Moving down the hallway in a mix of fast walking and running while constantly glancing over my shoulder, I accidentally bumped into someone. The box I was holding, containing tiny envelopes, fell to the floor and spilled over.
As I regained my balance from the force of the collision, I realized I had bumped into Mrs. Stanley, and her belongings, mostly papers, were scattered all over the place.
I quickly bent down to pick up the scattered papers while apologizing, "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Stanley. I wasn't looking."
She squatted down instantly, also picking up the papers. "No, not at all. It wasn't your fault."
"You shouldn't be doing that," I insisted. "I can pick up everything for you."
"No, dear, this is much faster," she said, continuing to collect the papers.
As I opened my mouth to insist again, I heard a sniff from Mrs. Stanley. "Are you alright, Mrs. Stanley? Do you have a cold?" I asked, concerned.
