Woman visits Toys R Us, pays off everyone's layaway.

[roguevalley]

82. this was my life regarding Christmas way back in the day when I was a kid. Way back.

My dad made about 3 grand a year which was good wages for long hours and uncomplaining labor. mom couldn't work because of the little kids.

They did layaway for one good toy for all of us. It was a hardship because dad got laid off every fall through winter. It was a hard life but I regret nothing. Everyone else was in the same boat. Who knew differently?

We could buy five loaves of bread for a dollar and shoes were a few bucks, good shoes.

We got three dresses and one good pair of shoes every fall for school. In the summer we wore thongs or went bare foot. A quarter was a huge amount of money then.

Mind you, we weren't poor. We were working class. Any kid who gets a nice toy, good for you. I remember going on a band trip where I had about five dollars my mom and dad gave to me to eat on. It was for food for two days. I had a quarter left on the way back from California and remember watching other kids eat when I didn't. My parents wanted Toys R Us for their kids. We got what they could afford, barely, by layaway.

We were doing way the hell better than most folks but it was hard. I will never forget it. I will never feel bad for anyone getting something nice if their parents want to do without so they can once a year. I loved my parents. They did that for us so we wouldn't come to hate Christmas like some kids did because it pointed out their poverty and their parent's impotence about it. My folks were good souls. Most parents want that for their kids. This woman did a really nice thing. I am glad without reservations at all.