What's the kindest thing a stranger has done for you?

[GimmeDaBoobehz]

Equally, what is the kindest thing you have done for a stranger?

Not really the kindest as i cant really recall anything where a random stranger has done anything for me except once i used a cash machine and walked away without my cash and the lady behind me called me back and gave me it - she could have taken it herself but she didnt.

I haven't thought about this for years but this thread has reminded me. When I discovered I was pregnant with DD I was 20 and living miles away from home at University. I was a bit scared and reactions from other people weren't exactly positive!

I had a PT job in the Uni office and an older lady who worked there asked me why I seemed so glum. I told her I was pregnant and she too seemed sad for me - BUT as soon as she realised I was planning to keep the baby she said 'wait there!'. She came back about an hour later with a little pile of baby clothes that she had dashed out and bought in a local charity shop and a cake to celebrate!

I was so touched, it was the first time anyone had treated my pregnancy as something joyful as opposed to something that would ruin my life and we became very close after that.

oh, and my DP. Who took me in when I had nowhere to run.

Helping out at random is a good feeling. Happened upon some folk with a flat tyre and a flat spare this evening. Had my footpump in the van. Five minutes out of my day, and they can get home to get their tyres fixed. That's me in a good mood for a fair old while.

When I was selling my house a year or so ago, I had a terrible time! My lodger flooded the house (fell asleep in the sodding bath) TWO weeks before exchange of contracts. I had an influx of tradesmen, one of whom was a partner of a 'friend', let me down, do shoddy jobs, not turn up repeatedly. The council didn't turn up to take my old furniture...The new owners wanted to come and view and I had to put them off. The flood had caused the boiler to stop working, the hot water to stop working, the lights to not work...NIGHTMARE!

I was having a rant to a friend and she said her brother (whom I had never met!) was painfully shy, had just lost his job and was very depressed, and she'd have a word as she thought he would like to help me. He came around that evening, moved LOADS of junk/rubbish/old furniture to the tip for me, helped me clear things out and pack, looked at the boiler and diagnosed the problem (which obviously made it easier for me when trying to find a new boiler repair man, I actually knew what the F was wrong this time)!
He helped me clean up (the cleaner I had booked let me down too I forgot to mention that, last minute too!) and seemed so so happy to be assisting someone-he'd probably been feeling completely useless I guess.
Between him and my OH (who took loads of time off work to break under the floorboards and diagnose the electrics for when a competent electrician actually would turn up!) and my friend's brother, the nightmare got sorted.
I was soooo grateful. I gave him some money (not enough!) for helping but he was very reluctant to take it although I could tell he really must have needed it by how grateful he was once I insisted.
Not seen him since, but after being let down by so many people, he made things so much better. Bless him.

When I was a teenager, I had been to visit family and was heading back to the station to get my train home. It was tipping down, and I was pushing my bike and laden panniers up a 1 in 4 hill, with another 9 miles to go after that. A man with a truck stopped to offer me a lift - my bike went in the back, and I went in the cab with him, and he took me the 3 miles up the hill to the junction with the main road. It was still raining, but not as hard, and although there were still some minor uphill bits, it was mostly downhill from that point, and I was warmer. It really meant a lot to me.

A year or so back, I was in the queue at the petrol station, and a woman ahead of me had forgotten her purse, which she hadn't realised. The station staff were threatening to phone the police, even though she offered to leave her car there, and walk back home to collect it (which it turned out was only a couple of miles away.) They weren't happy with that, so I asked if she was local, and after I paid for mine, gave her and her daughter a lift back home and then back to the petrol station. I don't honestly see what difference it was me giving a lift compared with them walking, other than it was a bit quicker, but it kept the station staff happy, and stopped the situation turning nasty.

And thank you, iFad ( I could have just googled it I suppose)! :)

I parked the car, 2 small children with me, one crying the wee song, had no change for the meter, asked a passerby if they could change my note and the man insisted I simply have the money for the car park.

He said he didn't need it as much as I did and one day I would see someone else in a similar situation, I could help them to pay him back!

At the time I was utterly skint. I was so grateful!

One that sticks in my head was an elderly man. Freezing cold December, was on a night out with friends. He was homeless, and at the end of the night we walked past him as he was trying to get food out of a rubbish bin. Couldn't stand the thought, that could be someone's grandad and he had nothing
Took him to the late night chippy, paid for a meal and tea and left him all my money out my purse (about £50)
He just sat there and looked at me, I don't think he could speak. He was hiding the money in his sock so nobody could steal it when I left him
One of my friends said I was a mug, but nobody roots through bins on a freezing cold night to eat pizza crusts unless they have to

Another forum (trying not to out self!). My friend had an accident and was left with concussion. She couldn't look after her animals that day. A woman from the forum turned up and helped all day, and we've been friends ever since

