A young man was walking through a supermarket to pick a few things when he noticed an old lady following him around

A young man was casually strolling through the aisles of a large supermarket one evening, just picking up a few essentials—milk, bread, a box of cereal, and a frozen pizza or two. It was one of those quiet, ordinary days where nothing unusual was expected.

As he moved from aisle to aisle, he noticed something odd. An elderly lady, dressed in a light blue cardigan and clutching a small purse, kept appearing near him. At first, he figured it was just coincidence—maybe they had the same shopping route. But after the third time she ended up beside him, staring quietly, he started to feel a little uneasy.

Still, he shook it off. Maybe she’s just confused or lonely, he thought.

Finally, he made his way to the checkout line, ready to pay and get back home to unwind. But just as he was about to step forward, the same elderly woman suddenly cut in front of him.

“Excuse me, young man,” she said in a soft, trembling voice. “I’m terribly sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable by staring at you. It’s just… you remind me so much of my son who passed away recently.”

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and her voice carried a quiet sorrow that made the young man’s heart ache.

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” he replied sincerely. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

She hesitated for a moment, then offered a bittersweet smile. “Actually… there is. It might sound strange, but as I leave, would you mind waving and saying ‘Goodbye, Mother’? It would mean the world to me. Just one last goodbye, you know?”

The young man, touched by the simple request, nodded kindly. “Of course. I’d be honored.”

As the elderly woman finished paying and began walking toward the exit, the young man lifted a hand and called out warmly, “Goodbye, Mother!”

She turned, smiled, and waved gently before disappearing through the sliding glass doors.

Feeling a mix of sadness and warmth, the young man stepped up to the cashier, placed his few items on the belt, and waited for the total. The cashier scanned the items quickly, then looked up.

“That’ll be $127.50,” she said flatly.

The young man blinked. “Wait… what? That can’t be right. I only got a few things!”

The cashier shrugged and said, “Your mom said you’d be paying for her groceries too.”

The young man stood there in stunned silence, realizing far too late… he’d just been grocery-scammed by someone else’s grieving mother.