What a nickel will buy

Today I was shopping at this very eclectic independently owned "dollar-ish" store.  They specialize in household stuff as opposed to "anything for a buck" stuff, running the gamut from 50 cent plastic baskets (I bought 2) to mattresses and the prices are amazingly low.  While the proprietor was ringing up my order (total of $3.14 for 2 plastic baskets and 2 mesh laundry bags, one bag with individual pockets which seems pretty cool) and I was looking for change, another man came to the counter to buy some brown paper envelopes which he clearly needed to mail something immediately as in his other hand he was holding a sheaf of papers.  His total came to $1.05.  The problem was he only had $1.  Envelope man explained that he didn't have the 5 cents, he only had $1.  So without batting an eye the proprietor said "Pay me next time.  This is a $.99 business.  I can't afford to lose five cents."  but he let him have the envelopes.  By this time he had given me my change to I handed him back a nickel to cover envelope man and everyone said thank you.  So a nickel bought us all a bit of human kindness for the day.  Seems like a bargain to me.