Senior Short On Money Starts Putting Groceries Back — Teenage Cashier Quickly Steps In

May 29, 2020 by apost team

When Layne McKeel of Georgetown, Tennessee went to pay for $170 worth of groceries at a local Fresh N Low last month, he discovered that he didn’t have enough to money to foot the bill.

That’s when 17-year-old cashier Elizabeth Taylor stepped in to cover the difference.

McKeel, a senior citizen who relies partly on disability payments, had planned to stock up for the weekend, according to local NBC station WRCB. But McKeel had missed Fresh N Low’s senior discount hours, and so when he went to check out at the register, he found out he was around $30 short.

“When [the cashier] said it was $173.00, I said ‘Oh no’ and I pulled my wallet out and I only had 140,” McKeel told WRCB in April. Upon finding out that he couldn’t afford the bill, McKeel said, “I’ll put some stuff back and the young lady said ‘No, don’t worry about it, it’s paid for.’ I said ‘what’s paid for?’”

To McKeel’s surprise, the 17-year-old opened up her own pocketbook to pay the difference.

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“It was all essential stuff so I was just like you know, and he was like what do I owe you? And I was like no, it’s fine, I’ll take care of it, it’s okay,” Elizabeth Taylor, cashier at Fresh N Low in Georgetown, told WRCB.

Taylor says that McKeel’s situation isn’t uncommon, especially in light of the coronavirus outbreak, which particularly affects seniors who are at a greater risk for COVID-19. Moreover, given that entire sectors of the workforce have to stay home in order to avoid infection, the virus has devastated economies across the globe.

“We’ve seen a lot of older people, and they’re all trying to buy groceries and a lot of places have ran out of stuff, and so the older people are kind of taking the downfall for that. I just try to give back when I can,” Taylor said in her interview with WRCB last month.

During these trying times, news outlets have reported on similar acts of kindness that have emerged throughout the country. In New York City, landlords like Mario Salerno, who waived April rent for 200 of his tenants across Brooklyn, have tried to give their renters some reprieve.

"For me, it was more important for people's health and worrying about who could put food on whose table," Salerno told NBC New York. "I say don't worry about paying me, worry about your neighbor and worry about your family."

In spite of the stress and worry of the coronavirus crisis, community members like Salerno and Taylor are stepping up to show the world that we all have to continue looking out for each other, particularly now when so many are in need.

How have members of your community given back? Let us know and pass this heartwarming story on to friends and family members who could benefit from a little positive news.