Strangers you remember fondly

[Conkernudge]

Thought it would be nice to have a thread talking about strangers who have touched your life, or who you remember for a good reason.

Mine:
My DH and I were heading up a long flight of stairs at a train station when suddenly we saw a frail old man overbalance near the top and start falling. My husband dived sideways and managed to catch him before he went head over heels. As the man was falling the lady he was with shouted “Stanley!” crossly. I’m sure she was terrified, rather than cross, but she gave him a bit of a telling off when she caught up with him, despite holding his hand tightly. They were obviously married or partners and he’d given her the shock of her life.

Now whenever I criticise my husband for something minor he goes “Stanley!” as though i’m telling him off for something unreasonable and we laugh.

The fall happened probably about 12 years ago now and it’s just stuck with us. We hope we’ll grow old together like they did.

So, which stranger do you remember and why?

I got talking to an older lady in a hospital waiting room when the appointments were running behind. I was reading a book and she started talking to me about it then asked which uni I went to or what I studied and when I said I hadnt, she said 'you really ought to have' smiled and got called in to her appointment. When I left I saw an ad for my university went home and applied and now have two degrees and about to embark on a PhD but all because of this lady. Aside from the qualifications, it has changed my life and restored my confidence and sense of self that I had lost post DC (some PND). I always want to thank her.

As a 17yo I had an interview for university in London. My dad went to work without giving me any money for the train fare and my mum didn’t have any. I was desperate so I decided to chance there not being an inspector on the train. I got caught and apart from missing the interview I knew I wouldn’t get An offer with a conviction for fare dodging. It was all too much and I broke down in tears, explained what was happening, to the inspector and he pulled out £20 and bought me a return ticket. He wouldn’t even give me his name so I could pay him back.

This thread is so heart warming. It really shows the power of a stranger to make such a difference. If there's a lesson, help people, notice people, be kind to people. You never know what their story is or badly they might need a kind word or a bit of help.

Mine is the first day of a course in a strange city. I hadn't got any money on me, and had to pay for a bus into town. I was stressed and worried, and finding I didn't have the money for the bus was the last straw. I only had a debit card and cheque book. Two people volunteered to pay my fare, the rest just looked the other way. That's the difference, those who look the other way and those who actually help.

Mine wasn't a stranger as such but remember a teacher that brought me some clothes that belonged to her daughter as she knew I was a neglected child and had nothing, she used to make me breakfast at school also I have never forgot that nearly 20 years on.

Once DS and I stepped out of a shop only to be airstruck with a torrent of seagull poop. Three ladies scurried across the road, tissues out, dabbing frantically and clucking sympathetically.

The same year, DS barfed over the inside of our car. We were miles from shops and pulled in to a little village. I knocked on the door of the first house and pleaded for a roll of tissue... the young mum gave us tissue, baby wipes, bin bags, and let us wash hands in the sink. On the way home we dropped off replacements plus a card and chocs, but she wasn't in. I hope she knows how grateful we were!

When I was 18, my first bf dumped me and I got on a train in tears. An older couple asked if I was okay, filled me with positive stories and said 'you're among friends'. They were only there for two more stops, but it helped me cope with a four hour journey.

I have no friends and think I'm just not the sort that people will like.
However I recently had the best evening on holiday with a lovely couple (though it was misguided as the next day they ignored me as they had realised what I'm really like) but it was lovely to have just the one evening seeing what life is really like for most people, I value that.

When I was about 8 years old I lived with my Dad and my abusive step-mother.

I went to Brownies that met in a church hall that was set back a fair way from the road. My step-mother used to just drop me on the road and not come with me to the door.

Anyway one evening she dropped me off as usual. Only it turned out it was cancelled. This was long before the days of mobile phones. I decided the best thing to do would be to sit on the pavement for the next two hours and wait for her to pick me up.

A man came up and asked what I was doing and I explained. He asked where I lived and I told him, and he said he'd walk me home. Obviously the whole stranger danger had been drilled into me so I wasn't sure what to do but he insisted that I couldn't just stay there. I followed him as he walked through the town and he took me straight home. It was a lovely thing to do for a child who was being neglected at home and I'll never forget his kindness.

@fairyofallthings I'm sure that's not true. Everything has something good about them

First one was when I was heavily pregnant with DD and my tyre blew. Parked on the edge of the road and a chap pulled up, asked if I had assistance (I didn’t as I didn’t have roadside cover at the time) and my spare was flat. He whipped out his phone, half hour later one of his mates turned up with a breakdown lorry of a local company. Took us to their garage, new tyre and no charge. Lovely man. Always go to that company now as the chap that stopped worked there too (also made me check my spare whenever I check my other tyres too).

