I just saw a strange sad thing

I was proceeded into Publix grocery by a little old man with a rather bow-legged walk and bright darting eyes, magnified by big glasses.

He walked past a bin of avacados and pocketed one.

He walked up the dairy isle, picked up a quart of milk and put it in his cart, opened the Publix sales flier and pretended to read as he scanned the isle with his bug-like eyes.

When he thought the coast was clear, he twisted the small side cap from the carton and gulped down half the quart in a matter of seconds. Moments later he began scanning the dairy as if looking for another purchase, then surreptitiously replaced the half empty carton to exactly where he had plucked it.

Noticing my noticing him, he toddled off with amazing bow-legged speed and disappeared around the corner.

I said nothing and did nothing. I thought anything I could say or do would only add to the mixture of embarrassment and defiance I saw when those bugged eyes met mine.