"Johnny? Johnny," the frantic woman calls as her head darts around, "Where are you?"

A little head peeks around the corner, "I'm here, Mom."

Air rushes out of her body as it relaxes, "Oh good." A cart rushes by the young boy nearly clipping him. He doesn't even flinch.

Someone crosses her vision blocking her view for a moment drawing the mom's attention "Excuse me," the faceless shopper says.

"It's no problem at all," the mom replies looking around the person to spot her child again invalidating her answer. Leaving her cart behind, she weaves through the throng to reach Johnny.

He meets her halfway with a can of beans in his hand, "Mom? Beans was on the list, right?"

She takes it from him. "That's correct, Honey."

"This is one," he continues, "that looks like the one on your coupon."

"Oh, you are such a good helper." People bump them as they interact.

He looks up to her with the puppy dog eyes, "Can we also get this can?" He holds out another can of refried beans.

"Uhhhh," her mind darts and strains to figure out what Johnny's getting at. At last she conceeds defeat, but before answering she tries a last ditch effort, "Why? We only need one can for Mexican Night?"

"It's for the Food Collection for the Poor our church is doing."

"Sure, Dear, that's fine."

"Good, 'cuz I was thinking that if I love refried beans than someone else must love them as much as I do."

"That's wonderful." The pushing by people passing by begins to border on shoving. Mom grabs Johnny's hand and fights the swirling mass of people as she heads back to the cart.

Upon reaching their food, the crowd parts aound them like a water flowing past a large boulder.

Being the last thing on her list, she marches toward the front slicing through the other shoppers like a ax digging into a tree. That is until her hand stops.

She looks back at Johnny who has halted in his tracks. His eyes are affixed on something on the shelves. Realizing she is waiting for him, he looks to her and points, "Do you think we could get some Mac 'n Cheese?"

He steps forward for a box threatening to be swept away by the flood of customers. She holds on tight, "For the church, dear?"

"Oh. No. It's for the barrel in front of the store. It's for needy people too."

"Yes, Johnny."

"Just like our church."

"Yes, Johnny."

"So, can we?"

She starts to say no, but then she looks at the price. It's a steal. She is tempted to get some for herself.

"Yes, Johnny," she agrees with him.

"Yay!" He claps his hands, and steps into the river of people rolling past them. Mom's heart stops as her son disappears. A moment later it starts again and he returns from the throng untrampled and unscathed carrying two boxes.

"Mom," he asks as they continue fording their way to the checkout stands, "What if the same family got both the refried beans from our church and the Mac 'n Cheese from the store." Mom tries to acknowledge him with a glance as she navigates the flow of the crowd.

Johnny continues on regardless, "Then they could make Mac and Cheese and beans."

Almost to the end of the aisle, she looks ahead for an open register. Instead, she sees a wall of bodies. No longer listening, her eyes search for an opening, any opening.

"Then they could have cheesy beans. Because the cheese sauce is yummy. And who doesn't like cheese with their refried beans."

Johnny lost in the glorious descriptions of Italian and Mexican foods combined wanders forward in his own world. As he does, the crowd parts before him. Mom takes this opportunity and goes with it.

"I bet we could make really good burritos with the refried beans and the cheese sauce from the Mac 'n Cheese. Can we do that tonight?"

Eyes never leaving the mass of people in front of her, "Uh huh," she agrees.

"Yay! It'll be great I know it. In fact, I bet it'll be so good people will line up to get a taste of it."

Almost to the cashier, she agrees with him again, not even knowing what he is saying.

"It'll be world famous. Johnny's Mac 'n Cheese and Refried Beans."

The lady at the register checks them out, Johnny continuing on. Mom pays and grabs the handles of some on the plastic bags. Mom and the checker sharing a tired smile. The sound of the bags snaps the little boy out of monologue.

He reaches for a bag. Mom hands him one of the lighter ones. "Thank you, Johnny. You are a big helper."

As they reach the car, Mom thinks to herself, I've got to remember not to go to the store on a triple coupon day.