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Original poster

Tell me about a time a stranger has been kind to you - that unexpected kindness

134 replies

BridportSpectacular · 12/06/2023 10:19

I was wondering around Cambridge waiting for a relative to get the yes or no after a biopsy at Addenbrookes, the prognosis was awful but this would give a bit more time.

I'm not a make up person really but thought I'd pop into a Department Store - John Lewis?? and ask about a new foundation.

The absolutely lovely middle aged make up lady took me under her wing, gave me a full make over, including doing my eyes twice because I cried when I explained why I was in Cambridge and chose me a lipstick shade that was perfect.

It was like a total therapy session. She was just so kind and it made that 2 hours I was waiting just go.

The news came back from the hospital that we had more time left than we thought.

OP posts:
Quisquam · 13/06/2023 08:39

We were out driving in the country on a warm, sunny day. DH filled the car with petrol and bought himself a can of Coke. He put it by his feet. Further down the road, it was a bit bendy and he was driving too fast. He attempted to brake, but the can of Coke had rolled under the brake pedal. The car went into a hedge and hit a tree stump. He called the AA, who were going to take some time.

I was sitting on the roadside with DS, aged about 18 months. Some people stopped and offered to take me down the road to their house. They gave me and DS lunch, as they were having a party anyway. We stayed there at the house until the AA man came and picked us up. It was very kind of them, as I was in a state of shock and a roadside is not the ideal place for a toddler!

The AA man was radioing his mates in the AA and falling about laughing about the can of Coke under the brake pedal, all the way home (several hours). Every year, I had to declare the Coke can crash when I renewed the car insurance - and my insurance brokers fell about laughing!

wwyd2021medicine · 13/06/2023 09:02

After my mum died, I was walking around a shopping centre in a daze trying to find a new watch for the funeral. God only knows why I thought this important. The lady in H Samuel asked me if the watch was fora special occasion and I burst into tears. She cuddled me and took me to the back of the store and gave me tea and chatted to me. She was so kind that I'm tearful now writing this.

Jellycatspyjamas · 13/06/2023 10:37

My car broke down in the petrol station - I put fuel in it and when I went to start the car the clutch had gone. Sitting behind me was a works van with 4 men in it, I was waiting for the impatient “women driver” type comments when the driver got out and asked if I was ok. He had a quick look at the car, said he thought I was right about the clutch - he got the rest of the guys to push my car away from the pump to a safe corner of the station, checked I was ok and drove off.

When I went into the station kiosk to explain why my car was sitting the woman sat me down with a coffee and a biscuit to wait for the recovery vehicle. Such kindness made a stressful situation so much easier.

Cymbal · 13/06/2023 14:48

Not look after my partner died, I walked past a busker playing his favourite song and started crying. A lady cam after me to check I was alright.

newnamechangeforthisone · 13/06/2023 17:24

Last night, my child got hit by a bus. Everyone was so kind. We had people come to the house and pick us up, has someone give coats, blankets, helping, answering police questions to save me, just everything and anything. Literally holding me up at times. People stopped traffic and redirected traffic etc.

monsteramunch · 13/06/2023 17:27

Goodness you poor thing @newnamechangeforthisone I hope your child is ok Flowers

cstaff · 13/06/2023 17:30

I have epilepsy and have had a number of seizures all my life. People in general are very good although I do hate waking up with a crowd around me.

Two episodes come to mind - I was coming home from town on the bus after Xmas shopping and ended up being taken away in an ambulance. When I came around it occurred to me that I had no shopping bags with 100s worth of presents and clothes. About two days later when I got home my neighbour came it to me with said bags and said that some random guy had dropped all of my stuff into my her having seen me taken away by ambulance. I never did find out who it was and my neighbour didn't know him either.

Another time the same thing happened in town but this time my purse was taken out of my bag and as a result I didn't even have my bus fare to get home with and had to ask a man at the bus stop - very embarrassing.

SinnerBoy · 13/06/2023 17:36

newnamechangeforthisone · Today 17:24

Last night, my child got hit by a bus.

Oh goodness! How is he / she doing?

Newnamefor2021 · 13/06/2023 17:39

SinnerBoy · 13/06/2023 17:36

newnamechangeforthisone · Today 17:24

Last night, my child got hit by a bus.

Oh goodness! How is he / she doing?

Surprisingly ok. It was a huge scene, helicopter, multiple police and ambulances etc. but it looked worse than it was. He's ok, just a severe concussion and tired/sore. Nothing major. Poor bus driver is in a hell of a state apparently though, if it wasn't for his quick reactions it would be very different. His breaks failed coming down the hill and he went straight into the bus.

meandtheboy · 13/06/2023 17:50

just now...a lovely man at the bank helped me make the final "nuisance" payment to my abusive XH, and we ended up chatting about the circumstances of the divorce and he couldn't have been more understanding, friendly and supportive. He'd been through it himself he said (with his XW being abusive), and that he was much happier now and I would be too. I ended up asking for a form to change my name back to my maiden name - that feels like a HUGE step forward, so thank you Chris, if you're reading this, you were a shining star on a difficult day.

SinnerBoy · 13/06/2023 18:00

Newnamefor2021 · Today 17:39

Oh, I'm glad to hear that after such a horrible shock that he's got away relatively lightly.

Newnamefor2021 · 13/06/2023 18:01

SinnerBoy · 13/06/2023 18:00

Newnamefor2021 · Today 17:39

Oh, I'm glad to hear that after such a horrible shock that he's got away relatively lightly.

Thanks and yes, it was a horrible scene, but he's so so lucky.

