What is the kindest thing a stanger has done for you?

[grannyinapram]

I'll start-

When I had my first baby I used to avoid going to my local shop because the door was really heavy and I always struggled to push the pram through it.
One night I was walking with the pram toward the big heavy door, then a little girl got out of a car in the car park and she ran over and opened the door for me. Then she ran back to the car! She wasn't close either, she came all the way Iver just for me.
Beautifully kind little girl.

Another time I was walking with my baby and my toddler in the rain, it came down heavy and we were all soaked (except baby with the rain cover)
someone stopped their car and offered me their umbrella. They couldn't tell because my face was soaked but I shed a tear. Wonderful lady.

Another time it was quite the opposite- it was a boiling hot summers day and I was walking with my then about 1 year old in the pram again. he was crying because it was hot. We walked past a hand car wash place and the man washing the car sprayed the hose into the air and gave us a lovely cooling down.

I'm sure I have many more but those are the ones I remember most.

I was 16 worked in a small cute cafe - on my own mainly. It was a really quiet day and a older couple come in. They actually knew the owner of the cafe I believe but they weren’t around. We got chatting about my plans for college, getting on the bush etc (something I wasn’t used to). They left and went to their car then the lady came back with £40 to put towards my college bus pass. I will never forget it! I do wonder where they are now!

When i was 12/13 i had an 'older' boyfriend (18). One night we had walked out of the park up this pitch black narrow alley way. I was leaned back against a garage door and BF was pressed against me.

We were just kissing and I was ok. I noticed a man with his dog walk past the end of the alley. Then saw him come back and stop. He asked very calmly ''Is everything ok?''
BF said ''Yes thanks''.
Man said ''I was asking the lady''.
I said ''oh, yes, yes thank you''.
and he said ''ok'' and carried on his way.

Such a little thing. But y'know ... I've never forgotten that. If i had have been in trouble that man would have been a saviour.

Recently I was at the supermarket and forgot my token for the trolley. I was trying to juggle my baby, bags and look for a pound when a man came up and got a trolley for me and refused to take the pound.
When my two eldest were a baby and toddler I went on a flight with them to see my parents. Getting off the plane my toddler refused to go down the steps and one of the staff at the bottom of the steps rushed up and carried her down the steps and on the way home the pilot offered to carry her down.

@ParkheadParadise

Posted about this before.

My dd was Murdered 5 years ago. She was found by a man returning from night shift. He stayed with her until the police came, placed his jacket over her.
Not once did he talk to any reporters or give any interviews. He came to her funeral and also had to give evidence at her trial.
We finally got to meet him before the trial and thank him in person.
I will never forget what he done for my dd and will always be eternally grateful.

Oh my goodness. I'm so very sorry fir your loss; what a lovely man. This restores my faith.

Mine are really silly in comparison with the others on this thread, but...

In my 20s I developed severe cystic acne. I had to be really careful what I used on my face, and was horrified to find the moisturiser I used - a Dior one - had been discontinued when I went to replace it. I told the consultant my tale of woe, and she went off for ages, then returned with three unopened full size tester pots (the kind they have on the counter, not the ones they give away as samples). She had spoken to her manager, and was allowed to “sell” them to me for a penny each if I bought something else from the counter. It was so lovely of her.

I’m a lecturer and often get a gift from my tutor group before they graduate. A few years ago my class had stealthily gathered information, and presented me with vouchers for my favourite restaurant, a bunch of my favourite flowers, and gifts with my favourite animal on them. My DP had been made redundant, so being able to go out for a meal was so nice. I remain impressed by their detective work!

Finally, a few years ago I was referred to hospital by my dentist. I was really nervous about the initial appointment, and the clinic was running massively late, then it turned out the x-rays she had sent were useless, and I had to trail off to radiography. By the time I finally saw the consultant, I had been there over three hours. After examining me he said he wanted me to have an MRI, but I would need blood tests first. I am hugely needle-phobic, hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, and just burst into tears. He sent a student doctor off to make me a pot of tea, with a plate of biscuits, so I wouldn’t faint, and then got him to hold my hand during the draw. The poor guy was probably quite pissed off, but he (and the consultant) was so kind and patient with me.

Have namchanged because I have told everybody this story.

On holiday in Italy, we didn't realise you had to validate your train tickets and when the conductor came round, he started giving out (in Italian so we didn't have a clue what he was saying) to us. The lady sat next to us explained in English what we had done wrong and that he was going to fine us. Then she started talking to him in Italian. I have no idea what she said to him but he left and she told us it was ok.

