It sounds so minor, compared to all the other experiences. It was a McD worker, who got my son fries before even putting in our order.
My son and I had spent 7 hours at a pediatric endocrinologist office. His blood needed to be drawn every half hour. They broke the IV twice, so had to reinsert each time. The office was freezing cold. They had no blanket. I left my son a few times to cry outside. The single sweatshirt in my car did no good. My son never once cried or complained, but I was ready to kill. We stopped at the first fast food place near this doctors office. My son must have looked like a ghost, ready to pass out, for the employee to grab him food ASAP.
It is not part of this thread, but I wrote a letter to the board of medicine, that I never sent in. I stopped by her office weekly for a year and it was obvious they had done nothing. I told my pediatrician to never refer to this doctor again. In a year, she never correctly submitted test results. On the advice of a patient, we went to a different MD. We were there all morning until 7 pm. She had all the tests and x-rays done, and a pathologist came to share the news. Ten hours? I can’t recall. For a year at least, my son lived with an untreated tumor. This second MD was an angel, and we saw her for a dozen more years. Since she worked at a large hospital, we always waited at least an hour. My son did his homework, And I did my notes. We were so grateful to have a competent MD.
Since this hospital,was an hour from home, we had the habit of stopping at the local fast food place before getting on the turnpike. Fries and chocolate milkshakes could be eaten in the car on the way home. Some MDs and McD’s employees are angels.
I’ve got 2 that I can remember off the top of my head, but I’m sure there are more.
After college I took 3 months to backpack around Europe. My friend and I were on a train at night going from Spain into France. We didn’t know it, but the trains in France had apparently gone on strike. So the train stopped at the border and we had to get off and walk a little way to a very small train station. There was no food or anything there. The locals realized we were stuck and came and brought us food and blankets. It was lovely.
When I was in my mid-twenties somehow I got my (small) car stuck on train tracks in the middle of nowhere. I knew the tracks were used and I was in trouble. Out of nowhere (the area around the tracks was wooded) 5-6 guys came walking over to the car. They actually lifted the car off the tracks. It was crazy. I am positive they were sent by the universe.
This was around 2006 or so–my husband had gone to medical school on a military scholarship and was doing his 6 years of active duty service in payback. We went out to dinner to one of the nicest places in town, very expensive and a place we only went once a year on a special occasion. This time the occasion was he had just returned from 5 months serving in Iraq. We had a wonderful meal and when we asked for the check, the owner informed us that the couple sitting at the next table had heard us talking about how he had just come home and had paid our check for us. We were both stunned and grateful—they had left before us so there was no way for us to thank them but I have always remembered that kind gesture.
I can’t even list how much kindness has been blessed upon me. The one that really comes to mind though was when I was flying alone with my then toddler who got violently ill while circling the Austin airport above a thunderstorm. It was totally gross but the people around us all pooled together to give me their napkins, wipes, and whatever else we could use to get us cleaned up because there was too much turbulence for the flight attendants to get up. More importantly, they were kind and understanding. A man carried my bag off the plane for me and another got the stroller because my daughter was clinging to me. I would never have gotten through that flight without them.
Eight thousand passengers arrived in Halifax that day. Also in Newfoundland. 6579 people were welcomed into the homes of Gander (population 10000). The play “Come From Away” is based on the events.
There is also a short clip of it in documentary style that my friend posts on 9/11. Those people sat on planes for 8-10 hours that day, with very little complaining, and many were NYers, so didn’t know what was happening to their friends and family.
My girls are involved in theater and we often go to our Salvation Army store to pick up costumes and props. We were there a few years ago buying a 50’s semiformal dress and heels for a role that my daughter was playing when a woman who was dropping off a donation came up to line and paid for our things. The entire bill for this amazing dress (so well made) and designer shoes was $14 and we certainly could afford it but it was making this woman so happy to pay. We felt a little foolish that it was for a costume - certainly it wasn’t a “need” but we graciously accepted her help and thanked her. My dd (as a 12 year old) was embarrassed by the entire thing and couldn’t believe that I would take the money from a stranger when we had the money to pay and for something so “extra” according to her.
After the lady left, we put our package in the car and went back in and paid for the order of the elderly woman behind us. It turns out she had a huge cart of clothing that she was purchasing for a family that was moving into transitional housing next door to her after escaping an abuse situation with nothing but the clothes on their backs. She had many bags worth of things that we paid for and helped to load into her car. After we offered to pay, she went back and picked up a few more things - turns out she was on a fixed income only had $35 left that month and had to make some choices and leave things behind because she had maxed out. Since we paid the first load she could go and pick up some extras for the kids. She wouldn’t allow us to pay for the last few items, she wanted them to be a gift from her. After we left, I had wished that I had asked for the address so I could drop off some household things that we had at home but I wasn’t thinking.
Now everytime I drop off a donation I make a point to go in and pay for the order of a person in line.
I had just dropped off my eldest daughter for college (freshman year) - The man next to me on the plane (cross country) got upgraded on the plane and he insisted I take his first class seat.
I was in a bad hotel fire in the middle of the night in Rome with a large group many years ago. Most of us made it out, but many without shoes, some in only a bathrobe. The Italian authorities were useless, but the Swedish embassy was around the corner and the Swedes shepherded all 200 or so of us into the embassy, got us all blankets and footwear, fed us, and consoled people for many hours until the the arrival of the transportation our company arranged to take us to another hotel. They wouldn’t accept any payment. I will always remember their quiet kindness.
