>The kids were starting to line up for breakfast before school. Intermediate teacher, let’s call her Ms. Conduct, noticed that Jenny and Johnny were there, but their sister Jeri (in her class) was not, so she asked.
Johnny: “She has an appointment.”
Jenny: “No she doesn’t. Mom’s going to call her in sick and say she has an appointment, but really her shoes broke. She doesn’t have any shoes to wear, so she can’t come to school.”
Jeri had been wearing the same pair of strappy sandals since the first day of school, so we weren’t surprised to hear this. But stay home for lack of shoes?
Ms. Conduct took Jenny by the hand and said, “Let’s go check this out.” They walked across the street to the rental the kids & mom shared with a relative and talked to Jeri. The story was true; she had no school shoes. Ms. Conduct, never at a loss, asked, “What size do you need?” She raided the stock of spare shoes in the gym office, brought two pair to the needy girl and asked her to choose one.
On the way to school, Jeri commented, “I’m so glad you came over. I didn’t want to ruin my perfect attendance.”

To add to the backstory: I found a spare pair of shoes for the younger Jenny earlier this year. She, too, had sandals and nothing else. The boy was a little better off.

And then….a week later, the family moved. The kids will attend another school across town.
At least they all have shoes.