Scammed?

As my mom and I entered the Christian bookstore at the strip mall, a woman sitting on a nearby bench called out "Mam? Mam! I'm a single mom, out of work, and I was wondering if you would buy something from me so I can buy some groceries?" A little girl in a bright yellow shirt sat next to her, presumably her daughter.

"I'll think about. Will you still be here when I come out?" My mom asked. But I didn't hear the lady's reply as we walked into the store.

I couldn't help but think to myself she sure knew what she was doing, picking the Christian bookstore as her "shop."

At the checkout counter, my mom asked the our cashier "Do you know anything about the lady out front who is trying to sell something?"

"No," she replied. "I didn't know there was anyone out there."

"She said she's a single mom and wanted money for food." My mom explained. The cashier gave one of those knowing looks.

"I guess I'll have to call security on her." She said she hated doing it. But we understood. No solicitors.

My mom and I paused before walking out the door. There was no avoiding the situation. It's not that we didn't want to help her, but... The lady was still there, and when my mom told her that she didn't like giving money away to strangers, the lady's face fell a little. "I'm trying to think of what's around here..." My mom said. It was then I realized my mother's intention. She was going to buy the lady's groceries.

"There's a Winn-Dixie across the street," The lady replied, pointing to the busy intersection on her left. "You could buy me a gift card," she suggested hopefully.

"I don't think so." My mom replied. "I'd like to go with you. I'll drive over and you meet me there.

When, the lady did show up, along with her daughter my mom asked "Where do you live?" The lady named an area nearby.

As we walked along the grocery aisle, the girl fell in step next to me. Before I could utter a word, she piped up, "What's your name?"

"Tori." I replied. "What's yours?"

"Gabriell. I think Tori is a pretty name."

"Where do you go to school?"

"P-------- Elementary." The school she named was in the opposite direction where she supposedly lived. "Do you want to be friends?" I said sure. She chatted on about this and that, asking me questions, even made me do a pirouette when she found out I did ballet. I found out that she had a nine year old brother.

After we had checked out, Gabriell's mom said to the cashier, "Is there a place I can put my cart? I need to go get some bread." My mom and I went out to the car.

"Should we wait and see if her friend comes to pick her up?" My mom asked. The lady had told us a friend would pick her up. I did wonder why she had stayed in the store and not come out with us.

"No, it's none of our business," I replied. Actually, it was. After all, we had just bought her groceries. But what was done was done. "Give to those who ask," right?

As we pulled away, we saw a man, possibly the father, walk into the store with a boy who may have been nine.

A single mom? Maybe. Out of a job? Maybe. Lives in that certain area of town? Doubtless. We were probably ripped off. However it's not my place to judge, though I have done a good bit of supposing. I just hope that what my mom and I did had some sort of positive impact on this lady and her daughter.

Tori
P.S. On a side not, if you can ever help it, don't go to Winn-Dixie at night. It's kind of scary.