On the same holiday, a man at a train station overheard us discussing what to do because the train we were getting didn't stop at the station we needed (it was a Sunday so less stops than usual) so he spoke to the train driver who stopped the train just for us. He had to come out of his cab and unlock the door to let us off.

When we got off the train, there was no taxis (station seemed to be shut completely) so we called the hotel we were booked into and asked them could they send a taxi. The owner of the hotel came to collect us! We didn't realise he was the owner until we got to the hotel and he refused payment and then brought our bags in and went to reception and checked us in.

Italians are the best!

Judystilldreamsofhorses oh with the moisturiser you've reminded me of something which happened in Lush recently. It is a bit trivial but sweet. I was chatting with the sales assistant about Flying Fox shower gel and how they don't sell it anymore (like you do). He said we get lots of people asking for things which were before my time which sound really fab. I said - as long as they don't discontinue rock star soap, ha ha .... eeeek he said, they have!! There's none for sale anymore. I looked horrified and was v. sad. He said hang on ... disappeared out back for about 10 mins and came back with a bag of all the lumps of fresh wrapped rock star they had left in the shop. It was going to be put by the new basins for customers to wash their hands on the shop floor re:covid.

These are for you for free he said and handed me this big bag of Rock Star. Bless him!!! xxx :)

My mum and I were driving home from the surgery where my baby son had had some vaccination or another. We'd managed to get through some shallow-ish floodwater on the way in, but for some unfathomable (and completely characteristic) reason, mum decided to go a different way home. Rounded a corner and the whole road was flooded for several hundred yards. Pretty narrow road; deep ditches either side (also flooded). A lorry went through and only just managed it, but Bedford vans and Landys were doing TPTs to go back. We would have ended up in a ditch if we'd tried; mum wasn't a confident driver. No way we could go on. I predictably kicked off at mum, asking what had possessed her to fuck about and go that way when we knew the other way was passable. Baby in the back; other son shortly to finish school. Mum and I both crying. No bugger helping.
Absolute fucking knight on a white charger appeared in the form of a BT Openreach van. 'Want me to swing you round?' Did it in about 4.7 seconds. Said 'Didn't realise there was a baby in the back. Quiet one, isn't he?' Waved cheerily. Buggered off.
Just managed to get his number plate. Sent it with a description and a time and place to BT. He got a fairly substantial gift card and a night out with his missus. Single dad, too, I think. Sent me a thank you email. I'll never forget him.

And - a Mancunian van driver who was in the middle of a building job but moved his van bloody miles so we could have his space when we were dashing to get to a game at Old Trafford (we'd driven up from
Kent and hit terrible traffic despite allowing hours). We had amazing seats and there was a half-time testimonial thingy for George Best. Would've missed at least half. Absolute prince.

A few days ago my mum died in hospital. It wasn’t unexpected but she passed away before I arrived at the hospital, about a 40 minute drive from home. 2 auxiliary nurses sat with her until the end so she wouldn’t be alone, holding her hand and talking to her.

I have no idea who they were and I’m sure from their point of view they were just doing their job but I will forever be grateful to them for being with her when I couldn’t.

@ParkheadParadise Thats a lovely story about a horrific thing. I'm so, so sorry.

My parents were travelling in convoy when my mum broke down. It was the middle of the night and before mobiles.

A man stopped to help, took the details of my dads car and drove up the motorway to find him to let him know.

I was out with my dts in their buggy and the front wheel came off as I was crossing the road. A man in a van saw, blocked the road and picked up the buggy and twins and carried it to the pavement, then fetched the wheel, took his tool box out the van and promptly fixed the buggy. Gave me a huge smile and drove away. My hero.

I was young and driving my first crap old car to work, left it in the car park went to work.
Got back to the big dark car park in the drizzle just me and this other car by mine freaked me out.
Just as I got to the car a chap got out and said he’d seen my lights were left on and didn’t want to leave as there was no one else and it was a grim night.
He got his jump leads out and got the car running and off he went with a wave.
What a lovely person.

@FestiveChristmasLights

My baby died in the NICU. A midwife had been looking after me and she came to say goodnight because her shift had ended. I remember she just sat beside me for hours and cuddled me whilst I cried. I’ll never forget how kind she was.

Agree with others who say that there’s a lot more kindness around than you’d think. My amazing midwife at a large London hospital came in on her day off to check I was OK the day after I gave birth. Have had loads of people help with broken down cars, offering seats when pregnant, help with buggies on public transport etc.

@PoorMansPaulaRadcliffe what do you mean "swing you round"? Like he got in your car to drive it for your DM?

