Nicest thing a random person ever did for you.

ps3man

What is the nicest thing a random person has ever done for you?

A few months ago I got some terrible news about a family member, for whatever reason I went into work the next day. Obviously exhausted and showing signs that I had been crying a lot, a customer asked me what had happened, I explained that I had been in the hospital overnight, no sleep etc. She left the store and came back a few minutes later with a cup of tea and some chocolates. A small gesture but good god did it cheer me up.

The Backwards Man

Quite a few actually. Way too many to mention. The problem is we usually remember in a blink the cases where people have wronged us in some way, and the cases where people have gone out of their to help us get lost in the haze.

Human nature, it's a balls.

DareGod

My mother had a near-fatal accident last summer (well, it was actually fatal - she was thankfully resuscitated,) and she was unconscious in a bed in hospital overnight. I got the bus across the country and spent the night sitting in a chair alone beside her bed over night. As anyone would do. I was feeling pretty emotional about the whole thing. A young nurse came in to the dark room we were in, around 4am, to check on my mam and asked me if I'd like a cup of tea. I thanked her and said no, I'm okay. She insisted "Ah, ye will" and I smiled and said "No seriously I am okay thank you." She repeated "Ah no..." and she left the room. About five minutes she came back with a tray with tea and toast and biscuits for me. I nearly burst out crying there and then, ha!

Never underestimate the power of a tiny act of kindness. Any time a stranger has shown me even the tiniest bit of kindness towards me it has driven me almost to tears, I guess because it's usually been when I'm in a sad place. It should be encouraged more. The power it holds!

Dozer Dave

DareGod wrote: »

A young nurse came in to the dark room we were in, around 4am, to check on my mam and asked me if I'd like a cup of tea. I thanked her and said no, I'm okay. She insisted "Ah, ye will" and I smiled and said "No seriously I am okay thank you." She repeated "Ah no..." and she left the room. About five minutes she came back with a tray with tea and toast and biscuits for me. I nearly burst out crying there and then, ha!

Mrs Doyle the tea apprentice?

hairyslug

DareGod wrote: »

My mother had a near-fatal accident last summer (well, it was actually fatal - she was thankfully resuscitated,) and she was unconscious in a bed in hospital overnight. I got the bus across the country and spent the night sitting in a chair alone beside her bed over night. As anyone would do. I was feeling pretty emotional about the whole thing. A young nurse came in to the dark room we were in, around 4am, to check on my mam and asked me if I'd like a cup of tea. I thanked her and said no, I'm okay. She insisted "Ah, ye will" and I smiled and said "No seriously I am okay thank you." She repeated "Ah no..." and she left the room. About five minutes she came back with a tray with tea and toast and biscuits for me. I nearly burst out crying there and then, ha!

Never underestimate the power of a tiny act of kindness. Any time a stranger has shown me even the tiniest bit of kindness towards me it has driven me almost to tears, I guess because it's usually been when I'm in a sad place. It should be encouraged more. The power it holds!

I'm sitting in St vincents at the moment, I'm on one side of the bed, my sister on the other and my mother in the middle and this same thing just happened, nurses here really are fantastic

DareGod

Dozer Dave wrote: »

Mrs Doyle the tea apprentice?

At first I was a little bit irked that she wouldn't take no for an answer. But when she arrived with the tray full of tea and food........ here come the waterworks!!

Savage Tyrant

I was working night shift in a factory back in 2004 a week before Christmas when I received a phone call from my cousin who I was living with at the time to say that our Auntie had died in a house fire an hour or so previously. She had literally only moved home to her house a few days after staying with us for a few months while her house was renovated and we were all very close.
I just broke down in tears and slumped against a wall and sat down on the floor.... A few friends and factory manager were around but didn't really know what to say or do, or even know right at that second what the news I'd just got had been.
Then a big guy who I'd never even spoke 2 words to previous, big bald skinhead the size of the side wall of a house walked over off the factory line and sat beside me, put his arm around me and just hugged me. Said nothing but shared my grief right there without knowing me or the situation I had just found myself in.

Nucular Arms

When I was a kid I was playing a game where we were spinning around a roundabout and hanging on till you sort of floated parallel to the ground (don't ask me) when a kid smashed into me with his bicycle and took a two inch chunk of flesh out of my knee.

I only have really hazy memories of it, but I mostly remember some adult came out of nowhere and scooped me up and started carrying me in the direction of home. About halfway there we were met by my father as some of the other kids had run ahead to alert him and he took over the carrying duties.

I'll never forget that though. Mostly because you don't easily forget being able to see your own kneecaps.. but also for that guys automatic instinctual kindness.

