you?’
‘At the supermarket, about to check out, so I ought to go.’
‘OK. Did you speak to Granny Berry today? She rang me trying to get hold of you.’
‘Yes, we had a long chat earlier. She wanted to know if I’m going to be in town at all before your performance exam, because she’s got some paintings going into an exhibition. I told her I wouldn’t miss it.’
‘Too right we won’t. Is Alfonso coming over from Italy?’
‘I believe so. Right, it’s me next so I have to go. I’ll call you later.’ As she rang off she heard the sounds of a commotion further along the store and looked up to find out what it was.
The young girl at the till in front of her was on her feet. ‘That is so amazing, isn’t it?’ she declared, beaming all over her face.
‘What is it?’ Emma said, trying to work out what was happening.
‘It’s one of them golden angels,’ the girl explained. ‘She’s just paid that old lady’s bill. Oh God, look at the old lady’s face. She’s so thrilled she’s crying.’
Recognising Mrs Dempster who lived on the same street as her, Emma found herself clapping and laughingalong with everyone else. ‘So where’s the angel?’ she wondered.
‘No idea,’ the checkout girl replied. ‘Been and gone, I expect. Apparently they never hang around. She’s such a dear old soul, Mrs D. She’s my friend’s gran. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.’
Though she’d only spoken to Mrs Dempster on one occasion, when they’d spent a few minutes standing in the freezing cold outside Emma’s house wondering when the new gates were going to be fitted, Emma had no problem believing that the old lady was well liked simply from the kindliness of her smile, and the gentleness of her rheumy grey eyes. ‘I wonder what made them choose her?’ she said.
The girl shrugged as she sat back down and continued to scan the groceries through. ‘No one has a clue. We don’t even know they’re coming until they’re here. They just turn up, pick someone at random, pay the bill, in cash, and go.’
‘So they’ve been to this store before?’
‘Only once, about a month ago. They chose some really grumpy old sod that time. He was at the checkout next to mine, and you should have heard him carrying on. He kept telling the woman, angel, whatever, to bugger off and mind her own business, he even tried to hit her with his stick. Then he finally got what was going on and you should have seen him. Honest to God, I nearly cried myself, it was so lovely seeing all the misery melting off his scabby old face. He turned out to have a bit of a lovely smile, and he even had teeth, which none of us expected. I reckon it was the first time anyone had done something nice for him in so long he’d forgotten it ever happened.’
Picturing the scene, Emma found herself wishing she’d thought of doing something like this when she’d had the money, even if on a smaller scale. Alas, she was in no position to do it now. ‘So how long has it been happening?’ she asked.
‘About a year, I suppose. Sometimes they don’t come for ages, then just when you think it’s all over you get a great flurry of them turning up. The Lidl over by my auntie’shad six of them in the week before Christmas, so you can imagine what a fantastic present that must have been for the lucky ones. I just wish someone would drop in and pay my bill is all I can say, but I don’t suppose us what works here are going to get a look-in. Right, looks like we’re done, so unless the angel comes back that’ll be fifty-eight thirty-three, please.’
Relieved that she’d managed to keep the bill below sixty after shelling out ninety-two pounds for Lauren’s car, Emma handed the money over and after taking her change and receipt wheeled her trolley out to the car park. It was already pitch dark outside, and so cold that the rain started to freeze in tiny icicles on the fur around her hood. How lucky she was to have her own
‘At the supermarket, about to check out, so I ought to go.’
‘OK. Did you speak to Granny Berry today? She rang me trying to get hold of you.’
‘Yes, we had a long chat earlier. She wanted to know if I’m going to be in town at all before your performance exam, because she’s got some paintings going into an exhibition. I told her I wouldn’t miss it.’
‘Too right we won’t. Is Alfonso coming over from Italy?’
‘I believe so. Right, it’s me next so I have to go. I’ll call you later.’ As she rang off she heard the sounds of a commotion further along the store and looked up to find out what it was.
The young girl at the till in front of her was on her feet. ‘That is so amazing, isn’t it?’ she declared, beaming all over her face.
‘What is it?’ Emma said, trying to work out what was happening.
‘It’s one of them golden angels,’ the girl explained. ‘She’s just paid that old lady’s bill. Oh God, look at the old lady’s face. She’s so thrilled she’s crying.’
Recognising Mrs Dempster who lived on the same street as her, Emma found herself clapping and laughingalong with everyone else. ‘So where’s the angel?’ she wondered.
‘No idea,’ the checkout girl replied. ‘Been and gone, I expect. Apparently they never hang around. She’s such a dear old soul, Mrs D. She’s my friend’s gran. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.’
Though she’d only spoken to Mrs Dempster on one occasion, when they’d spent a few minutes standing in the freezing cold outside Emma’s house wondering when the new gates were going to be fitted, Emma had no problem believing that the old lady was well liked simply from the kindliness of her smile, and the gentleness of her rheumy grey eyes. ‘I wonder what made them choose her?’ she said.
The girl shrugged as she sat back down and continued to scan the groceries through. ‘No one has a clue. We don’t even know they’re coming until they’re here. They just turn up, pick someone at random, pay the bill, in cash, and go.’
‘So they’ve been to this store before?’
‘Only once, about a month ago. They chose some really grumpy old sod that time. He was at the checkout next to mine, and you should have heard him carrying on. He kept telling the woman, angel, whatever, to bugger off and mind her own business, he even tried to hit her with his stick. Then he finally got what was going on and you should have seen him. Honest to God, I nearly cried myself, it was so lovely seeing all the misery melting off his scabby old face. He turned out to have a bit of a lovely smile, and he even had teeth, which none of us expected. I reckon it was the first time anyone had done something nice for him in so long he’d forgotten it ever happened.’
Picturing the scene, Emma found herself wishing she’d thought of doing something like this when she’d had the money, even if on a smaller scale. Alas, she was in no position to do it now. ‘So how long has it been happening?’ she asked.
‘About a year, I suppose. Sometimes they don’t come for ages, then just when you think it’s all over you get a great flurry of them turning up. The Lidl over by my auntie’shad six of them in the week before Christmas, so you can imagine what a fantastic present that must have been for the lucky ones. I just wish someone would drop in and pay my bill is all I can say, but I don’t suppose us what works here are going to get a look-in. Right, looks like we’re done, so unless the angel comes back that’ll be fifty-eight thirty-three, please.’
Relieved that she’d managed to keep the bill below sixty after shelling out ninety-two pounds for Lauren’s car, Emma handed the money over and after taking her change and receipt wheeled her trolley out to the car park. It was already pitch dark outside, and so cold that the rain started to freeze in tiny icicles on the fur around her hood. How lucky she was to have her own
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