The cashier looked between us, as if waiting for her permission.
I could see her hand shaking as she held her phone. “You...” She looked behind me. “You have a big purchase as well...”
“Yes, and my last album did really well. Trust me, I’m in the music biz, I have money.” She was wavering, I could tell. I figured I could be honest and lay it on thick at the same time. “Christmas is a time for giving right? I’m away from home and I miss my Mum. Please, let me do this for you? It’d make my mum really proud.”
The woman swiped at her eyes and nodded. “Okay, fine. Yes, thank you that’s... that’s really wonderful of you.”
The cashier smiled and swiped the card. “That’s really something,” they said. “We don’t often see acts of kindness here.”
“You’re that singer, Whetu, right?” The cashier asked.
The woman gave me a wide-eyed look.
“Uh, yes. Semi-retired-ish.” I smiled, practically glowing as the receipt printed out. "Name's Tane."
The woman pushed her cart away.
I was halfway through my own purchase when she rushed back.
“Please, can I get your number or something? I just want to say thank you properly?”
“Oh, sure.” I gave her my number.
She tapped it into her phone and grinned. “I'm Kelly, thank you, once again. You’ve really... made my day. My whole Christmas really.” She kissed my cheek and then hurried off.
As I packed all my purchases into the car I remembered something from home. A big donation bin at The Warehouse — our version of a down-market Target, and how it would fill over the month of December, a collection for needy kids. Often going to women’s refuge centres, or similar charities.
I packed everything in and sat in the car, thinking it through, then I called Dillon.
He answered after five rings. He sounded out of breath.
“Hey, Tane, what’s up?”
“Hey sorry if you’re busy, I just had a bit of a brain wave,” I said.
“Oh yeah?”
“Do you think you could make space in the shop for like, a donation box? We could do a toy drive, a collection for families in need?”
“That’s perfect,” Dillon said. “I was already looking into something for food collection... I’ll make space, I’m sure we havesome crates or pallets out back we could use to put it together. Want to come in and help?”
“Yeah, and I’ll put the first donations in, too.”
At the shop, I helped Dillon piece together four wooden pallets to make a box. He’d already cleared a space by the wall next to the checkout, so people could put their purchases directly into the box.
I made a sign and stuck it to the front, then unloaded some of my Target purchases into it. The towels, socks, all the Christmas bears and things I’d picked up on a whim. It looked better with things inside it, more inviting to add your own.
The sign I’d made, scribbling on pieces of butcher paper left a little to be desired though.
“I can make a nicer sign at home.”
Dillon looked over from stocking the shelves. “I think it’s fine, we just need to work out what charity it’s all going to.”
I sidled up to him and stole a kiss before giving it serious thought. “I guess there’s not enough population for a soup kitchen here?”
Dillon shook his head, but I could see he was thinking hard. “What if.... We host something?”
“Host something? Here in the shop?”
