[…]

Today three women – one of them clearly pregnant – and a little girl came into the store and were looking through the baby gowns. One of the older women brought a little girls’ gown to the counter and said that the baby wasn’t due until March, and they wouldn’t know the sex until then. She wanted to know if it would be okay to return or exchange the gown in the event that the baby was a boy. I explained our return policy (within 30 days) but told her that as long as it’s in good condition and I get manager approval, it would be fine. Then she dropped the bomb: the gown is for the baby’s funeral. He/she will be born without kidneys and will not live much past birth. One of the women started crying and the pregnant woman just stood there looking vacant. I tried to think of every consoling utterance I had ever heard but couldn’t think of anything to offer more than superficial comfort to this family. They paid almost $30 for the flimsy piece of cloth. I think I wished them luck.