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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to show a little kindness to a total stranger?

15 replies

MissKittyEliza · 15/11/2011 15:52

A couple of days ago, a young man came to the door. As I opened the door my heart sank because I knew he was selling something. It was a very very wet day. I tried to make it quick and told him genuinely, that what he was pushing at me, we already had!!

The youngster was wearing a too big suit and he was soaked and I mean, rain was dripping off his nose and his trousers were stuck to his skinny legs. He was reading his "patter" from a card and i got the impression that it didnt come natually to him because he kept getting halfway through and starting over. IN THE RAIN!

I wasn't inviting him in (stranger!!) but I did give him my (new) umbrella with it's little carry case thing.

My dh was not impressed. "You'd have done the same" said I. "No, I wouldn't" said he. Dh thought I was a mug and had lost my marbles.

OP posts:
corlan · 15/11/2011 15:54

No, you were kind. An act of kindness like that makes a difference in peoples lives. Stay as you are MissKitty.

Your DH,on the other hand, is a grouch!

TroublesomeEx · 15/11/2011 15:55

That's the sort of thing I'd do and my DH would be a bit Hmm about it too!

Random acts of kindness are what makes the world a slightly happier place!

gordyslovesheep · 15/11/2011 15:57

I think random acts of kindness work better if you don;t shout about them - but no yanbu

eurochick · 15/11/2011 15:59

You were kind. Hopefully someone will be kind to you when you need it. I agree that random acts of kindness make the world a nicer place for everyone.

Gonzo33 · 15/11/2011 16:00

Yanbu that is a lovely thing to do

AngelofTheLordiscomingDown · 15/11/2011 16:00

It never hurts to do a good deed. I try to one every day. This morning, in a supermarket, a woman whom I did not know asked me if the four, big, baking type potatoes she had chosen would be suitable for boiling for two people. I suggested that one potato would suffice for two people and she had 4 days worth in her trolley. She put two potatoes back. Apart from my 'good deed' feeling, I felt complimented because she had asked me.

A good deed can be as simple as picking up something and giving it to the person who dropped it or telling someone that his/her collar is tucked down the neckline. When I pay for my goods at a checkout in Sainsbury's, I get a voucher that I know I will never use so I look for people at an appropriate display and offer it. They are always taken with surprise and pleasure so I feel good thereafter.

worraliberty · 15/11/2011 16:00

Salesperson knocks, tries to flog you something, it's raining, you've already got what he's flogging, you hand him an umbrella.

Not such a big deal when you shorten it down but 10/10 for creative writing OP. I could almost have been there the way you described it Grin

Pakdooik · 15/11/2011 16:02

Good for you. These random acts of kindness are part of what makes us human

Original poster
MissKittyEliza · 15/11/2011 16:02

Gordy you're right about that.

Only mentioned as got bloody soaked yesterday (no umbrella!) and got a "tut tut" look from dh!

OP posts:
gordyslovesheep · 15/11/2011 16:05

Karma Grin don;t worry - you aren;t alone - there was an almost identical thread yesterday and people like to tell you all about their good deeds as you can see Grin

Original poster
MissKittyEliza · 15/11/2011 16:10

worral ..... Nah, wasn't like that. Even I'm not that much of a mug Grin

It was because (I think) this young man was entirely out of his depth (pardon the pun, what with the rain and all). He had a shocking stutter, the longer he tried to get the spiel on the card out, the wetter he was getting....and it was stair rods!!

My son has ASD. It takes him forever to say a sentence. He'd have been washed away down the road, had it been him!

Maybe,I'm not kind. Maybe I just pitied him...?

Oh dear. Now I feel bad....

OP posts:
spiderpig8 · 15/11/2011 16:22

did you buy anything from him though?

Proudnscary · 15/11/2011 16:24

Here you go

Bit of a show offy one but no YANBU and it was kind of you - as Spiderpig asks, did you buy anything from him?

fuzzynavel · 15/11/2011 16:27

kind but next time just buy something from him.

Original poster
MissKittyEliza · 15/11/2011 16:46

No didn't buy. Though I do have an under sink cupboard full of expensive (cheap brand) dishcloths and an ironing board cover that will never see the light of day. I buy from young people selling household stuff when they're on an ex offender programme..... But that could be cause I'm scared they may come back and rob me for telling them, most of the stuff in their bag isn't something I'd use.

No, he was trying to get me to leave BT and go to Talk Talk. wasn't going to do that, no matter how forlorn he looked. He was not the usual type, though. That's for sure.

And I'm NOT a show off. Not at all.

I'd love to imagine that my son might be on the end of a random actof kindness, somewhere in his future. He's gonna need all the kindness he can get.

OP posts:
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