Shopping carts — the staple of every commercial grocery store in America. Arguably as good a symbol of suburban United States as hotdogs and fireworks.
Everyone knows that when you go into a store to shop, the edict is to grab a shopping cart (or buggy if you're from the South) from the corral and be on your way.
But that isn’t what happened last week when a grandfather’s story went viral after confronting a rude young man taking advantage of his kindness.
When the older man walked into the store on a busy Friday afternoon, as he did every week, he spotted a shopping cart left abandoned near the corral.
He grabbed the cart, assuming he could help the store in a small way by using a cart; one of the workers would probably end up having to move into the corral anyway. When a young man came up and put his hand on the cart, yelling at the old man.
Other customers said they heard him from across the parking lot. “Hey man, that’s my cart!”
Grandpa was confused by the man’s sudden hostility. Heck, anyone would be. But didn’t see the harm in simply letting the man take the cart. After all, he only took it because no one else did.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you’d left it here.”
As grandpa lifted his hands from the cart, the young man swiftly pulled it toward himself and marched into the store.
There were still plenty of people around, heading into and out of the store, grabbing carts, etc. The man saw a few of them looking in his direction as the young man stormed off.
They all had that look of confusion and disappointment that the grandpa was sure he was also wearing.
The young man left in such a hurry that grandpa could only imagine what had set the young man off.
Maybe he was short on time and got delayed, so the young man had to leave his cart for a moment and leave it here.
The older man thought about this as he went and got a new cart, this time from the corral, and started his shopping.
According to him, some time passed while he shopped around — up and down the aisles. He said he nearly forgot the encounter just minutes ago.
When, low and behold, he finds the young man in one of the aisles taking a phone call.
The young man was a little loud but nothing too obnoxious. It wasn't enough to get security involved or anything...at least not yet.
But even when he isn’t trying to overhear the conversation, the aisles are small, and he could only ignore so much when the man is speaking louder than anyone else there.
“Ya dude, like, the funniest thing happened when I came into the store! There was this guy picking up a cart, like, the kind left outside, right? And I thought, ‘Yo, it would be so funny if I just act like that cart is mine!”
The older man is caught off guard by such an excuse but keeps listening.
“So, like, I go up to him, got my hands on the cart, and just tell him, ‘Hey man that’s my cart! What are you doing!’ And the guy, dude, gets the FUNNIEST look on his face. I swear, if you had been here, could a recorded it, would’ve been the BEST video on my YouTube channel. Man, I’m telling you, it was hilarious”
The older man couldn't believe what he heard. He walked up to the young man, stepping into his line of view. He sees the young man flinch and put his phone away.
“What is the hell is matter with you? You have any idea how rude that is?”
The young man is beet red, obviously not expecting the man to hear him, let alone confront him about his behavior.
Of course, the kid started to back track now that the older guy wasn't being a push over.
“Come on, man. It’s not a big deal or anything.”
At this point, all eyes were on the two. We know we'd root for the old guy, too.
“Well, you might think you done no harm. But it’s obvious you got no respect for other people. What are you doing, walkin’ around messin’ with people for a laugh?”
People began to stop and watch the whole confrontation. You never know nowadays.
The kid tried to brush off the event, saying, “Man, it’s fine. Why do you even care?”
This kid just didn't get it. The world is crazy now.
The older guy responded, “Why? Because next time it might not be me you mess with could be someone a lot more dangerous. Someone like him.”
The old man points to a customer standing a few feet behind the young man. The customer is huge, taking up most of the aisle, a few tattoos visibly peeking up from his shirt collar. The huge man just looks at the young man, showing his teeth in a wide grin.
The old man gives him a nod. The young man looks back at the grandpa, even redder than before, sweat starting to bead down his neck.
Feeling a surge of guilt and embarrassment, the young man realizes the gravity of his actions.
He stammers, trying to find the right words to apologize. "I... I didn't mean any harm, sir. I was just thinking about videos for my YouTube channel. I didn't think anyone would mind. I'm sorry."
The old man looks at him sternly but with a hint of compassion in his eyes.
The surrounding shoppers are watching the scene unfold, curious about the outcome. The old man takes a deep breath, and his voice softened by understanding.
“Son, pranks are fine if they don't hurt or disrespect others. You need to be mindful of the impact your actions can have on people. It's not just about you or this YouTube stuff; it's about treating others with kindness and respect."
The young man nods, realizing the truth in the old man's words.
He takes a moment to reflect on his behavior and the potential consequences.
The large customer behind him steps forward, his intimidating presence now transformed into a gentle smile.
The big guy knew what was going on and said, "Listen, kid, we all make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them and make amends. Just think a little before you act next time."
Encouraged by the unexpected support, the young man extends his hand to the old man.
The kid clearly understood his mistake. "I really am sorry. I understand now, and I promise I won't do something like this again."
The old man looks at him for a moment, then firmly shakes his hand.
