A routine trip to the grocery store turned into an unexpected reminder of how small acts can change the course of a day. I was rushing through my errands, balancing groceries and trying to avoid breaking eggs when a woman gently tapped my arm. She handed me a receipt and told me I had dropped it. I thanked her, unaware that anything meaningful had just happened.
I noticed only one unusual detail: her shopping cart held a single blooming hydrangea, an oddly cheerful sight for the middle of winter. After that brief exchange, I carried on with my day, completely forgetting about the receipt in my tote bag. Hours later, when the house was finally quiet, I emptied the bag and noticed the receipt had writing on the back. In hurried handwriting were the words: “Check your back seat.” The message startled me at first, but curiosity quickly replaced anxiety.