Random woman paid for customers coffee

[TheoriginalLEM]

A gentleman came into the cafe and ordered a latte. He was a bit doddery and scruffy and was counting his money from money bags (checking he had enough i think). another customer paid for his coffee when she settled her bill for no reason.

AIBU to think this was patronising and embarrassing for the man? Maybe he just doesnt carry much cash but is perfectly able to pay for his own coffee

I've had someone pay my busfare before.

I never give cash to people begging but often give them the cards with stamps for local coffee shops - already full so they can get a hot drink when they want (they don't always want one right then). One coffee shop was always happy for me to buy a handful of the cards in the winter and stamp them up - so I'd always have one to give to the guys (you'd recognize a good few of the homeless guys around here).

I keep thinking about doing it IN a coffee shop - just paying for the next person too. I did see one table in a coffee shop once who's bill had been paid when they went to the till - 2 Mammy's with 2 toddlers and an older lady had paid for their lunch when she left about 5 minutes earlier.

A man put a pound coin in my trolley yesterday as I was taking ages looking through my handbag for my purse. DH reckoned it was because I was wearing a low cut summer dress and nothing to do with being chivalrous. I insisted on giving him a pound back.

One coffee shop was always happy for me to buy a handful of the cards in the winter and stamp them up - so I'd always have one to give to the guys (you'd recognize a good few of the homeless guys around here).

This is a brilliant idea

better than being called len!

preens at the thought of being a well kniwn poster although people did tell me off for doing the reverse thing and i daresay i would have been told off for boasting about my loveliness had i not.

In my defence i did own up pretty quick but too slow to get it on 1st page and i certainly wasn't trying to be controversial and i think that is the reason i only have one arsehole still rather than being recognised. clearly spend too much time Mnetting

But why the reverse? What was the reason for it?

because i was v anxious about it and didn't want people to think i was fishing for "you're so lovely" comments, was trying to get honest thoughts on whether it was a good/bad thing.

My own thoughts have been backed up in as much as yes it was definitely a kind intention but maybe a little ill-thought out in terms of how it made the recipient feel. We wont know how he felt - i hope he enjoyed his coffee and was amused that someone paid it, no more no less but i can see he might be embarrassed. I would think twice before i did it again especially as instead of making me feel good (are my feelings even the issue here?) ive worried that i made some8feel uncomfortable.

I have done rak before but was appropriate (offered to pay someone's coach fair because she had left her student ticket at home and bus driver was being pedantic and wouldn't accept her ticket. last coach of the day was girls bday and going home for weekend. It turned out to be £££'s so i was relieved when the mouthful i gave the driver cowed in him to letting her travel on trust when he knew full well she had paid)

In future judge the situation not the person i think.

Ha ha sorry Len Lem

In the area where we live, there is a lot of unemployment and poverty. It's a tiny rural settlement, with a superette and a wee pharmacy. Many people in the community who are able, pay twice for their prescriptions to ensure that the many in the area who struggle to buy their medications are able to draw on the fund to do so. It is a great creator of goodwill in the community. RAKs are so important.