Never saw him again and can't even remember his face. Shame really.

the evasion_kid

When I was sleeping rough in the states in a park,I was sitting on a park bench I noticed a guy there with his kids he sent them over to me to show me this mad tree frog they had found,anyhoo eventually he came over and said he'd seen me sleeping rough there,he gave me a watermelon one of those big 20kg ones....I hate watermelon but it always stuck out in my memory he didn't look like he had a whole lot himself..genuine nice guy

Robsweezie

I was in hospital having my appendix out a couple of days after falling ill on the day of my confirmation (weakness,pallor,vomiting,cold sweats ). My first major surgery and I took it in my stride. The six days I was in there felt like forever. However one day shortly after the surgery, I was feeling particularly weak, sore and sluggish, as I rose up from the bed to journey toward the toilet at the end of the corridor, a bit of an effort in my condition. A couple sat with their screaming child in the bed next to mine. The father of the child saw me struggling and walked over to help me reach the toilet. He walked with me at my own pace the whole way and back as well I think ,he made the whole ordeal of stumbling around trying not to burst my stitches all the more bearable. Probably tried to distract himself from his own infant son's plight. Hospitals are a terrible lonely place, especially on no visitor days. There was a sense in the ward that we were all in it together. I never forgot what he did. Some things just stick.

danslevent

I was working in a shop at the time. It was a really small shop so generally only one person would be working at a time. It was about five minutes until my co worker was coming to take over the shift when I got a phone call that my Dad had collapsed and was in hospital.

The shop was full of people browsing and I just entered auto pilot mode and started serving the man at the counter. Half way through the transaction I just burst into tears and hurriedly finished apologising saying I had just received bad news.

When my co worker arrived I just rushed into the stock room hyper ventilating and crying,on the verge of a panic attack. My co worker came in with a can of coke saying that the earlier customer and dropped it in,hoped I was Okay and drinking something might help.

It was such a small gesture but it really touched me and having something cold to drink helped calm me a bit.

eternal

I was living in central London but was well away from the centre one night and spent the day getting warped with my friend. Of course it seemed like a good idea to make it back to work. I got on the tube and something happened which caused difficulties and we were told to get buses to our destinations. This was very late at night and I didn't know where I was even. I managed to get a bus and somehow this complete stranger talked to me and asked me was I ok and enquired as where I was going so I told him. He went out of his way to make sure I was safe, walked me to the main bus area in London and stood with me until I got on the bus which landed right outside work. I honestly should not have been attempting to travel in that state and only for him I don't know what would have happened to me. He had this beautiful face with really blonde hair, I know it sounds stupid but I always remembered that as someone who cared enough to make an effort.

Depraved

2am in the middle of nowhere and the throttle cable on my motorbike snaps. Another motorcyclist was driving the same road, pulled over and spent the next hour helping to jerry-rig a new throttle cable.

The odds of anyone else driving on that road and at that time were remote. Yet this one guy was and was decent enough to stop and help.

I've had lots of good experiences with other motorcyclists. We tend to help each other out when we can. Something you don't get with car drivers.

anto9

Another motorcycle story .Years ago i was a Motorcycle courier in London .One time travelling under the Themes River in a tunnell about half a mile long ,on the way to Docklands ,i skidded on a Diesel spill .An elderly woman driving alone stopped her car and put the hassard lights on .I was on the ground and could have been hit by following vehicles .She got out of her car and asked if i was ok .
Thats just one act of kindness that sticks in my mind 20 years later .

ROCKMAN

ok a bit off topic as I know the kind hearted person ,I'm very proud to call her my wife ,
Anyway, After reading on a chat forum a woman's blight in trying unsuccessfully find a toy (old and production had stopped) for her kid for Christmas. My wife visited all the toy shops and charity shops in our area and successfully located it , She then obtain the woman's address and posted it to her with no return address,name or anyway like that on the parcel. Just a little note hoping the woman had a wonderful Christmas.


.

Sheep Lover

Played with my tinky winky

anto9

^For free ,or you paid ?

crazygeryy

Savage Tyrant wrote: »

I was working night shift in a factory back in 2004 a week before Christmas when I received a phone call from my cousin who I was living with at the time to say that our Auntie had died in a house fire an hour or so previously. She had literally only moved home to her house a few days after staying with us for a few months while her house was renovated and we were all very close.
I just broke down in tears and slumped against a wall and sat down on the floor.... A few friends and factory manager were around but didn't really know what to say or do, or even know right at that second what the news I'd just got had been.
Then a big guy who I'd never even spoke 2 words to previous, big bald skinhead the size of the side wall of a house walked over off the factory line and sat beside me, put his arm around me and just hugged me. Said nothing but shared my grief right there without knowing me or the situation I had just found myself in.

