I was in the grocery story, pushing a cart full of groceries toward the checkout lanes. The lane ahead of me had two people waiting in line after the person whose groceries were being rung up. The last one in the line was a lady in sensible shoes who had a full cart. I realized the lane next to her was just opening up. Before I could push my cart into line, the clerk who had just opened called out to her. “I can take you over here, ma’am.”

Finding herself between me and the wide open lane, she pulled back. “You go ahead.”

I deferred to her. “No, you go. You were already waiting in line.”

She started forward. As soon as she stepped into the lane to unload her groceries onto the belt, her foot hit a wet patch on the linoleum floor. She slipped and twisted her ankle. The clerks brought her a chair, had her fill out a form. After determining she would be okay, I got in the next lane. But I couldn’t help looking down at my slip-on sandals that I love even though they tend to slip on any surface that’s not actually rough. I could have really taken a header if I hadn’t been polite.

A good argument for civility.