It was around this time of year and she worked as a staff supervisor for a supermarket in a rural town.
Her shift was always 3-900pm and her staff comprised of teenagers working part time after school for pin money and presently for Christmas cash.
After 5:00pm when the owners left the store, the store then became her personal responsibility. Nothing went unseen or unnoticed by her - she was vigilant.
The kids jokingly but kindly because they thought she was cool, called her "Stella."
When some other adults would have shuddered at the thought of supervising and working with teens, Stella loved it. She made it clear from the start though that they were all there primarily to work and perform their assigned duties. However, there was always some quiet time for a joke, a song or someone jumping out from behind a stockpile of canned peas or hiding behind the swinging doors to the back and scaring the hell out of the supervisor.
At this time of day and time of year, the evenings were slow, the customers congenial and the atmosphere relaxed.
Even so, they all kept busy doing something; sweeping, tidying, restocking shelves etc. Sometimes they would gather and talk to Stella about school, parents and life in general.
One night she was patrolling the aisles of the store; checking the cart situation, was the floor wet and slippery? was the temperature in the meat section ok? are there enough bananas out in produce?
She came around to the entrance of the store and noticed a piece of paper on the wet floor. Trash? No, wait - it was a damp and crumpled $100.00 bill!
She grabbed it and stuffed it into her apron thinking about all she could do with that money - Christmas was just around the corner and it certainly would help.
For some reason the damp bill felt heavy in her pocket.
Should she keep it? Should she make out a report & put it in the safe? But, she really could use that money. . .
The patrol of the store continued with the strange weight of the rumpled bill reminding her.
Then, suddenly, a woman rushed into the store. Her face was ashen and her eyes were red and swollen. I remembered her being in the store earlier for bread and milk and she certainly didn't look like that then.
She was wringing her hands and tears filled her eyes.
"I've lost something - some money and it's all I have until next pay! Did you happen to find - no, it's probably gone . ."
Without hesitation, Stella reached into her apron pocket and produced the now almost dry and oddly unwrinkled $100.00 bill and said, "Is this what you're looking for?"
The woman looked up in shock and was only able to nod her head. "Thank you and Merry Christmas" she said and left the store.
Stella felt a sense of relief; firstly that the money had been restored to the rightful owner and secondly because the "weight" or guilt she had been feeling was gone.
The next week, after the lovely dinner party the store held for all the employees, the Christmas bonuses were handed out.
Stella had a good idea of how much it usually was and she really appreciated it.
However, upon her opening the envelope she gasped a little.
Yes, she got her usual bonus plus an extra $100.00!

Christmas wonders never cease . . .