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Random Acts of Kindness: Cart exchange need not include quarter

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Random Acts of Kindness: Cart exchange need not include quarter

I shop at Aldi much of the time. When I was first introduced to Aldi Grocery 20 years ago, I was quite surprised we had to put a quarter in the slot to get a shopping cart.

Little did I know at the time that our quarter was returned upon the return of the cart. How nice, I thought.

So for years I watched shoppers unpack their food into the back of their vehicles, begin to walk their cart to the return station, but along the way many ask those heading into the store if they would like a cart. Of course, most said yes. There would be an exchange of cart and quarter. The person taking the cart, gave back the quarter to the former for the use of the cart. I, too, would do the same and take the quarter given to me.

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Then years ago it dawned on me. What am I doing? Do I really need to take “my” quarter back? No. So from that day forward, I give the cart to the next person, tell them to keep “their” quarter, and continue to pass the cart to the next person.

Watching them light up with a smile of surprise makes my day brighter. And knowing deep inside I, too, may have made their day brighter as well. I often wonder how many carts have been passed along from the “quarter” of another’s heart?

MAUREEN KLACIK

Ben Avon

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Has someone done you right? Send your Random Act of Kindness to page2@post-gazette.com, or write to Portfolio, Post-Gazette, 358 North Shore Drive, Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15212.

First Published: January 3, 2020, 4:05 a.m.

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