I'm sorry but are you male or female?
If your female it was sexual harassment and if your male he was making you his bitch.
I have trouble believing that story. Id say there isn't a person on the planet that would let a complete stranger hug them in that circumstance.

NSAman

I was 19 in New York for the first time and going for a job interview. I was on the wrong side of Central Park. I asked a woman at the bus stop hoe to get to the address. She told me to follow her on the bus that she was going in that direction. She paid for my bus fare (I had nothing) asked me where I was from and asked me what I was in NYC for. I told her I was new and was going for an interview in a store. She asked which store it was.

She told me that we had arrived and I departed the bus and thanked her for her kindness. I got the job. Started a few days later. A week later, I was working away, when the same woman appeared and asked for me by name. I was shocked, I was working on commission. She spent an absolute fortune in the store with me. I had to write up the sale at the same time she was telling the manager what an asset I was to the store. I will never forget that lady, she gave me hope and set me on my feet in the US.

anto9

>>Id say there isn't a person on the planet that would let a complete stranger hug them in that circumstance. <<

em ,i would .

Red Kev

crazygeryy wrote: »

I'm sorry but are you male or female?
If your female it was sexual harassment and if your male he was making you his bitch.

No it isn't sexual harrassment. Don't talk bollox.

I have trouble believing that story. Id say there isn't a person on the planet that would let a complete stranger hug them in that circumstance.

Bull. I would. Guy wasn't a complete stranger, he worked there, so probably saw the poster around.

anncoates

As teenagers, myself and a friend spent all our money in town (as you often did) and set off on the long walk home, which used to take about 2.5 hours. Taxi driver pulled over beside us on the way home and asked us where we going. We told him we spent all our money and he said something like "Get fcuking in, yis eejits' and dropped us both home.

racso1975

Posted here before about wallet being robbed and basically being cleared out for a week. Got some amazing pm offering all sort of assistance.

In real life prob cops who used their discretion in relation to road traffic offences

Michellenman

My car broke down in a filter lane a few years ago, blocking all traffic trying to turn left. I was only 20 or so and really panicking, Everyone was beeping, nothing I did would get the car to turn over. Two lads stopped and helped me push it in to the side of the road, a third guy stopped, asked me where I lived (just 5 mins away thankfully), took off his suit jacket, rolled up his sleeves and got under my car to tie on a tow rope and towed me home! It was only when I was being towed I thought that this stranger could tow me anywhere, thankfully he didn't! Very grateful for that, made more of an effort myself to try to nice things for people in need of them afterwards.

autumnrain

Driving on a small country road in the dark, I missed my turn and reversed to take it. In the process I drove over the verge and the car fell backwards into the dyke. Feet crammed on clutch and brake - if I lessened pressure at all the car slipped down more - I frantically found my phone and rang for help.
As I did a jeep pulled up out of no where and two lads jumped out. No big chat just 'we'll get you out, you'll be grand now'. And they did. Brushed off my thanks with 'sure anyone would help'. Amazing.

William F

got out of my way

TheBeardedLady

ROCKMAN wrote: »

ok a bit off topic as I know the kind hearted person ,I'm very proud to call her my wife ,
Anyway, After reading on a chat forum a woman's blight in trying unsuccessfully find a toy (old and production had stopped) for her kid for Christmas. My wife visited all the toy shops and charity shops in our area and successfully located it , She then obtain the woman's
address and posted it to her with no return address,name or anyway like that on the parcel. Just a little note hoping the woman had a wonderful Christmas.


.

I love your wife. Can she be my wife too?



I've countless stories but the other day I saw a woman in tears crying on the Metro platform and a woman walks up to her and gives her a packet of tissues and a quick arm squeeze. Something so simple like that, particularly in a city this
size, is so lovely to see. Cheered me up for the rest of the day. I see more of those small moments of kindness than people being dickheads in my day and that has to tell you something about humanity.

TheBeardedLady

Sitting in a busy cafe reading these stories - there seems to be something in my eye *ahem*

bernard0368

I recently lost my wife after she spent 5 weeks on life support.
One day after she passed I went shopping as there was nothing in the house to eat and I had been living and eating in the hospital.
I ended up just standing in the aisle of the supermarket with out a clue. When an elderly lady came over "I know that look, lets just get you the essentials" Which she proceeded to do and would not accept a penny for shopping.

I have been keeping an eye out for her to repay her but I have had no joy yet.

padd b1975

crazygeryy wrote: »

I'm sorry but are you male or female?
If your female it was sexual harassment and if your male he was making you his bitch.
I have trouble believing that story. Id say there isn't a person on the planet that would let a complete stranger hug them in that circumstance.

Oh give yourself a day off FFS!!

