Sarah and Tom were doing their typical Saturday night shopping in the empty, fluorescent-lit aisles of their neighborhood Walmart. They had followed the same routine for years, but this journey would turn out to be a little more interesting than the others.
Tom, a strong man who loves a good deal, was browsing the beverage aisle when he discovered a magnificent sight: a massive stack of Budweiser cases on sale for just $10. He gave in to the need and victoriously threw a case into their shopping cart.
The more sensible of the two, Sarah, cocked an eyebrow at her husband’s decision. “What on earth do you think you’re doing, Tom?”
Tom grinned with delight. “They’re on sale, 24 cans for only $10!”
However, Sarah quickly disproved the idea. “Return them, Tom. Right now, we can’t afford them.
Even though Tom’s shoulders sagged, he obeyed. With each aisle they passed, their shopping list shrank as they pushed their trolley farther into the store. As they moved away, Tom couldn’t help but cast wistful glances at the enormous pyramid of Budweiser bottles.
After passing a few aisles, Sarah was the next to treat herself to a small indulgence. She selected a tiny pot of face cream, a lavish luxury that set her back a stunning $20. She examined the container, appearing mesmerized by the potential for youth it contained.
Tom, who is constantly on a budget, couldn’t help but be skeptical of her decision. “What on earth do you think you’re doing with that, Sarah?”
Sarah held the jar in front of the fluorescent light, never one to back down from her desires. Tom, it’s my face cream. It improves my appearance.
Tom laughed and arched an eyebrow with a sly gleam in his eye. You know another thing that makes you lovely, honey?
Sarah gave him a perplexed look. “What?”
Tom beaming. “Twenty-four Budweiser cans for half the cost.”
Tom couldn’t help but laugh along with Sarah when she started to laugh. The Walmart aisles resounded with their laughing, drawing a few bemused glances from neighboring customers. Sarah and Tom came to the realization that the genuine beauty of their relationship was found in these straightforward, humorous moments as they stood in the middle of the store, having to choose between beauty and alcohol.
Together, they repositioned the face cream, and Tom departed with the Budweiser and a wink. The actual riches in their life, not the items in their cart, were each other’s laughter and love, so they carried on their shopping together.