Lesson on a rainy market day

[RozieDozie]

Got rained out of the market again today. Big, big rain flooding, no customers.

There is an older lady at our market who sells every week but, bless her heart, her produce is just so awful looking. Almost no one buys her stuff, so I usually buy something from her just because she breaks my heart.

So today, I bought over-ripe field peas from her, even though we're picking a gazillion lbs. morning and night here....

She said, "you buyin' my peas; didn't you all plant any?"

Me: "we didn't plant this kind of pea" (a lie, but so what).

Her: "you're not tellin' me the truth. You're buying my peas 'cause you feel sorry fer me."

Me: "I'm buying your peas because this is a lousy market day and no one made any money and I want to share with you."

Her: (Big Smile). "I dig a hole, I plant a seed, and the Lord makes it grow if it's His will. If it grows I bring it here and sell it and if don't nobody buy it I feed it to my chickens." "Don't feel sorry for me; I got food and chickens and good friends at this market."

Then she gives me a hug and she bags up my over-ripe peas and I pay full price and sob my heart out all the way to the truck. God Love That Soul and Spirit and the lesson of giving. She gave me MUCH more than I gave her.

[LAC]

Rozie.............THANK YOU for sharing that story.
What a kind soul you are.

[Hairy Moose Knuckles]

Sweetie, I always, always love your stories!

[BalconyFarmer]

Thanks for the story, Rosie. With so much hardship around these days, it's nice to hear about people trying to ease the burden of others, and the resilience of people who are struggling to get by but still have dignity and grace.

[Critter]

You are such a nice person to do this. Thank you for sharing the story as well.

[springfever]

I write a newspaper article and just sent todays off and would you believe it is on helping one another?

[brenda70546]

sounds like the Rozie i know and love thanks for shareing ...did u find me a jeep yet u know an old one

[RozieDozie]

Love to you, too, Brenda. Still working on the lottery for that jeep. LOL!

All of you Idiggers are special people. Wish I could meet you all in person.

The market lady is still on my mind today and will be for days to come. Living in the rural South again after so many years of big city living is taking me back to my roots and also teaching me lots of lessons. Lessons about the goodness of people and how people, here, struggle to make a living but keep on keeping on.

In my 'city' market, most of my customers were up and coming yuppies and the food was trendy. Here, most of my customers are older people and some young families who are careful with their pennies. The sellers are different too. Lots of retired hobby farmers that sell one of two things and then a whole raft of backyard gardeners who sell what produce they can to live.

Whoever they are, they all have a sense of pride in what they market and the markets are their, and my, community. When I see these people of rural America, it gives me great hope. They are good people. I'm proud to live among them.