Impatient but Grateful

I was standing in line at the grocery store waiting to check out with one head of lettuce. The person in front of me didn't have a large purchase but the checker was very slow, and the price scanner didn't seem to be working so it took two or three swipes per item. Then the checker had to change the paper roll and fumbled about a bit.

I turned to an older lady behind me, who happened to have only one head of cabbage to purchase, and said, "I am feeling very impatient." I said it in a calm way but none the less feeling impatient.

The lady replied in a heavy unidentified accent, "Well, we should be grateful that we have food that can be purchased and that we can afford to pay for it. In some countries this would not be possible."

She asked about the Romain Lettuce and how I used it. I asked about her cabbage and what she was going to cook with it. After paying for my purchase, I added, "Yes and we should be grateful that we have our health and are able to get here to shop." She agreed. Her attitude was infectious. I felt better.