After a Nail Salon Refused to Paint This Disabled Customer's Nails, a Walmart Cashier Stepped Up
Updated Oct. 2 2018, 9:29 p.m. ET
Anyone who's ever worked in retail knows just how precious a break is, but Ebony Harris decided to forego hers in order to help a disabled customer paint her nails.
Being a cashier, especially in a huge store like Walmart is no walk in the park. You're dealing with long lines of people. You're dealing with price adjustments and waiting for floor managers to come and key-in numbers at the register. You're dealing with people who swear the price that's coming up on the screen isn't what was advertised on the sign in-store. And you're on your feet all day.
But Ebony was all smiles when she sat down and patiently helped paint Angela Peters' trembling hands.
Tasia Smith, who worked at the Subway in the Burton, Michigan Walmart, said that Ebony's act of kindness left her in tears, especially because Angela was turned away from the nail salon.
Angela suffers from cerebral palsy, which makes it difficult for her to keep her hands steady. Whoever worked at the nail salon must've not felt confident enough to charge her for her nails and turned Angela away.
Tasia said she needed to post the pictures online so people could be inspired by the act of kindness Ebony showed, which brightened a customer's day.
"I was making sandwiches and I was watching her like...I just wanted to post it for awareness and appreciation, because people needed to know what was going on with the business and Ebony deserved all the appreciation she could get," Smith told ABC 12.
Tasia's photos of Ebony went viral, but the Walmart employee says she did it just to put a smile on Angela's face, saying she was such a "sweetie."
"I just wanted to make her day special. I didn't really want her day to be ruined. That's why I did it. And plus she's a sweetie."
After approaching Angela, the two of them selected a nail polish color in the store, then sat down in the dining area of the Subway. Ebony then gave her a manicure, and didn't mind that Angela's hands moved from time to time.
"And you know, she moved her hands a little bit and she kept saying she was sorry. And I told her, don't say that. I said, you're fine."
For Angela, the seemingly small gesture went a very long way. She's remembered Ebony's kindness well after the fact.
"I thought that was so nice of her and I already felt comfortable with her because, like I said, I shop at Walmart a lot," Amanda told ABC 12.
Ebony says that she doesn't want people to get up in arms against the nail salon and doesn't blame them for not painting Angela's nails. She just hopes people will see customers with disabilities and treat them with the same amount of respect and consideration that they would want to be treated with.
"We're not trying to bash the nail salon. We're not trying to make them lose customers, make them look bad. But maybe spread awareness that no matter the person, who they are, what color they are, disability, whatever, they're people too."
Because, at the end of the day, Ebony says that Angela just wanted to look pretty like so many other people, and there's nothing wrong with that.
"She's a girly girl. She's just like you, me, Tasia, my daughter, anybody. She wants to look pretty, you know, and so why can't she?"
Angela, Tasia, and Ebony are pals now, and plan on hanging out again soon. They've already scheduled a night out at Angela's favorite restaurant.
As for Ebony's manicure skills, Angela's still impressed by how good of a job the cashier did.
"I'm like wow. These are amazing!" Amanda said. Ebony says that being friends with Amanda is a blessing:
"I told her she's a blessing to us, to anybody, not just me. She makes me look at life and appreciate it much more than, you know, what I have been.
And when I think about the awesome friends I have in my life, as corny as it is, I do have to agree with Ebony: I feel totally blessed."
