"Paying it forward"....acts of kindness done for you by strangers

[Jones]

Today I was running work errands. I stopped at the bank and saw an elderly gentleman with an oxygen tank getting out of his car, which was parked in the handicapped spot. Even walking slowly he got to the door before me. He saw me coming and waited; I figured he needed a hand opening the door. I hurried up and he opened it...stood to one side and gestured to me to go first.

[peach2play]

I have recently been sent to Delaware for my job and I was given less than a week to pack and get to Delaware.

I really really really wanted to bring my motorcycle with me out here as it is my sanity.  I had planned on renting a UHaul trailer and towing it behind the rental car my company was renting for me.  The bad news was I could not pick up the rental car until late Saturday and I had to leave Sunday morning so I figured I would use my truck to get the trailer and then switch it to the rental car after I picked it up.  I got to the UHaul place and they took a look at my truck which had a hitch, but did not have a hook up for lights.  I had been meaning to get the adapter, but just hadn't yet.  They did not have an adapter that would work and I had to get lights or they wouldn't let me rent the trailer.  They sent me to another UHaul place down the road that had all the towing supplies.  The man at the 2nd UHaul place told me that he would have to run a full lights package which would be over $200.  I knew this wasn't true as I already had wiring at the rear of my truck and just needed the adapter to hook into the adapter.  He insisted the first UHaul place, my mechanic, and my good friend who is also a mechanic, were wrong in their assessment of what I needed.  I walked out with out purchasing anything and went to NAPA where they promptly and happily sold me the part.  I get back to UHaul and hand over the part and my car and sign the paperwork for my trailer.  Something told me to call the rental car company and I found out that they do not allow any towing of any kind behind their vehicles.  At this point I started to cry.  I was really counting on taking the trailer so I could bring things from home with me so the transition wouldn't be so hard.  The lady at the UHaul place saw how upset I was, refunded my money for the trailer and refused payment for putting the towing adapter on my car because, "You have enough to deal with."  I wrote them a really good review on Google and Yelp.  She didn't have to help me, but she made a really hard day seem a little better.

[Jones]

This may sound silly, but I was walking home from the library with the kids. DD was riding her little bike, I was pushing DS in a stroller. We came around a corner to find a man washing his car next to the sidewalk. When we drew close he shut off the water, we greeted each other and he turned the water back on after we had gone by.

In my locale, pedestrians are lucky if the car washer moves to a different side of the auto to cut down on backspray. This guy struck me as a total gentleman.

[JonGirl]

Thanks to the lady who lives near me who took me the rest of the way to the supermarket in the rain even if it was only a 30 second ride.

[Girlie]

When I was still a grocery store cashier, a customer happened to walk up on the tail end of a conversation about how all of our hours had been cut lately and how they wouldn't promote me to full time even though I'd worked for it and earned it because they didn't have "the hours available." A bunch of corporate nonsense, but it really made lean times more lean, you know?

Anyway, he must have heard more of the conversation than I realized, because after he left the store, he went to the ATM, and brought back an envelope and handed it to me and told me that it was a tip for a job well done, and that he hoped everything looked up for me. It was $100, and it honestly made me cry tears of happiness and relief. 

[Cutenoob]

Bazzillons of years ago, I was a kid, and I loved to ride my bike. After school, I'd hop on the bike and go all over the place, in my residential area or even down a big street to another business.
One ride, I felt one of my seizures coming on. I felt it start up, and told it to go away, shut up. Next thing I know, I'm laying on my side in the left/right turn lane of the big street.
A guy is trying to talk to me, say hey, you doing ok, what's your name, those things. I couldn't speak, my speech is really affected after one.
Luckily, in that lane, I was RIGHT ACROSS from my hairdresser's salon! I had to mime phone go there call phone scissors haircut phone so he could kind of understand what I wanted. The idea was to get me to the hair place, they knew me by name, and could call my mom from the store.