And - I was walking into the Cathedral city centre where I lived, heavily pregnant and very hot. Just going over the river bridge when I noticed an obviously deranged man wearing only jeans and screaming obscenities, coming straight at me. Out of nowhere, a woman practically old enough to remember the Crimean War, about four foot ten and six stone, leapt over the road and linked arms and briskly marched us past him. In the event, I think he was well away and barely gave us a glance but I couldn't believe how bloody brave she was. If he'd been nasty, or armed with something, she wouldn't have stood a chance.

Some years ago my daughter had an appointment at a children's hospital just before Christmas. There was a brilliant Santa there and I was trying to get her to go to him and say hello but she couldn't get the courage up (she's ASD). After her appointment we were heading for the station when we saw him in the street and he must of heard me use her name at the hospital because he bellowed her name across the street and came over to say "phew I thought I'd missed you" and had a little chat with her. Then he pushed her disability buggy up the road singing while everyone laughed. The day Santa took me for a walk, It's her favourite Christmas memory and I got some lovely pics of them together

And another one, I'd broken down in the middle of know where pre mobile phones and a man stopped, he said don't get out love, I'll help you. I gave him my parents address and her drove 10 miles out of his way to fetch my dad to me.

One night on the way to a bus stop for work a man followed me he was off his face on drugs with a large build he kept staring at me.
My bus was an odd bus 3 other buses stopped the shelter was getting empty.
There was one more due before mine, I hopped on asked the driver to let me off at the next stop a lady overheard and approached me she got off at the next stop with me to protect me and hailed a taxi as my bus arrived she was a real Mammy.
I tried to stop her getting off with me.
My instinct was right he walked away when I got on that bus.

[quote Batfurger]@PoorMansPaulaRadcliffe what do you mean "swing you round"? Like he got in your car to drive it for your DM?[/quote]
Yes. Sorry that wasn't clear. Sounds like nothing I guess but no other bugger helped although we were obviously distressed and had a baby. Mum would've found it really hard to turn round as the water was really high in the ditches and the road was narrow and loads of other drivers were turning round and bibbing us and gesturing. I was trying to think if I had enough on my credit card to get towed when we inevitably a) ended up in the ditch or b) mum tried to plow through the floodwater and buggered the engine.

I was having an awful time - the sale of our flat had fallen through, and the purchase of our next house with it, my husband was losing his job, our car had just been written off and then I got the solicitor's bill for the failed sale and purchase while at work.

I was standing in an alleyway round the corner for work crying when a plummy-voiced older lady stopped and asked if I was OK, so I told her what had happened and she sighed 'Life is shit sometimes' and then had a very sympathetic chat with me that helped so much.

I had just passed my driving test and drove into Manchester for a training course. I tried to park in the closest multi story car park. I pulled in between 2 parked cars, but was too close to the car on the drivers side. I tried to manoeuvre into the centre of the space, but just made it worse until my car was nearly touching the other one. I climbed out through the passenger door and looked for someone to help. Saw a man and explained what had happened. He climbed though the passenger door, reversed out and then reversed the car back in for me. I felt utterly stupid for getting myself stuck, but he was so kind.

@ParkheadParadise @FestiveChristmasLights

I have three that come to mind.

I'd been in a highly abusive situation for many years. I got away.
Shortly after, I was on a train, in the buffet car, queuing for a coffee.
The train swayed, I lurched, and the man in front of me put his hand on my arm to steady me. It was TOTALLY normal / kind and the shock of that fact was so great that I fainted. When I came round he was very concerned, kept saying: 'I'm so sorry, I only touched your arm but you looked like I'd hit you'. I tried to tell him it was okay, but couldn't say why. A bemused conductor put me in a spare first class seat & gave me water. It made me begin to process what I'd gone through.

The night my son was born after many misc and much IVF.
C section for me & SCBU for him. I was overwhelmed & quietly crying in my cubicle with the curtains drawn. A hand, clutching a tissue, came through the curtains. It was the lady who'd bumped me down the c Sec list with her own emergency. She said: 'it WILL get better'. She had just had her 4th, and hemorrhaged so badly at her home birth was bluelighted in and nearly didn't make it. The next day she showed me how to swaddle ds and tuck him in next to me. Bless her.

Another time. I was stony broke. Like £5 to my name. Week before Christmas. Two children aged 5 & 8 and almost nothing to give them.
Someone put £100 in my letterbox in an envelope with a note that said: 'From Santa (1 condition - you spend it all and have a lovely Christmas - the bills will come anyway). I cried quite a bit over that.