The Cowboy Way

One of the many reasons I enjoy volunteering at the Assistance League® resale store is that I get to witness random acts of kindness. One Saturday, I was behind the counter when a gentleman, who sported a well-worn cowboy hat, jeans and a prominent western belt buckle, came up and asked to see some jewelry on display. As he inspected a bracelet, a caregiver wheeled an elderly woman to the counter. She, too, was admiring the pieces in the case. The woman commented that, though she was wheelchair bound, she was at just the right height to see the beautiful jewelry. The cowboy had overheard what the woman was sharing. He leaned down next to her and asked, “Which piece do you find pretty?” She pointed to a necklace of jet-black glass beads. He agreed that it was lovely. As I rang up his purchases, he quietly asked me to add the necklace to his bill and to give it to the elderly lady after he left the shop. As he stepped out the door, I took the price tag off and placed the necklace around the woman’s neck and said, “This is a gift from that gentleman you just met.” Tears instantly flowed from the old woman’s eyes. “Oh my, no one has ever done something like this for me. I can’t believe it!” Because of a kind act, a necklace that had a $4.00 price tag instantly became a priceless treasure.
The following week, I was once again at the resale store. The door opened and in walked the cowboy. I shared with him how delighted and touched the woman was, along with all of us who had witnessed his kind act. He simply looked at me, tipped his hat and said: “Well, that’s the cowboy way.”
You can make someone’s day by shopping at the resale store, becoming a volunteer, or donating your items to Assistance League of Santa Clarita. For more information about the organization, visit www.assistanceleaguesantaclarita.org