to take care of them.”
    “You’ll learn over time,” the cashier assures me. “And two of your family members are coming home from the hospital! Isn’t that something to rejoice about? They’re all yours!”
    I stare at her in amazement, realizing everything I had to be thankful for. “How do you do that?”
    “Do what?”
    “Make things magical.”
    “Oh,” she says, understanding. “Perspective.”

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