The woman told the other woman, with a sympathetic tone, that she was alone and didnt have anyone to lend her a hand. She said her meagre pension disappeared on rent and medication, with hardly anything left for food. A friend ended up paying for groceries for the poor old lady.
One day, my childhood friend rang me and asked if everything was alright in our family. As it turned out, my friend had accidentally spotted my grandmother in a shop, even though she doesnt live anywhere near that particular shop.
My gran, Elaine, is quite sprightly for her age. Back in the day, she was a maths teacher. Now shes retired, but her old students still remember her fondly, and shes held in high regard. But in that shop, my friend didnt see the lively Mrs. Elaine, but rather, a sad elderly woman.
Gran Elaine quietly told the kind-hearted woman that she was all alone and struggling. She explained that her small pension was spent on rent and medicine, and there simply wasnt enough left for food. The friend kindly bought some groceries for poor gran.
My friend was leaving a shop with an elderly lady and tried to approach her. But the old woman quickly said, Turn back, and made off. I assumed it was just some misunderstanding. My friends grandmother is actually fairly well-off, and we always lend a hand if she needs it. However, it turned out that the woman only wanted to buy herself a bit of food.
That evening, I went round to see my grandmother. I decided not to beat around the bush, so I asked her directly. After she answered me, honestly, I wasnt quite sure how to behave around her anymore.
It turned out Gran was testing a new idea shed come across. She would go as far from home as she could, just to avoid bumping into anyone she knew. And wouldnt you know it, she ran into my best friend! Thats the way of these little social experimentsstatistically speaking, she gets away with it about six out of ten times. On the way back, gran donates all the groceries shes been given to the local church instead of keeping them for herselfso in a roundabout way, these people are actually helping the needy!
I honestly cant fathom why someone would be so obsessed with such odd pastimes in old age. If youre bored, you get yourself a dog or a hamster. What a shame! My friend has promised not to mention any of this to anyone.
