"I'm Crippled, and I'm Hot!"

Attempting to check out the other day at a local drug store, I'll admit, I was holding up the line.  This was not my intention, but I did have the motherload of coupons thanks to contributions (please, too, feel free to donate to the cause) from my neighbor and momma-in-law.  
A middle-aged man was behind me in line holding one item.  Honestly, I would have allowed him to cut had my transaction not already begun.

Enter a grey-haired gentleman with a bath towel wrapped around his neck.  He found his way to the back of the line.  

The cashier, a Flo from Progressive Insurance sound-alike, called down a, "Hello!  How are you?" to the man in question.  
He replied assertively, "I'm crippled, and I'm hot!"  
The woman slowly turned back to the cash register with wide eyes and called back over her shoulder in a more timid tone, "I'm sorry to hear that."  
The bath-towel wrapped man grunted, "Well, you asked!" 

This scene unfolding in front of me gave me pause for thought.  I realized I'm always saying, "Hey!  How are you doing?" but am I always prepared for the response?  I have well-meaning intentions  when I say this common phrase and typically add a friendly squeeze (I'm a hugger!) for good measure, but when I come to think of the circumstances surrounding this utterance, it's usually in passing.  Next time these words cross my lips, I am going to make a conscious effort to extract an authentic answer like in the example above and truly listen.

James 1:19

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear. . .

Courtney Winkler