A few years ago, I had taken a part-time job in a video store at the local shopping mall. From inside the store, I'd begun to see the people rushing by outside. Then an elderly woman caught my eye. Although slow and unsure of steps, she moved with deliberation (从容). The elderly woman had come into the store along with a younger woman who I guessed was her daughter. The daughter was clearly impatient, checking her watch every few seconds.
The older woman then separated from the younger one and began to seek through the DVDs on the nearest shelf, obviously expecting someone else to help. After the slightest hesitation, I walked over and asked if I could help her find something. The woman smiled at me and showed me a title scrawled (乱涂乱画) on a piece of paper. It was a bit unclear to make out. Clearly a person looking for it knew a little about movies, about quality. Rather than rushing off to locate the DVD for the woman, I asked her to walk with me so I could show her where she could find it.
Looking back, I think I wanted to enjoy her company for a moment. Something about her deliberate movements reminded me of my own mother, who'd passed away the previous Christmas. As we walked along the back of the store, I introduced her to the different sections: old television shows, action movies, cartoons, science fiction. The woman seemed glad of the unrushed company and casual conversation.
We found the movie, and I complimented her on her choice. She smiled and told me it was one she'd enjoyed when she was her daughter's age and that she hoped she would enjoy it as much as she had. Maybe, she said with a hint of wistfulness (一丝渴望), her daughter could enjoy it with her own young children. Then, when the older woman's turn in line came, she paid in cash, counting out the dollars and coins with the same sureness she'd displayed earlier.
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As the cashier put the DVD into a plastic bag, I walked over to the younger woman.
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The elderly woman moved with her deliberate slowness back to her daughter.