Show human kindness

I was in a Health Plus pharmacy one day, in a pretty high brow neighbourhood of Lagos, doing some basic medicine shopping for my family. Just as I was about leaving, I saw an old man walk in, shuffling his feet(something my teacher Ikposa would flog you silly for doing back in our Howad days). He was well above 70, and he looked not well at all. He walked across to the counter and asked the attendant, 'excuse me, please do you have so-and-so drug?'(I cant remember the name thinking back now).The attendant answered in the affirmative. The old man now requested that he should be given one card so that he can pay for it. The attendant responded by saying she was sorry because the drug is old sold as a full pack and not singly in cards. The old man responded that he did not have enough money on him to buy the whole pack, since he only came with cash for one card. Now the shop attendant did something that completely broke my heart right there. He told the old man: Sir, if you don't have cash, you can pay for the whole pack with your ATM card. Goshhh, I was so close to screaming at her, and at the same time so close to tears. How could you humiliate an old man who couldn't afford just a card of the drugs with such suggestion. The old man made some excuses to leave by saying that he would leave now and would come back at another time to buy the whole pack when he is ready. All the while, I was watching the whole thing play out while I was still silently doing my own shopping. In the corner of my eyes, I watch the old man turn and started walking out of the pharmacy. Guys, believe you me, I have never before seen such depth of sadness in an old man's face. The sense of dejection was overwhelming and the silence that followed after him was deafening and explosive. I watched the old man walk out through the door and into the open car park on his way out of the premises. At that point I stepped up to the attendant and asked her about the nature of the drug. She answered that the drug was for use as a prescription for the treatment of high cholesterol in elderly people. Gosh....it just occurred to me at that moment that this medication for the old man could mean something critical. Immediately, I called the security man in the premises to go look for the old man and invite him back into the store by telling the old man that he had forgotten his glasses. It was the only excuse I could give to make the old man come back considering the humiliation and sadness I saw in him as he was leaving the store. When he came in, I introduce myself and told him that I had a medical background(partly true as my mum is a retired nurse) and we just started chatting about the drug and how it has been useful for managing cholesterol. I just wanted to try and make him relax a bit because the same attendant who treated him unfairly was still there. Thereafter, I offered to pay for 3 packs of the drugs for him. As would be expected, he tried to decline the offer, but I was able to make him accept it. He collected it and just as he came in, solemn and quiet, he was on his way out of the pharmacy. But again at the door, he stopped and thank me again, and asked me that he would like to know my name and my contact details. I told him that it was not necessary as it was nothing really required. He thanked me again and left. Shortly after, I paid for my stuff and left the shop. As I walked back to my car, I kept pondering about the whole incidence. At that point I realized that that the only regret I had was not paying for even more packs of the drugs for the old man!

People, do forgive me if this may appear like singing of one's own praise. I am only trying to say that we should do something no matter how little to further reinforce the humanity in us and make the world a better place. Thanks.