After uni a friend and I were travelling in South America. My friends passport and money were stolen while we were on a bus to Lima. We realised when we arrived at the bus station. She had all the cash, so we only gad a very small amount between us. It was a Saturday, late and no money exchanges were open (back in the days of travellers cheques). We had just about enough to get a cab to the consulate - but the cab driver got it wrong and dropped us in a random business district no where near the consulate. We stood outside this building trying not to panic and work out what to do when some people came out. It was a firm of lawyers - they took us in and gave us a drink, then talked amongst themselves... One of them took us home with her to her parents house, where we stayed the whole weekend. Her brother drove us to the consulate and we stayed with them for another few days until the new passport was ready. The family took us sightseeingm fed us, watered us, we didn't pay for anything. The elderly parents spoke no English and my Spanish wasn't up to much. They asked us about food in England and we told them about fry ups, on our last day when the mother was making breakfast, she fried some eggs and ham and told us "fry ups!". They were so very very kind, I really don't know what we would have done if they hadn't taken us in. To my deep shame we didn't keep in touch, but I am eternally grateful to them.

So many...

The lovely men who gave me a loft back to my flat when I was broke, alone and missed my train in London. I said, "no way" and they pointed out that they were a gay couple and wouldn't touch me with someone else's barge pole. Lovely blokes.

The Ugandan man who blazed a trail through a crowd so weeing could happen in an African bus station.

The guys in Viet Nam who went and got a bag for my friend. Her bag went missing on a bus and they found it.

The homeless men who pushed my car out of a snow drift. No home and they got me home.

I hope I reciprocate. I try whenever there is an opportunity.

On my first day back in UK I got lost going to the supermarket and forgot my money. The lady at the til kept the basket for 2 hours while I walked back to get my money. On my way back, I met a lovely lady who drove me to the supermarket and then invited me to lunch. In tve afternoon she took me to the RNIB and walked through the rooms with me, showing me what products were available. We went for coffee too.

Last year, i was given 2 nights of free accomodation at a hotel in Nha Trang.

A few years ago, I was at Vietnamese embassy and the ambassador came out to thank me for my work. He also gave me my visa for free.

So many things.

The best act of kindness I've ever seen actually changed the life of the person who did it , just as much as I believe it saved someone else's life . I've told this story at least once before , so it'll be familiar to some .

I work as a response PC in a London borough that is particularly financially poor in places. One morning , some years ago now , a young lad of about 16 was going down the road , when he went past a house that had a load of milk outside as well as a few newspapers . He walked to the end of the road , but something about it worried him , so he decided to go back and check . He called through the letterbox , only to hear a faint faint cry for help . He rang 999 , and we turned up along with the ambulance , to put the door in . When we do , we find a 90 odd year old lady collapsed on the floor , having been there for about 2 days following a fall . She is very very poorly , but gets taken to hospital and subsequently makes a full recovery . I have no doubt that him ringing us saves her life .

However , the sight of her so ill , makes him quite upset , so I take him home . When we get there , Dad opens the door , takes one look at his son standing next to a police officer , and absolutely hits the roof , because he thinks his son's done wrong . When I finally manage to get a word in edgeways ( and it took a while !) I explain to him exactly how well their son had done , and how fantastic he was . By the end , mum was in tears , Dad was in tears , and I wasn't far off . It seems the lad had been getting into a bit of trouble with the wrong friends , and failing at school . I tell him 'well done ' again and carry on with the rest of the shift .

About 4 years or so later , I'm on the same road , doing a bit of road sweeping after an accident , when all of a sudden I'm grabbed from behind and lifted clean off my feet in a bear hug, much to the amusement (and consternation !) of my colleagues . It's the same young man . He told me that because of the belief in him and my praise for his actions , he'd begun to believe in himself , and had not only completed his a levels with decent passes , but had a steady apprenticeship with a very reputable firm . It was the first time that someone had had faith in him as a person , and had done wonders for his self esteem . I told him it was all his own work .

That makes me cry my eyes out every time, Plomino

i went into theatre to have a d&c after a miscarriage and woke up to a nurse holding my hand & crying. she gave me a big hug & told me how sorry she was.

i used to work in a nursing home & grew very close to a few residents without families. i would sit & chat to them. when the time came i sat by their bed & held their hand when the past away as i didnt want them to be scared and alone. i was well after my shifts ended but i pitched up tent for the night.

When I was travelling I met a lady on a sleeper train. She didn't speak any English, but I was put on the phone to her grandchild and he asked me to make sure she had a safe journey. Had some fun learning her language and vice versa.

At the end of the journey we queued at a taxi rank. I started to feel unwell and nearly passed out. The lady dragged me to the front of the line. She then safely took me to my hostel and left me her phone number for if I needed anything. I will never forget her kindness. I only realised later she had paid for the taxi, really generous and lovely act to a complete stranger.

someone puked on the train platform late friday even and I gave them a pack of tissues and a bottle of water

I find the tube is where I am most kind, as really noone else is!!!

hmmm - acts of kindness I have done.