My boyfriend and I were hitchhiking across Europe in the early 90s (yes, adventurous life helps to encounter acts of kindness!). Many people helped us, but some stood out. A German guy who was driving to visit his girlfriend in Arnhem, Nederlands brought us to the house she was sharing with several roommates, and they invited us to stay for several days, and also fed us and gave us a tour of the town. Then another girl who lived there called her friend in Amsterdam and asked him to take us in for several days too. We hitched another ride to Amsterdam and the driver also invited us to stay with him, and when we said we already had a place to stay, he arranged for us to leave our backpacks in his friend’s shop so we could go sightseeing while waiting for our host to come home from work. When we finally came to our host’s apartment, he wasn’t home yet, and we waited for a while. There was a bar next door, and a couple of people noticed us outside and came out to ask what we were doing. At that point I was scared they’ll call the police on us, but instead they brought us two mugs of free beer. Since then, I’m partial to Dutch people.
There is a lovely documentary on YouTube about the ripple effect of the kindness of the people of Gander and how “Come From Away” came to be and do as wonderfully as it has.
I’ve had strangers change my tires for me three times. One of them looked to be about ninety years old, but he still had more upper arm strength than I did. Seemed very unfair! I think I know how to change a tire, but so far no one has actually let me do it.
One of the funnier stories was someone pickpocketed my wallet in NYC while I was in grad school. They took my money and threw the wallet in the gutter. Another student noticed it and found me and brought me the wallet. He asked me if I was a librarian because I had so many library cards! (I had one for where my parents live, one for where I’d been an undergrad and one for NYC.)
A man offered to do that for me when I was on my way home from my nephew’s funeral - he wanted to sit next to a friend and told me I could have his seat. A flight attendant said it was OK.
After I got settled in and was drinking a glass of wine, another flight attendant came over and told me he wasn’t allowed to switch with me, because other people were on the wait list for first class! She made me move back to coach! I could not believe it. I expressed my displeasure quite vocally. Guess I’m lucky I didn’t get kicked off the plane.
So my younger D (who does not know about this thread!) just texted me and said earlier today, she was in class and had to run to the restroom. She got back and the girl sitting next to her had taken notes for both of them!
Over the weekend, she had put clothes in the washing machine and was a bit late getting back down to move them to the dryer. She found a note from someone who had put them in the dryer (and you have to pay for the dryer) and left a note saying that she didn’t want her clothes getting yucky (there were lots of other washers open) and to have a nice day.
Keeping it short and trying not to leave too many identifiers…I once gave birth in the middle of the street, in the early A.M. in a large metropolitan city. A woman who owned the street-facing apartment rushed down with a blanket to wrap the baby in, and, as she was a former nurse, she also sucked mucous out of the baby’s nostrils and cleared the airways. My husband presented her with flowers and specialty coffees the day we returned with the baby.
I went back about two years ago with my then-college-aged-child to let this woman get one last look at the child I feel she had a great hand in helping to live in this world, but was unable to find her. She is always in our thoughts.
A wonderfully kind act, which led to the greatest gift I have ever received - my son.
My husband had three kids prior to his divorce and had had a vasectomy. We married with the plan of having the vasectomy reversed, so we could have a child together. In speaking with the urologist who preformed reversals in our area, we were sad to learn the cost was far more than we could afford. The kind physician offered to do the procedure pro-bono, so we would only have to pay for the use of the outpatient facility. We were completely overwhelmed by this kind and generous offer.
I have a bit of the opposite situation but with a happy ending.
When I was 19 years old I was driving through 3 midwest states to see my now wife. I was just under halfway through the 8 hour drive when my car went crazy and died, thankfully right at an exit. I walked the mile to the closest business (a restaurant) and called a tow truck, my dad, and my girlfriend (pre cell phone days) and arranged plans with all of them. The tow truck came, we got my car, and headed to the shop in town, which it turns out was about 7 miles. It was late afternoon and 105 degrees out and we got to the shop about 4:45. I told the mechanic that my dad would be in touch about fixing/picking up the car. He said great and pointed to the door asking me to leave as it was time to close. I asked about a ride back to the original restaurant and he said no, tows are a one way trip. I told him my ride was already on the way and they were meeting me there. He could have cared less and it was small town so no chance of taxi service.
I grabbed my bag and started walking the 7 miles in the intense heat. Cars drove by never giving me a second glance or thought and I was about ready to collapse when I got to the restaurant. I walked in and sat at the service counter and asked for water. I was informed no water unless I ordered food. I explained I was going to order food but really needed water first and was told no way. I grabbed the menu and ordered the first thing I saw just to get water. While waiting for my food an older gentleman sitting a couple of stools down said hello and mentioned he saw me walking as he drove by. I explained my situation and his response was “oh I just figured you were out for a walk”. In 105 degree heat, in the middle of nowhere, with a large bag???
Once I finished my meal I had about 2 more hours to wait for my ride. The manager informed me that once I was done eating I had to leave. The restaurant was empty and I explained my situation but no way. I waited outside for my ride.
It stunned me at the time that the small town, midwest, farming communities we hear so much about their kind community could be so cold to me. I have to this day never again stopped at that exit for food, fuel, etc.
Now for the good, 2 things. First, this experience has given me a desire to help those in similar situations and as a result I have never thought twice about helping change a tire or picking up someone that has broken down. Second, this town is in the general area of the Molly Tibbets disappearance/murder from this summer and it was enlightening to see the way the community pulled together to try and find her so maybe some of those people from years ago learned how to treat those in need.
