"Sir, I want to buy these shoes. Please, sir, for Mama, I want her to look great I just know she will!" The boy, around seven, with sandy hair pleaded with the cashier.

The cashier, whose nametag read Jean Havoc, took a puff on his cigarette, saying, "Sorry, kid. There's not enough here to buy 'em."

The boy's face fell, his eyes brimming with tears. A black-haired man perusing the store glanced up, walking over. His blue military uniform crinkling as he bent down to the boy's height.

"What's wrong, son?"

Turning around the boy said, in a voice full of tears, "Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mama, sir, please. I know she'll look beautiful if she sees the beyond tonight."

The man looked taken aback. "The beyond?"

"Yes, sir, the beyond, the eternal rest." The boy's eyes hardened briefly. "Like I said, sir, these shoes are for Mama. Brother said that she doesn't have much time, sir. I want to see her eyes, sir, when they light up, like I know the will, when she gets these shoes, sir. She'll be beautiful."

The man reached into his pocket and pulled out enough money to cover the cost of the shoes.

He watched as the boy's eyes started leaking, and heard the small voice whisper, "Thank you, sir, Mama will be so happy."

Once the boy had exited the man turned to the clerk. "What did he buy?"

"A pair of dancing shoes."