This is a true story and it happened in France. Madame Dubois had been working as a cashier in the local supermarket for over ten years. She had seen all sorts of people come and go, and had even become friendly with some of the regulars. However, there was one aspect of her job that always made her uneasy – checking customers’ bags.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to do her job, but there was something about it that just didn’t sit right with her. She had always been a stickler for rules, but there was one rule in particular that she just couldn’t seem to follow properly. Whenever a black customer came through her line, she would always ask to check their bag. However, when a white customer came through, she would often let them through without even a second glance.
It wasn’t that Madame Dubois was racist, or at least she didn’t think she was. She just felt like she was doing her job, and that the black customers were more likely to be stealing. After all, she had seen it happen before. But every time she did it, she felt a twinge of guilt in her stomach. She didn’t want to be seen as a racist, but she also didn’t want to let anyone steal from the store.
One day, a black woman came through Madame Dubois’ line with a bag of groceries. Madame Dubois greeted her with a smile but then asked to check her bag. The woman’s face fell, and Madame Dubois could see the hurt in her eyes. She began to question whether she was doing the right thing. As she watched the woman walk away, she knew she had to do something to change her behavior.
Over the next few weeks, Madame Dubois began to pay more attention to her actions. She started to ask all customers to open their bags, regardless of their race. It was a small change, but it made a big difference. She felt better about herself, and the customers seemed to appreciate her consistency.
Eventually, Madame Dubois became known as the cashier who always checked bags, no matter what. Some customers grumbled about it, but she knew she was doing the right thing. And as she continued to work at the store, she began to see the people she checked as more than just their race. She saw them as individuals, with their own stories and struggles.
In the end, Madame Dubois realized that her job was not just to scan items and check bags, but to treat every customer with respect and fairness. She learned that her actions could have a profound impact on others and that it was up to her to choose whether that impact was positive or negative. And as she went about her daily routine, she knew that she was doing her part to make the world a better place.