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

[BridportSpectacular]

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.

We went to isle of wight when dc were 3 & 5. turbo blew on our car. AA towed us to garage, then explained that they had no courtesy car until we got to Portsmouth. Which we were to get to by ourselves-we had return car ticket not foot passenger. So needed to buy 4 ferry tickets and get to the rental car office in Portsmouth. We had all kinds in the car for a weeks caravan holiday and they said take what you can carry the car would go to our designated mainland garage in 10 days we had no idea what to do, started looking for buses/taxis to get back to caravan and then re think how to get home.

The owner of the garage came over and handed us a set of keys. He gave us a car for the 4 days left of our holiday and told us to drive home in it and his bil would collect it. Changed the disaster of a holiday and he wouldn't take any money or anything. So kind, I did actually cry.

Many years ago we went on a family holiday to St Ives with DH and DS 2 years old. I had had a miscarriage a few months before and was feeling very low. and not in the holiday mood.
A few days into the holiday, DS screamed the whole night. We couldn't get him to settle and none of us got any sleep.
Next morning we went down for breakfast. The lovely lady helping in the breakfast room started chatting.

We told her about DS crying the whole night and that we thought he might be unwell.
A few moments later she came back and told us she'd made an appointment with the local surgery.
When the doctor examined DS, he said he had a severe case of tonsillitis and was considering sending him to hospital.
He decided instead to prescribe penicillin but said to bring him back the next day and if there was no improvement, he'd have to send him to hospital.

Thankfully the penicillin worked. But for the kindness of this lady things could have been so different.

I was travelling long haul alone with 4 month old, should have had bassinet but didn't so baby was in carrier on me nearly whole way.
Lots of people helped. The mum with older children across the aisle got me water, opened the bottle and chatted to me when I was clearly stressed. Air stewardess took the baby whilst I ate. Another who was from Manchester came to me at the change over with still 12 hours to go and gave me a bag, later I found it had bars of choc,water, and a few of the baby travel packs- so grateful!

This made me cry.

Bump

I was sitting in the hospital foyer waiting to be picked up feeling upset and very stressed about my condition. A young man, obviously a patient as he was in a gown, came up to use the vending machine. I looked up as he came over to me and handed me a bar of chocolate and said ‘That’s for you.’ He smiled and walked away as I thanked him. I’m fine now and still have the bar as I was so touched by that act of kindness.

On a tram in Manchester and about to get off. Lady asks if I need some help. I said yes please. We get off the tram and out the station. She tells her friends that she's helping me and she'll see them in a bit.

We had to go to the Etihad stadium. She takes me to the stadium where she found a member of staff who could take me to my seat as she was sitting elsewhere.

On a number of occasions when my toddler had been refusing to go in the pram or having a meltdown, lovely women clocked the stressed out mum and came and chatted to my son to distract him and calm him down. Another time I was crying on the tube because I’d just had a cancer diagnosis and a lovely man chatted to me and gave me tissues. People are kind.

More please!