Our area just recently added an ALDI grocery store, which, I'm learning, is a pretty big deal. Don't want this to be an ad for ALDI, but let's just say I plan to shop there a lot!
One of their things is that you have to put down a 25 cent deposit on the shopping carts. They have devices on the handles that "lock" them together, and to unlock one for your use, you have to insert a quarter. Then to get your quarter back, you have to return the cart to the store instead of leaving it in the parking lot. So I keep a special ALDI Quarter in the car just for this purpose.
Was walking into the store recently (they had gallons of milk for $1.89, who could resist THAT??), and had my quarter at the ready... and the first cart locked in to the others...had a quarter in the slot. The previous person had left their quarter, I'm assuming as a "pay it forward" kindness gesture! Of course I used that cart for my shopping, and beat back the little devil on my shoulder urging me to take the free quarter. No, the warm fuzzies I felt by that stranger's two-bit generosity won me over, and after my shopping I returned the cart and locked it...and left the quarter in the slot for the next person.
It's hard to think of a discount grocery store bringing out the best in people, but this little quarter protocol seems to do just that. Pay it forward!
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