The supermarket was loud and bright—aisles gleaming, scanners beeping, a noon rush of shoppers creating a symphony of mundane chaos. People maneuvered their carts like ships through a bustling harbor, picking, choosing, and occasionally colliding in the pursuit of weekly sustenance. Amidst the noise, a little boy stood at the register with a quiet man who wasn’t his father. His eyes were downcast, the innocence of childhood overshadowed by a burden too heavy for his small shoulders.