He helped me across the street to the hair place, and once I got in, he left. No name, no nothing; I didn't get to say thanks to him.

[KenveeB]

This may sound silly, but I was walking home from the library with the kids. DD was riding her little bike, I was pushing DS in a stroller. We came around a corner to find a man washing his car next to the sidewalk. When we drew close he shut off the water, we greeted each other and he turned the water back on after we had gone by.

In my locale, pedestrians are lucky if the car washer moves to a different side of the auto to cut down on backspray. This guy struck me as a total gentleman.

People do that sometimes when I'm walking my dogs, and it's always much appreciated!

When I was in high school, I was heading back home after a kind of class trip to watch a play downtown. (I lived in London at the time.) I was the only one taking the particular train in my direction, so the others had already gotten on their train and I was heading to mine. The doors closed just as I walked onto the platform, and it was half an hour (late at night) until the next train. So I ran forward to see if I was still in time to press the button and open the door real quick. Of course, I slipped and fell, so I watched the train go and then stood up. And nearly fell again. I had turned my ankle under me, and it was starting to really hurt. I managed to hobble off to the side and propped my foot in front of me, watching it swell to about three times its normal size, as I waited for the next train. A woman walked up to me and asked if I was all right. I said i was fine and just needed to wait for the next train. She left, then came back a minute later with a drink and snack purchased from one of the train shops. It really lifted my spirits in the middle of a very frustrating and painful night!

[MommyPenguin]

Just today, I took my daughters to Chick-Fil-A after a playgroup at the park.  I had planned to just go through the drive-thru, but they noticed that it had a play area and asked if we could eat there instead so they could play.  I agreed.  Just as we were finishing our meal, an older man, who had been sitting at the next table, came over.  He asked if he could buy us all ice cream!  Apparently the girls reminded him a bit of his grandchildren, whom he doesn't see often because they live in Africa, and he likes to treat kids that he sees out and about on occasion since he can't treat his grandchildren.  Wasn't that sweet?  The girls loved their special treat (even though sitting next to a 1-year-old eating an ice cream cone is a rather stressful experience, let me tell you!).

[elephantschild]

I may have shared this one before. I think it bears repeating.

I used to work in a big chain bookstore. (Loved the job.) I was at the front counter one day when we were running our annual "donate books for local underpriveleged school" drive. Customers were asked if they wish to purchase a book to donate, and we tended to keep a stack of our favorites right next to our registers. (I know some people hate this, but honest, it wasn't a high-pressure pitch at all ... at least, not from me.)

One morning, a fellow in a suit came to the register buying a few books and a local paper. (If I remember correctly.) His order came to less than $50. He asked if he could use a $100 bill. I had plenty in the register at this point, so I said yes.

Then I asked if he wanted to buy a book for the drive.

He looked at the books. He looked at me. He looked back at the books.

Then he asked, "How much would this buy?"

It took me a minute to realize that he meant to send all his change on books. My jaw dropped a little. I stammered something like, "Quite a lot, actually."

We stood there and added books onto his total until it hit $100. He paid, smiled at me and left.

Ive never forgotten it. He restored a little of my faith in humanity that day. Someday, I hope to be in a position where I can do the exact same thing.

[snowdragon]

I may have shared this one before. I think it bears repeating.

I used to work in a big chain bookstore. (Loved the job.) I was at the front counter one day when we were running our annual "donate books for local underpriveleged school" drive. Customers were asked if they wish to purchase a book to donate, and we tended to keep a stack of our favorites right next to our registers. (I know some people hate this, but honest, it wasn't a high-pressure pitch at all ... at least, not from me.)

One morning, a fellow in a suit came to the register buying a few books and a local paper. (If I remember correctly.) His order came to less than $50. He asked if he could use a $100 bill. I had plenty in the register at this point, so I said yes.

Then I asked if he wanted to buy a book for the drive.

He looked at the books. He looked at me. He looked back at the books.

Then he asked, "How much would this buy?"