I gave a frazzled father whose car was about to run out of fuel at the supermarket £5 so he could put some fuel in. He looked desperate and tbh I could have spent that £5 on some pointless tat and he looked like he needed it way more than me.

I was leaving the tube station to go and pick my daughter up from nursery which is next to the hospital. A very worried and shaken lady was asking the underground staff how she got to the cancer treatment centre from the tube. It was raining and the staff member could only point to the bus stops. As I was driving that way anyway I offered her a lift. She was so grateful that she kept saying she would pray for my baby (i was pregnant). I really don't know how anyone could have ignored her poor love.

My grandma was the ultimate though, when she died at 91 a very distraught young lady who obviously had been going through some personal issues came up to me at her funeral. None of us knew who she was, and she explained she had read my grandma's obituary and wanted to tell us how she would miss my grandma as she would visit her once a fortnight for a cup of tea and a chat. She ran off before I could ask for more details. But her taking the time to come and pay her respects like that really warmed our hearts.

When I was working on a cruise ship, a few of us had gone into town for a meal and we missed the last bus back to the ship. If we had been late we all would have been fired. The waitress overheard us and then got her brother to come and take us back to the ship in his camper van. He refused to take any of our money. We got back just in time. This was my first time in France and the stereotype of French people despising us Brits really did not ring true that day.

My DD was born by C section and as the theatre gradually filled up with nurses and medics I began to realise something was seriously wrong. Everyone was focussed (of course) on the baby, but the lovely anaesthetist stayed with me, quietly explaining what they were checking for and trying to distract me. Eventually one of the medics turned to me and said, 'baby seems to be having trouble breathing, we just need to pop her upstairs to SCBU for some oxygen.'

As he turned to whisk her away, the anaesthetist said 'WAIT - let mum have a cuddle first' I held my precious, blue baby for a few memorable seconds and then off she went.

Thirteen days and 2 heart surgeries later, I got my second cuddle. I am always so so grateful to that anaesthetist who obviously had an inkling we were in for a long separation.

DD, btw, is now a strapping 12 year old who has never looked back. I get dozens of cuddles every day.

Sniff.

I make window displays for a living, I was working on one particularly hard window with the sun streaming in day after day roasting me alive, all contorted up trying to get bits of handmade "coral" wired into place and pulling every muscle in my back in the process.

A man who must have walked past that window every day came in with a box of chocolates, told me my window was beautiful and left.

I actually cried a little bit, it was so sweet.

The kindest thing I have done will be a bit cryptic. I have paid for something for a bereaved MNer who couldn't afford it herself and I hope helped her a bit at a very difficult time. She didn't ask or anything, but I saw her talking on a thread I randomly clicked on.

The kindest things done for me are all small things, but that make you feel good. Like people giving me seats on the tube when I was pregnant, my neighbour clearing all our leaves along with his on the drive when (unknown to him) I was feeling awful with morning sickness and DH was away.

I'm so proud of my mum, who just told me that last night she was on a train home and there was a young woman on the seat in front. A drunk rambling old man got on and sat next to the young woman and started harrassing her and wouldn't leave her alone.

My mum tapped the guy on the shoulder and said, ' I think you are making this young lady feel really uncomfortable. Why don't you come and sit next to me instead?' so he did, and then drunkenly (and quite stinkily) told her his life story all the way home. My mum said it was a bit of a trial but worth it to see the relief of the young woman, who thanked her profusely when the guy got off.

I expect she made the man feel better too - sounds like he was just after a chat but it can be very intimidating!

Kindest things I have seen/heard about/done myself:

A friend saw a distressed elderly woman struggling with a shopping trolley in the bay, and went over to help put the pound coin in. The lady just said "Thank you. My husband used to do this for me." Bless her.

My mum takes flowers to her neighbour every year on the anniversary of their daughter's death. There's no chat and tea, just a simple exchange.

I saw 2 young teen girls in a train toilet station looking really upset and asked them what was the matter. They said they needed to get to but were really confused and didn't know if there were any trains going there. I said I didn't know either but ran out to catch an attendent to ask him to please direct the girls to where they needed to be. A little while later I saw the train to their destination pulling out, and the girls weren't on the platform so they must have made it in the nick of time. I'd missed my own train but at least I knew where I was going!

A really kind Greek man shared his bread on the bus at 7am with me and my 2 friends I was backpacking with. We were exhausted and skint, it meant a lot at the time.

A Polish taxi driver took me and a friend much further than our combined money would take us after a night out, because he said he had a daughter our age and would like to think someone would do the same for her to get her home safely.

This isn't a stranger but I have to tell it because I'll never forget the day my friend pulled a sickie from work to take me out when I got some bad news. She took me to a cafe and just held me as I cried on the phone to my Mum. She would have done the same even if I hadn't known her, because that's similar to how we met!