Lorrymum · 13/06/2023 18:02

My non verbal, autistic son had a huge meltdown when he was about 10 at a Disney theme park. Lots of crowds waiting for Disney buses back to hotels and we had no idea how we would get him back to our hotel.
A wonderful Disney employee suddenly appeared by my side. Spoke into her walkie talkie and a taxi appeared as if from nowhere. We managed to get him into taxi and we drove off. The driver was also incredibly kind and we were driven to our hotel without incident. To put the icing on the cake no charge was made for the ride.

MarjoriefromHemelHempstead · 13/06/2023 18:12

Traveling back from the states a few years ago, when our DC's were 5 and 9mo, changing flights at Chicago, all tired and hungry. We were about to buy food from one of the airport 'restaurants'. There was a man in front of us getting his meal. He looked back at us and said to us just order what you like. He was on a work trip and his expenses will cover it! He did not have to do that.

We ordered and thanked him profusely.

Amazing. What a lovley

Pudmyboy · 13/06/2023 19:13

Years ago, during a very icy winter, I drove down a steep side road which had iced up, and my car just kept slipping back so I had to abandon it. Went back the next day with the only implement I could find to chip away at the ice on the road: a metal fish spatula from the kitchen. It was actually working quite well, levering up big chunks of ice, but it was a hard slog.
A transit van passed me and stopped, 4 burly blokes got out, didn't speak English (think they were Polish) and proceeded to push my little car all the way up the road till it was past the ice. Then they vanished back into the transit and drove off.
Lovely kind men, I was and still am grateful to them!

Pudmyboy · 13/06/2023 19:13

Drove up* a steep side road

Pudmyboy · 13/06/2023 19:15

BTW@BridportSpectacular this is a brilliant thread, so my thanks to you too!

Lollzi86 · 13/06/2023 20:43

@FiloPasty me too. I had to get a train home early once for a festival as my mum had been taken into hospital and they stated it was unlikely she would survive. I probably looked mental (all
dressed up in festival gear, face gems and the lot) and crying uncontrollably. Everyone just looked away and the conductor was totally uninterested. I wish I had had just a bit of kindness from anyone….I will always try and be nice to people from now on who others shy away from. Sadly my mum passed the next day

allgrownupnow · 13/06/2023 21:45

@Lollzi86 so sorry for your loss, and that no one reached out to offer support that awful day. Sending a big hug.

Lollzi86 · 13/06/2023 22:42

@allgrownupnow thank you. I will always try and be nice to people if I see them upset etc you never know what’s going on and a small are you okay? Might be worth it’s weight in gold x

IdLikeToBuyTheWorldACoke · 13/06/2023 22:49

"I'm glad you didn't succeed in your suicide attempt". Said by emergency on duty mental health worker at the hospital. It sounds obvious for a M H worker to say but I don't think I had heard it before from anyone. It wasn't my first attempt and most MH workers I had been involved with seemed to think I was just a nuisance because of my diagnosis which has a bad reputation (or it did back in the day, anyway).

IdLikeToBuyTheWorldACoke · 13/06/2023 22:50

Newnamefor2021 · 13/06/2023 17:39

Surprisingly ok. It was a huge scene, helicopter, multiple police and ambulances etc. but it looked worse than it was. He's ok, just a severe concussion and tired/sore. Nothing major. Poor bus driver is in a hell of a state apparently though, if it wasn't for his quick reactions it would be very different. His breaks failed coming down the hill and he went straight into the bus.

Show quote history

What a shock for you . Sending get well wishes 💐💐💐

Illstartexercisingtomorrow · 14/06/2023 00:03

Best thread ever. Thanks OP - nominated for classics.

When I was pregnant with dc 2 I walked to the local grocery store to pick up one or two things. I ended up buying 2 heavy bags full - did not think it through and could barely carry them but knew there was no other way out. I would just have to keep lugging them a couple of steps at a time all the way home. It was already a hard pregnancy due to some very difficult family circumstances and I was really feeling like I was on the edge of breaking apart emotionally and mentally, this incident was about to tip me over - when out of nowhere this young woman popped up, took my heavy bags and walked me all the way home despite it being the wrong direction for her - she parted with ‘Make sure you look after yourself, you’re taking on too much.’ I was left speechless staring after her, she made such a huge difference to me that day, I honestly sometimes think it was a guardian angel.

Tessiebeare · 14/06/2023 00:07

I went to visit my husbands grandma in a care home with my newly 2 year old and newborn as I did every week and it had been a particular struggle to get out the house and get there so we hadn’t arrived until close to lunch time. I was sitting on her bed feeding the baby when one of the carers came in and gave my 2 year old some leftover fish and chips from the lunch and me some soup. I didn’t have much support at home and was so grateful.
It meant that my toddler fell asleep in the car going home and so did my newborn and I was able to chill out in the driveway for a bit as everyone was fed.

Wherestheheatwave · 14/06/2023 03:42

Illstartexercisingtomorrow · 14/06/2023 00:03

Best thread ever. Thanks OP - nominated for classics.

When I was pregnant with dc 2 I walked to the local grocery store to pick up one or two things. I ended up buying 2 heavy bags full - did not think it through and could barely carry them but knew there was no other way out. I would just have to keep lugging them a couple of steps at a time all the way home. It was already a hard pregnancy due to some very difficult family circumstances and I was really feeling like I was on the edge of breaking apart emotionally and mentally, this incident was about to tip me over - when out of nowhere this young woman popped up, took my heavy bags and walked me all the way home despite it being the wrong direction for her - she parted with ‘Make sure you look after yourself, you’re taking on too much.’ I was left speechless staring after her, she made such a huge difference to me that day, I honestly sometimes think it was a guardian angel.

I think it probably was. I do believe that angels appear when we really need them sometimes.