I had gone into the gourmet grocery store intent on taking advantage of the email offer I had received yesterday—a really, really good buy on fresh raspberries. No doubt this was a “loss leader” at the store, where I otherwise think twice before buying anything because of the prices.  However, by the time I arrived, the raspberries had sold out. Gone!

Seeing the disappointment on my face as she passed by, a cashier said, “Oh, I know. It was such a great price!”  But, she proceeded to tell me how she knew a delivery truck was on its way with more raspberries to re-stock the sale item’s shelf.  “I’ll just go check in the back about what time the truck will get here. Do you mind waiting?” she asked me.

I did NOT mind, not for that price. She returned quickly to report the truck would be here within a half hour and, perhaps I could just shop until then? Or go find a coffee or something? Since it would indeed be worth it, I took myself to a sporting goods store next door to pass the 30 minutes she had predicted. .

When the half hour had passed, I returned to the raspberry bin. No raspberries! However, my helpful clerk, Ericka, saw me from across the way and rushed to assure me the raspberries were in the building, just arrived. The produce team would be bringing them out any minute, she assured me, and she went back to double-check that that was indeed the case. She was right! The raspberries were beautiful and the produce guy who brought them out told me he was glad they could help and he thanked me for my patience.

At the register, Ericka apologized again for my “wait”. I had my raspberries. I also had two or three other expensive items I didn’t really need, just as my “thank you” to a store that had gone the extra mile.