The elderly woman had been coming to this market almost every day for years. After her husband passed away and her children moved to different cities, she had no other way to support herself.
She sold vegetables from her own garden. Everything on her crate had been grown by her hands. She planted, watered, cared for them, spent her last money on seeds and fertilizer. She was already over seventy, her back ached, her hands trembled, yet she stood at the market early every morning.
People in the area had known her for a long time. Some simply greeted her, others chose to buy from her even if it cost a bit more. Not out of pity, but out of respect for her work.
That day, a man in an expensive suit appeared at the market. Clean shoes, a costly watch, a confident stride. He immediately stood out. He approached the old woman, looked at the vegetables, and with a mocking smile asked for the price.
When she calmly named the amount, his face suddenly changed.
— That much money for these stinking tomatoes? Are you serious?
— Why stinking, my boy? They are fresh. I grew them myself, — she replied quietly.
— For that money I could buy a whole ton of them! — he snapped.
— THAT IS YOUR RIGHT, MY GRANDSON.
Those words seemed to trigger something inside him.
— How dare you call me grandson? I could never be related to someone like you! Look at yourself, — he shouted, drawing attention. — Do you really think anyone needs your pathetic vegetables?
He grew angrier, kicked the crate, knocked it over, and shoved the old woman hard. She lost balance and fell from her chair onto the ground.
The man stomped on the vegetables in rage, crushing tomatoes and cucumbers under his shoes, as if he wanted to destroy not only the goods but the woman herself.
The old woman began to cry and said with a trembling voice:
— That was my last money… How will I live now?
People around froze. Some looked away, no one dared to step in. And then something unexpected happened.
A local man who had seen everything stepped forward. He firmly pushed the suited man away from the old woman.
— What are you doing? She is the age of your mother. Have you no conscience?
He helped her up, gently seated her, and said calmly:
— Grandmother, don’t cry. I will buy everything from you. Truly everything, down to the last piece.
The crowd held their breath. The old woman looked at him, unable to believe her eyes. She whispered:
— God sent you… Thank you.
The man immediately called the police. When officers arrived, they took the suited man to the station. It turned out he had already been involved in several scandals and was under observation. This time, he faced real prison time and a heavy fine.
And the old woman received help to recover her losses. People came to her, supported her, and showed her she was not alone.
