Horseheads: A Short Story

When you discard your shopping cart, do you ever think about the people returning it from the parking lot to the store? Well rain or shine, one man has been doing it for over a decade and at 81-years-old.

"And I love it. I just love coming here and mingling with the young folks and just doing what comes natural to me," said Lester Sowell. At 81-years-old, Lester Sowell shows no signs of slowing down. The Air Force Veteran and Horseheads native always has a smile on his face as he collects carts and bags groceries at Jubilee in Horseheads.

"I worked one day and said, 'oh no this job is not for me.' Then I said, 'maybe I'll give it one more day.' 13 years later, I am still here," said Sowell. Lester retired in 1999 and got a job at Jubilee to keep himself busy. He only works part time, but shoppers still know his name and appreciate his shining smile.
"If I'm standing over there bagging with my back to them, somebody will come over and pat me on the back and say, 'hi Les how are you doing.' I have to look around to see who it is.
I guess because I've been here so long. People just see me and I always smile, that's just the way I am. There is nothing given about it, it's just the way I am," said Sowell. One by one and trip by trip, Lester is making shopping a little easier for customers. Often fetching abandoned carts, he always a appreciates the thanks yous he receives.

"It means the world to me," said Sowell. "And that's what I do, I take their groceries out if they need and I talk to them and they just love that. I can relate to them because I'm old like they are, most of them. It's just a good relationship and I enjoy it." Although this will be Lester's first Christmas in nearly 60 years without his wife Minnie, he says he's still thankful for the rest of his family. He says he has 5 children, 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren to smile
about.