Strangers who's lives have touched yours, do you wonder where they are now?

[BloodyAdultDC]

I witnessed a proposal late on Valentine's Day a few years back, in Paternoster Square near St Paul's - hardly anyone around, I often think of them and how their lives have panned out. I was a mumsnet wedding witness a few years back, never heard from the bride or groom since, wonder how telling their family went. Also the midwife who supported me overnight when I finally sussed bf, I wonder if she really knew what an impact she had on us both. Many many others too.

Does anyone ever think about those kinds sliding door moments, and wonder how they're doing now?

I broke up with a boyfriend years ago and was upset. I think I’d got to Victoria station. A very nice older woman came over, asked me if I was ok and offered me a tissue and then asked if I wanted a hot drink, and proceeded to get me a tea and a muffin from a nearby food and drink stall (this was when the food stalls there were fairly new or they seemed it).

When I was 18 and had stayed the weekend with my then boyfriend who’d broken up with me I was upset and I recall a busker locally there offering me a tissue and asking if I was ok.

I’ve paid similar back in similar circumstances. If you see someone upset it takes nothing to offer even just a kind word and check they’re ok.

I don’t wonder where the strangers are now (from latest two examples) but hope they’re doing ok. The man who gave me the lift in Ireland, I hope he’s ok. I kind of regret not having a drink with him.

I read a book years ago about angels and people who’ve had unexplained interactions with them (as “humans”). I’m not sure I necessarily believe in angels but I do believe in some cases someone or something is watching out for you.

About 12 years ago, I was having a particularly bad time with my divorce, and I went to see Bon Jovi in Hyde Park, my absolute favourites. I was in a group of friends, but my stbx had been so nasty to me that day, I just couldn't enjoy myself and so I left early. I was in floods of tears going into the tube station, and on the tube. There was a man, a similar age to myself, and he asked if I was ok, and if I'd been at the gig, and that it sounded great. I nodded, but was sobbing. He was really kind, and just chatted and said he's sorry I'm so upset about something, and he wishes he could help me, and he tried to cheer me up. It didn't feel at all like a pick up, just like he genuinely cared that I was so upset about something. As he got off the tube, he looked at me and said 'just remember what Frankie said, and do it your way' (lyrics from one of my favourite BJ songs), and I'll just never forget his kindness. His face was one of the kindest faces I've ever seen. That moment still makes me smile when I think of it, and I wonder if he ever knew the impact one small interaction had.

Reminded me of my time in ICU recovering from surgery on a perforated bowel. I was so unwell but wired from all the drugs. All the staff were wonderful. I felt really hungry and saw a plate of sausage and chips a few feet away. I asked for that the nurse said it was her lunch but despite me protesting insisted on giving her lunch to me. The worst thing was, it was a false hunger and I just picked at it. I felt so bad. Only a, small thing but so very kind.

Was this in Enfield by any chance? If it was, it could have been my next door neighbour (at the time)

too many too count:

1. about 22 years ago and I was on a Costa coffee roadshow and giving away freebies at tube stations I worked with a young woman who was in her early twenties called Albina. She was a Serbian war refugee and had lost many of her family in the war in that region. She was working several jobs to get herself through university whilst living in a tiny flat somewhere like Hilllingdon or Uxbridge. I had so much admiration for her and she gave me so much motivation to make the most of my life (I was very recently widowed at the time). I still think of her frequently and told my children about her.
2. the anaesthetist at a hospital in Gloucester who caught my crying in a side room when I was heavily pregnant because several people had tried to get blood out of me and couldn’t! He literally gave me a big hug and then rolled his sleeves up and got the blood sample himself in minutes… I have no idea who he was or his specialism but the kindness was lovely.

No, we were on Clacton Pier.

My friend and I were travelling in East Africa. We arrived in a town about 5pm and went out to eat. Got mugged on the way back to the hostel (fortunately they only got loose change and our room key) It was terrifying and the muggers had huge knives.

We ran back to the hostel and the girls running it were so kind, looked after us and moved us into another room.

The next day we had to go across town to get the bus to cross the border into Kenya. We were still in a bit of a state, and scared. The girls took us all the way across town. They found the bus and put us on. Then they found an older Indian man travelling with his family. They asked him to take care of us. I'll never forget him climbing on to the bus, pointing at us and saying - they are with me. It is hard to explain, but I felt that we became off limits to a couple of dodgy looking guys on the bus.