It took me a minute to realize that he meant to send all his change on books. My jaw dropped a little. I stammered something like, "Quite a lot, actually."

We stood there and added books onto his total until it hit $100. He paid, smiled at me and left.

Ive never forgotten it. He restored a little of my faith in humanity that day. Someday, I hope to be in a position where I can do the exact same thing.

  This made me cry.  Thanks so much for giving me back some faith that there are good people out there.

[Elisabunny]

DH (high school teacher) had his first pre-schoolyear workday today.  He got called into the principal's office, where he was told that "an older gentleman" had given us a very large donation for our kids' medical bills.  So many people, a lot of them anonymous, have been so very, very kind to us.  It's overwhelming.

[dawbs]

I can only think of one I've been on the 'giving' end of recently...
collecting pop bottles for the deposit is a common thing in my area.  Last week, I was pumping gas and a gentleman was rummaging through all of the trash cans, picking out cans.  I remembered I hadn't taken back my 10 or so cans, so a "sir, if you're collecting today, you can have these" got me the nicest thank-you I've had in a while.

On the flip side of it, yesterday, I went to the 'new' church I've attended a few times w/ my almost-2-year old.  Said church doesn't have a nursery and my kid in a VERY chatty phase--I've been assured they don't mind but, we're failing at 'inside voices' and 'shhhhh' right now--I'm trying but, uh, I'm failing.   Being told "it's so lovely, that she's so musical and likes singing' (said church doesn't have music, BTW) just sets my mind at ease.  Thank you

[KenveeB]

My very first day on a new job, my car battery died. I got in the car at the end of the day and nothing. Not only that, it was a rental car and I didn't have my jumper cables in it! So I had to wander the parking lot trying to find someone who hadn't already left and had cables. I was very grateful to the person who helped out!

Last weekend, I was at a pet fair for my dog rescue when someone mentioned a lady needing a jump in the parking lot. I immediately got someone to hold my dog and went out to grab my cables. She was very grateful and kept saying she wished she could give me something. I smiled and said, "We've all been there. Just pay it forward."

[auntmeegs]

This is a small one, but I wanted to mention it because this thread inspired me to do it.  There was a young girl, maybe 12 or so, outside of the Quickcheck (a convenience store for those that are not familiar) with a can to raise money for her cheerleading squad.  I know a lot of people can’t stand that kind of thing but I really don’t mind it and its pretty common around here.  Anyway, she was adorable – she had her uniform on and her hair all done and gave a very enthusiastic, polite greeting.  I dropped a dollar bill in her can and she thanked me.  I was a cheerleader too and I remember one day when my friend and I were standing outside a 7-11 store with our cans.  It was a really hot day and we couldn’t wait to be done with our “shift” so we could go to the beach.  At one point a lady, who had already given us some change on her way in, came out of the store with two Slurpies (sort of like a slushie), handed one to each of us, told us she had been a cheerleader too and wished us good luck.  We were so psyched and the Slurpies had totally made our day.  So while I was in the store, I bought the girl a slushie, gave it to her on the way out and said the same thing that that woman had said to my friend and I.  The girl gave me a huge smile and thank you and I went on my way feeling really happy. 

[AmysAuntie]

This thread reminded me of an incident that happened many many moons ago in Macys, Monterey, CA.  I had gone there to get some special holiday freezer containers so I could whip up several batches of hot buttered rum mixer as gifts.  It was fairly close to Christmas, so the lines were pretty heavy.  While we were waiting, the young man in front of me struck up a conversation about our respective purchases and he asked what I was going to do with all those containers.  I told him what I planned to make and he asked for the recipe.  Fortunately, it's a short, simple one, so as he held my items, I jotted down the recipe for him.  When I finished, he handed me our collective items and said he had forgotten one gift and asked me to hold his place online.  He was back in a flash with an women's toiletry item.  Eventually we finally got up to the register and when he was finished checking out, he handed me the small bag with the toiletry, thanked me for the recipe, and vanished into the holiday crowd.