A Target employee in Indiana shot to internet stardom overnight all thanks to a Facebook post by a very impressed customer.
Ishmael Gilbert had only been working as a cashier at Target in Glendale, Indiana for just a few days. During one of his shifts, an elderly woman came up to the checkout stand while a mother and her children were next in line.
Sarah Owen Bigler was that mom, and she happened to witness something that touched and moved her so profoundly that she had to share it on Facebook. Since then, her post has been shared over 35,000 times.
Sarah was having a busy, difficult day and was hoping to run into Target for a few items. With her kids in tow, she picked a short line — or so she thought. Instead of moving to a different line, she ended getting the lesson of a lifetime.
“Yesterday Matt was sick. I picked up Archie from the sitter and Eloise from school and decided to run to Target for a few things,’ she wrote. ‘I had hoped to be in and out quickly. I found a line with just one person ahead of me and began organizing my items on the conveyor,” Sarah’s Facebook post began.
When she began organizing her items on the conveyor belt, Sarah looked up and noticed that the elderly woman wanted to pay for each of her items separately, she’d also be paying in change. Since Sarah only wanted to spend a few minutes in the store, her first thought was to get frustrated.
“Part of me, the part that had a long day at work, the part of me who had a one-and-a-half year old having a melt down in the cart, the part that had set an unnecessary timeline for Target and getting home, was frustrated with this woman and the inconvenience she had placed on me,” wrote Sarah.
Despite the tedious request from the elderly woman, Ishmael the cashier never once showed signs of annoyance. It made Sarah stop and think.
“BUT then I watched the young employee with this woman. I watched him help her count her change, ever so tenderly taking it from her shaking hands. I listened to him repeatedly saying “yes, mam” to her.”
“When she asked if she had enough to buy a reusable bag, he told her she did and went two lines over to get one for her and then repackaged her items. Never once did this employee huff, gruff or roll his eyes. He was nothing but patient and kind. “
Then, Sarah noticed her little daughter Eloise paying full attention to this wonderful act kindness. She realized that she wasn’t “inconvenienced” at all. In fact, her daughter was being taught a priceless lesson.
When Sarah finally reached the checkout stand, Ishmael thanked her for her patience. She immediately thanked him for his incredible kindness and compassion. Not only that, but Sarah made sure to let the manager know about his incredible attitude.
After the Facebook post went viral, Ishmael received a job offer doing customer service at a dialysis center. He now works at Fresenius Medical Care as a patient care technician and is working to become a certified hemodialysis technician. The clinic is paying for his education.
Sarah’s full Facebook post about this young man’s admirable patience, kindness, and sympathy is below.
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