Other one was when DD was newborn and needed a feed on the bus (couldn’t drive as less then 6 weeks post c section) Was BFing her when someone started being rude to me / about me by drawing attention to what I was doing and saying I could have waited till we got home and everyone started looking. A teenage / early 20s lad came and sat by me and started chatting which stopped the nonsense. When my stop came rather than have me struggle with my pram and DD he got off too, pushed my pram home so I could walk and feed. Chatting to him on the way home I found out his mum was a BF support worker. Lovely lovely lad and I tracked his mum down to tell her so xx

My father died of cancer aged only 53 many years ago and the whole thing was very traumatic. After he died we got lots of sympathy cards but the one that always sticks in my mind came when Mum and I were at a really low ebb. It was from the family at a nearby farm who we had never spoken to, but would always wave at as we drove past their house. They had written a lovely message about how they didn't know us personally but said how sad they felt.
Strange how it meant so much and I still clearly remember 30 years later.

This thread makes me feel all warm inside :)

When I was 13 I was attacked in the street. Two women driving past stopped the car and despite the risk to themselves, pulled them off me. I was unconscious by this point. I don't know who they are. I wish I could thank them for saving my life.

Me and dd were in turkey and we'd gone out venturing by ourselves. We got on the bus and went into town but coming home our bus had stopped running. We asked a local which bus would get us the closest to our hotel, he spoke to the driver of the last bus that was running, put us on it and the bus driver proceeded to tell the whole full up bus he was taking a diversion and dropped us right outside our hotel as we was a woman and child.
Was so kind of them to help us out so much!

I was waiting about 9pm on a summer’s night at a bus stop near regents park with a stranger when I noticed someone staring at me at they got off the bus. We had been waiting ages and the guy at the stop said “there must be a better way to get to X”, and I pointed out there was – he was on the wrong side of the road. He thanked me and went to the right bus stop.

After he left the bloke I had clocked staring at me came back (this was a good ten mins later); it felt like he had been waiting to see if I would be left alone. He asked me for a drink, I said no, he become more and more instant and grabbed me, I repeatedly told him to leave me alone but he wouldn’t listen. He started pulling me just as this American family walked by. They could have walked by, I didn’t ask for help but the mum clocked something was wrong. She came and stood by my side, she must have been about 5’2 and gave him the look of a very disappointed mother and politely and firmly told him to go away. I remember one of her kids saying “what’s wrong daddy” and him staying “nothing, just don’t talk to strangers”. The waited for the bus, got on with me and saw me off at my stop.

I really don’t know what would have happened without them – THANK YOU xx

I went to see my brother who lives abroad when DD was 15 months and DS was 2 and a half. It was an 10 hour flight Nd the children got sick on the flight they had temperatures of
I had to attend an appointment it was very snowy and there was a blizzard. I'd taken DD, then 5 with me as her school was shut, on the way there she stepped in some slush that got into her shoes and her feet were freezing. After the appointment, we were going to catch a bus, but the weather was so bad we had to take refuge in the nearest shop, (an Oxfam charity shop), by the bus stop. We got in there and a lady who worked in there told DD to take off her shoes which she then dried on a hairdryer, she also found DD some tights and sent us on our way warm and dry.

I had three children under 2 and a half and a stepson aged 5 - youngest was about six weeks old and I wasn't well - feeling like crap, coming down with flu, I bundled the children into the car to take them to the village pharmacy 2 mins drive away to try and get something to make me feel better - DH away on business. Got to the chemist and as I was walking in realised I had forgotten my bag. Burst into tears. A mum who I knew very slightly to nod to (through my next door neighbour) was just on her way out. She was so lovely. Bought me flu powders from the chemist and orange juice from next door. Asked me whether I wanted her to come back with me and sit with the children so I could have a couple of hours of rest. I said no - but I have never ever forgotten the fact that she was so willing to put herself out for me. Lovely lovely lady. I try to do the same.

The lovely couple who came to my rescue when DS had a major meltdown in chessington. It was horrific, and by the time I'd carried him screaming whilst trying to get out of the queue I was crying myself . The wife took me to one side, gave me a tissue etc whilst her husband distracted DS whilst he calmed down .

They were my knights in shining armour that day