Helping an elderly woman reconnect with her family ended up ruining my Thanksgiving

So, I ran into this elderly lady, Edie. She was struggling through the snow, dragging a heavy suitcase, and all by herself. Turns out Edie was trying to get to her daughter’s place for Thanksgiving. She didn’t remember the way very well, kept getting confused, and walking was hard for her, so she really needed some help. Meanwhile, my boss kept blowing up my phone, even though the workday was over. I ignored all the calls — helping Edie was way more important. After what felt like forever, we finally made it. Edie’s hands were shaking, and she had this weird, grim look on her face — I thought it was just nerves. We rang the doorbell, and a young woman opened the door. She: “Uh, can I help you?” Edie: “Melody, dear! It’s Mom! I’ve come to surprise you for Thanksgiving.” She, with a heavy sigh: “Oh… I’m so sorry to say this.”

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