Good deeds don't need a reason

Because I decided to volunteer - for reasons which A) I feel like I don't need to explain and B) do I actually need to have a reason to volunteer for a charity?? - yesterday I had my very first day working in a charity shop. And the experience was indeed priceless. People you meet there; and I'm not talking only about the ones you work with, but the customers too, are just extraordinary.


Due to my previous experience in retail they entrusted me with a lot of responsibility for a first day. Gary, a nice older man, taught me how to work on the till and then left me to my destiny. I must admit I have never felt comfortable working with money. Counting is not my strongest skill plus pound sterling is still a bit new to me. However, coming from a background of the shop assistant for a company where there is a dress code and the customer service is the number one priority, I felt pretty relaxed here. While serving on the till I am used to being tremendously polite to my customers therefore I sometimes apologized for the wait- what I think surprised good few of them- and Gary was absolutely amazed : “I don't think I've ever apologized for the wait.. I think that means I'm too old...,” he told me.

One of the first people I interacted with were an older couple. The lady wanted to try a dress from the window so I served her. While she went to the changing room, her husband stood by me, obviously in a need of a chat.
“I don't understand why there are no chairs. For men like me. I hate this. I hate shopping. I want to sit down.” I found it funny since a charity shop has got other things to worry about than the comfort of a bored husband (and by the way, the shop has also menswear...)
“So why do you work her?” he asked me. I don't exactly remember what was my answer but I mentioned something about having other job and being here just to help a bit.
“Why don't you work in your other job full time if you got that possibility?” I simply didn't understand why would this be something to even think about. I just don't need to work full time.
“I got enough money, I don't need more,” I told him. His pupils literally expanded and he just stared at me: “I've never heard anyone to say that they don't need more money. ” Well, now he have!

Then again, do I need a reason to work in a charity shop? Just because most of the people working there are either foreigners or slightly slow, must there be something different about me too? The funny thing is that for the first time I don't even fit under the category of a foreigner – for one I got a decent job so I don't need any experience from working in a charity shop, and secondly I am not a student either so it is not like I got nothing to do. I simply wanted to help. And why not :)
Well, I shall see what the next days will bring and what other interesting people (and their opinions) I shall encounter.