SO best compliment - most comforting thing a stranger has done

[heartmug]

I was flying to NV to see my brother, SIL, and new niece.  My mother had died a few months before this and I wanted to be there for joy at this new life in our family.

I sat next to a couple, probably in their late 50s.  The woman and I both reached for books at the same time.  She mentioned "Another reader sitting next to me" and we chatted for a few minutes.  She was reading a book about heaven.  I didn't mention that mom had died but I said that looks like a really interesting book and I had heard about it.  As the flight landed, she handed me the book.  "Take it" was all she said. I offered to buy it, but she said "No, it is all your's and it was interesting. "  It really helped me cope the next few months.

[LadyJaneinMD]

Two winters ago, when Snowmagedden hit the Washington DC area, I was stuck inside my apartment, at a complex that simply refused to shovel the walks.  Fortunately  we knew this was coming, so my apartment was well-stocked, but much to my horror, I got sick while stuck inside!  I couldn't leave, because I had no idea how I'd get back, and who would take care of my cat?  So I stuck it out for a few days. 
The snow stopped, and we all went out to shovel.  That's when I discovered that the best snow shovel to have is a $20 bill.  All I had to do was wave it around, and someone always showed up to shovel out my car!  It was an entrepreneur's dream!

But, I'm still sick, and on the way back to my apartment, I'm struggling through knee-deep snow, and I fell down.  That's when I discovered that I had *no* strength to get up.  I just wanted to lay there and sleep.   Some kids ran into the building next door and shortly after that, a very nice young man came running out, and actually picked me up out of the snow and helped me to my front door.  I never saw his face or got his name, but I know he was a soldier on leave from Iraq.  I did thank him, but I wish I'd gotten his name and made him cookies or something.

[Softly Spoken]

I don't know if this is the most comforting but it is the most recent (I will be sure to add if I remember any others):

The other day I dashed uphill for several blocks to catch a bus I was afraid would leave without me. I usually have decent long term stamina, but the unplanned sprint coupled with my recent surgery left me flushed and panting for air. Even after I sat down, I was still breathing hard for more than half a minute. The man sitting next to me asked me if I was okay. Maybe he thought I had asthma (I'm sure that's what it sounded like). I assured him I was fine just out of breath from rushing to catch the bus. We had a friendly little chat, commiserating together about the pitfalls of public transportation.

It may seem like a little thing, but most people on the bus are usually plugged into their iPods or phones, reading their books/nooks, or just studiously avoiding eye contact. The fact that this man took the few seconds to show compassion for a stranger really made me feel good. I was able to "pay it forward" later in the week when I asked an upset girl who came to sit next to me if she was okay. I hope her day picked up, even just a little, like mine did.

[Thipu1]

This wasn't really a comforting thing but it was sweet.

We were in an appliance store looking at a new washer-dryer combination.  Another couple were also looking at the same things.  She was nondescript but he was large, hearty and noticeable.  He had a distinctive laugh and was wearing an unusual coat.  'I'll call him 'Good Cheer Guy'. 

We had a short conversation about the appliances and they left before we did. 

When we did leave, the light at the corner was ready to flip to red.  It was starting to rain a little.  The car at the head of the line gave a brief honk and the driver called to us that he'd wait while we crossed. 

It was 'Good Cheer Guy'.

He recognized us.  We exchanged waves and smiles. 

I know this isn't a great story but I wanted to keep this thread alive.     

[parrot_girl]

Three years ago, we were on a wonderful holiday in Queensland, with our then two-year-old DD, and we decided to go on a whale-watching tour. It left from Mooloolaba and headed straight out into the open ocean- and it was a ROUGH day. I managed to keep DD busy for a while by pointing out all the whales (there were lots! Tails here, spouts there, one mum and her baby who came gloriously close to the boat) but then she was so seasick she just wanted to cuddle and breastfeed. And feed, and feed, and feed. And then, of course, the seasickness won and she threw up. On me. I looked like I'd been painted with slightly rancid yoghurt.
Everyone was lovely (she was NOT the only seasick person on that boat), but the action that really stuck with me was a man who'd been sitting opposite us stripping off and giving me his T-shirt, so that I'd have something to wear that wasn't covered with vomit! He had a jumper to put back on, so he wasn't half-nude or anything. I've never been so grateful. How many people would literally give you the shirt off their back?

[Yarnspinner]

Friends and I got together and drove to Huge New Mall some sixty miles away.  On the way home, in the middle of traffic in the middle of a freezing February, the muffler fell off my friend's car, but it didn't completely disconnect and was striking sparks.  We pulled to the side of the road, hoping it would cool off enough that we could knock it off of the car.  No luck.

A tow truck pulled up beside us (and we were still some forty miles from home and worried about what we would do:  we were all early twenty somethings and hadn't a lot of cash between us to pay for the tow).

The driver hopped out and asked what was wrong, grabbed a jack and slid under the car and removed the muffler with hs bare hands.  He refused the money we offered and disappeared into the darkness.  We drove home loudly (that poor old car really was noisy WITH a muffler and without--well, it was worse) but grateful to our mysterious saviour.

On another occasion it was MY car that blew a tire in the middle of a busy highway hundreds of miles from home.  Confident that I had watched my Dad change enough tires in my lifetime that I could do it, too,  I pulled the car over and with my friends' help, emptied out the trunk.  One of my friends, kind of to lighten things up found the "Assistance" sign that comes with car kits and stood to one side.  (It really WAS funny because we used to joke about her being so cute and pretty that we brought her along just because we knew she'd be useful in such occasions).

Not five minutes later and car drove by on the opposite side of the road and a few minutes after that we saw the car on the bridge above us and the driver said "I just need to turn the car around girls, hold on."

Same thing...he had the tire off and the spare on in less than ten minutes, helped us pack the car back up, told me to get the car to the garage at the next roadside station and refused the money we offered.

Thanks for making me think of these two events, as I have been dwelling too much on the evil of people lately....

[Yarnspinner]

This wasn't really a comforting thing but it was sweet.

We were in an appliance store looking at a new washer-dryer combination.  Another couple were also looking at the same things.  She was nondescript but he was large, hearty and noticeable.  He had a distinctive laugh and was wearing an unusual coat.  'I'll call him 'Good Cheer Guy'. 

We had a short conversation about the appliances and they left before we did. 

When we did leave, the light at the corner was ready to flip to red.  It was starting to rain a little.  The car at the head of the line gave a brief honk and the driver called to us that he'd wait while we crossed. 

It was 'Good Cheer Guy'.

He recognized us.  We exchanged waves and smiles. 

I know this isn't a great story but I wanted to keep this thread alive.     

At the risk of being Mary Sunshine, Thipu1, I have to say I think this IS a great story, simply because these little acts seem so uncommon these days.  Lately, I try to mark down even the smallest smile or just a joke between me and a perfect stranger so I can remember that most people are genuinely good and that the jerks are few and far between.  Your tale qualifies as a testament to fellow feeling and kindness.