Then we had to find the right place to get off. We asked the person sitting behind us. His name was Solomon, and he was about 6'5" tall (unusual in that area) and had a huge grin. He got off at the same place as us (no idea if he had intended to), and then found his 'cousin' who had a taxi to get us down to the place we were going to.
To this day I have no idea why we trusted him, when we knew that some of the other young guys on the bus were dodgy. But his cousin delivered us safely to where we were going and took payment in dollars as we didn't yet have any Kenyan money. I often think that we met an angel unawares, there was just something about him.

But actually those girls, the older Indian man and his family who took these idiot foreign girls under his wing, and Solomon were all our angels that day. It restored our faith in humanity after our horrible experience.
It is not so much that I wonder what they are doing now, more just grateful for their kindness to strangers.

A couple of things stand out for me:

Flying long haul before proper in flight entertainment, I’d forgotten to bring a book. The lady sitting next to me gave me her book. We’d chatted a bit before and she said she thought I might enjoy it. She had finished reading it, but still, where I was from a hardcover book would have cost a fortune. It was an expensive gift to give a random stranger in those days.

I used to see an older man walking his older dog on a common near my house. One morning we started chatting. His dog was such a sweetheart. He told me both he and his dog missed his deceased wife terribly and now there were only other men in their lives now. It should have been creepy but it just wasn’t. I saw him a couple of times after but then I stopped seeing him. I always wonder what happened to one of them.

I have something wrong with my oesophagus and frequently I am sick from eating. I don’t go out to eat often as a result but sometimes I can’t avoid it. One time I was at a naice country pub and of course, was sick. I always feel bad because no one needs to hear someone being sick in the loo. There was a poor lady in with me and she was waiting for me to be done. I kept on blabbering don’t worry, it’s not the food here. But still she waited to see I was alright. She could see I was mortified and said all kinds of nice things to me. She thought I was pregnant and it was easier just to go along with it. She was very kind though.

I was 19 and accidentally arrived in London Liverpool Street instead of the Liverpool lime Street train (dyslexia)

I'd never been to a city as big as London before, and before I knew it I was caught up in the crowd.

A lady spotted me and asked if I was okay. She chaperoned me through the station/ underground (tapping me out with her card too) to get me to London King's Cross so that I could catch the right train.

She said i reminded her of her daughter when she was younger and how she'd end up in sticky situations but had kind strangers help her out.

I often think of her when I commute in and around London for work ever week.

Coming out of Sainsbury's and banged my car into a kerb.

An instant flat tyre. My car was motability so I could call the AA for them to change it. I'd got out of the car to have a loo at it.

Before I got chance to get my phone out a man stopped and said he would change the tyre, I said, not a problem I could get the AA.

But he insisted, he then showed me his Army ID so I knew he wasn't 'dodgy.

I didn't get his name.

Quite a few in life but two really stand out.

firstly years ago I had a rough time when I was young I was about 15 and was sleeping rough. one night in the city I was sleeping by the underground and was just sitting on the kerb when a guy called Steve came to talk to me. he was well known in the area and was a heroin user probably other drugs too. he listened to me about my life and why the hell such a young girl was sleeping rough but after he said to me to never no matter how bad things were to get involved in drugs. they had taken everything and wrecked his life don't know why it stuck but to this day I have avoided drugs but though it has been times when it would have helped but always refused. sadly Stevie died a very violent tragic death a few years later but i often say a silent prayer and thank you to him

after a bad fall it was blurted out to me that dad had a terminal lung cancer they thought we knew. luckily Dad was not present when it was revealed but when we spoke to him he accepted it, it was due to asbestosis, he was happy to go to the hospice but wanted to go from the hospital first home for one night. I can never thank the wonderful Marie Curie nurse enough. an older lady she was kindness herself. she insisted I had a bath and a decent night's sleep as she knew that I had spent many nights with Dad at the hospital and got no sleep. She sat with Dad all night doing her knitting and watching all Dad's videos of Fools And Horses, Dad's Army, and all of his old beloved programs. She fussed with his cats he wanted to say goodbye to feeding them and letting them sleep on the bed by Dad made sure he had fluids and pain relief. They do a wonderful job but she went above and beyond even bringing me a cup of tea to wake me up in the morning. it gave me strenght to help dad on his last weeks we were told 3 weeks but the hospice looked after dad so well he lived several months