“Is that your little helper?”

Well, it finally happened… I've thought about this many times since Jack was born and really couldn't understand why it has never happened to me. Maybe it was a thing of the past and something that just isn't "in vogue" today... Maybe I always seem too stressed-out or rushed and people don't feel like they can approach me… Maybe Dad was just a more charismatic guy that people liked to talk to… Maybe people just aren't as friendly as they used to be… I remember it happening to Dad almost every time he took us somewhere. I remember it happening to Dad EVERY SINGLE TIME he took us to Kuesters Hardward on South Weinbach by East Side Marine. Someone would always ask Dad if Greg and I were his little helpers and he would smile real big, look down at us, pat us on the head or rub our shoulders and say, "Yep, they're my little helpers." It always made me feel so good that Dad actually thought we were helping him when, Lord knows, it was usually just the opposite! Well, tonight, Jack and I went to Sam's to pick up some things for Missy and as we were checking out, Jack was helping me take the items out of the cart and put them on the conveyor belt. All of a sudden, I heard someone behind me say, "Is that your little helper?" It took me a few seconds to realize they were talking to me and when I turned around, there was about a 70 year old man smiling at me and waiting for me to answer him. I said with great pride and a huge smile on my face, "Yep, that's my little helper!!!"