Brown paper packages wrapped up with string

I was a shopper on the CAN shopping trip tonight

     Each year youngsters from families that are not doing so well economically are taken Christmas shopping by the CAN (Community Action Network).  I don't know how long they have been doing this, but I have gone the last four or five years.
     Parents fill out a form for their wish list.  Usually the typical items are there:  Gloves, hats, mittens, underwear, shirts.  The sizes are given also.
     That's where it gets confusing for an old bird like me.
    I picked up a pair of jeans for a boy and it was labeled "relaxed fit slim."  OK, if you are wearing relaxed fit, you are not looking for slims!  I can testify to that!!  I have more relaxed fit pants than Eddie Bauer. And not a slim in the closet!
     Waist sizes come in all sorts of numbers up to a point.  I used to buy 35 in waist pants.  Yes, they were hard to find and yes, Beth, they were a little snug.  So I went to 36, relaxed fit.  I swear, if I don't wear a belt, they fall down around my knees!
     I tried 38 waist, but they were too darn big.  36 is too small.  Relaxed is too relaxed.  I am in the waist size nether land.
   Back to my point.  There were 80 youngsters signed up for the 5 p.m. trip and another 80 signed up for the 6 p.m. trip.
     Jackie and I too too adorable little girls at 5....and the mom is lucky we brought both back!  The 5 year old was such a cutie...we thought of keeping her.
     That's when I found out that kids shoe sizes come in two ways...young kids and older kids.  Why not just make sizes for kids!
     Little girls go for Frozen stuff, boys go for camo.
     When we got back, they were short of shoppers (go ahead, say it ten times really fast) so we took two boys.
They call the youngsters up to table where they get introduced to their personal shopper.
These two little boys are there and Michelle says, "This is you shopper, Mr. Dickow."
The mother turned and stared at me.  Her face was in a state of surprise.  "Mr. Dickow?  You were my teacher!"
     I asked her name and I did remember her, vividly.  She was in my fourth grade class, maybe my first or second year teaching.  She was absolutely shocked.  Her boys kept asking how many times she went to the principal's office, and if she got in trouble.
     I said she was a good kid, but she did talk a lot.
     She also went with to Walmart on the shopping trip.  We had a fun time, and I admit I broke the shopping budget when we were done with clothes.  I took them to the toy aisle, and sent Mom off to talk to Jackie.
     If my numbers are correct, there were 160 kids there.  Each child had a gift card with $80 on it.  That amounts to.....$12,800.
     Events like this make my heart grow two sizes, at least.
     Thanks, Rochelle, for caring about our kids.