Mallagio

Was walking back to my house after a heavy night with friends, it was bright out and the trek was about an hour walk. Unbelievably a Taxi pulled up beside me and offered me a lift, I told him I was skint & he just said get in.

Turns out his 8 month pregnant missus wanted a Danish pastry & he was sent for it - I got one too!

Thought that was a decent thing to do

biketard

bernard0368 wrote: »

I recently lost my wife after she spent 5 weeks on life support.
One day after she passed I went shopping as there was nothing in the house to eat and I had been living and eating in the hospital.
I ended up just standing in the aisle of the supermarket with out a clue. When an elderly lady came over "I know that look, lets just get you the essentials" Which she proceeded to do and would not accept a penny for shopping.

I have been keeping an eye out for her to repay her but I have had no joy yet.

That's a lovely story, Bernard.

I'm sorry for your loss.

ziedth

I was in Vegas for my stag a few years ago. Safe as houses that place, you could walk down the strip on your own Middle.of the night and it'd be full of police/security.

Rather foolishly we assumed all of Vegas was this way and went down to downtown one night got drinking in a bar and walking up to the top of Fremont street in the very early hours singing the parting glass not realizing the street was empty.

Anyway we get to the road and a taxi slams on the breaks does a U-turn and shouts "lads hop in" and when we said we're fine he said something to the effect of it's free and really important.

Anyway we pile in and just as we shut the door and a guy who wouldn't look out of place in boyz in the Hood comes over to the window with one of butterfly knife things and shouts in something like "keep yo ass outa Vegas"

Essentially the taxi driver saw we were gonna get jumped and turned the car around to save us. I was in a hoop I didnt realize what had happened until talking about it to the lads the next day so I don't think I even properly thanked him which I still regret .

5starpool

I was in NYC on my J1 and working on a building site for the summer. I was in Manhattan on a job that week and decided to meet a friend after work who was going for an interview in a swanky apartment building in midtown as a lift attendant. as I was in my work clothes and quite grubby and a bit smelly I stayed outside and sat on the ground in a small alcove off the footpath to wait for him as it was raining so I needed the shelter.

As I sat there bored (no mobiles back in those days, not for me anyhow) waiting for him to come out a man passed on the footpath and looked down at me, kind of went passed but came back. He asked was I ok and offered me $20! I was a bit taken aback by this but obviously told him I was fine and just waiting for my friend and had money but I thanked him for checking.

It was very nice of him though to show a bit of concern, and nearly 20 years later I still remember it well.

Conall Cernach

I was walking home one night, very drunk, and a guy came out of a Chinese takeaway with his order in hand. He opened the lid, took one look and said "Ah there's mushrooms in this, do you want it?" With that he handed it to me. That man is a hero to me.

anto9

https://uk.screen.yahoo.com/feel-good/stranger-surprises-nyc-subway-vendor-224358815.html?vp=1

This is a nice one .A guy on the NY subway offers a flower seller $40 for each flower ,as long as she gives them to random strangers .This reduces the flower seller to tears .( i dont think it was staged )

Mallagio

bernard0368 wrote: »

I recently lost my wife after she spent 5 weeks on life support.
One day after she passed I went shopping as there was nothing in the house to eat and I had been living and eating in the hospital.
I ended up just standing in the aisle of the supermarket with out a clue. When an elderly lady came over "I know that look, lets just get you the essentials" Which she proceeded to do and would not accept a penny for shopping.

I have been keeping an eye out for her to repay her but I have had no joy yet.

Wow that's brought a tear to my eye - lovely story honestly.

Joeseph Balls

Conall Cernach wrote: »

I was walking home one night, very drunk, and a guy came out of a Chinese takeaway with his order in hand. He opened the lid, took one look and said "Ah there's mushrooms in this, do you want it?" With that he handed it to me. That man is a hero to me.

You're welcome...

everlast75

Conall Cernach wrote: »

I was walking home one night, very drunk, and a guy came out of a Chinese takeaway with his order in hand. He opened the lid, took one look and said "Ah there's mushrooms in this, do you want it?" With that he handed it to me. That man is a hero to me.

Joeseph Chicken Balls wrote: »

You're welcome...

anto9

>>Ah there's mushrooms in this, do you want it?" << Great pick up line lol

mickrichards

I came out of a pub in Batcheler's Walk in Dublin, i was very drunk and did not know how to get to the house on the North Circelor Road where i was staying, This guy stopped in his car and asked me was i okay. I told him where i wanted to go and he drove me there and would not accept any payment. This was nearly 40 years ago and i have never forgotten his kindness
to me,a complete stranger.

BeerWolf

Letting me into lane during heavy traffic.

super_furry

Donated blood. I developed a nose bleed just over a year ago that just wouldn’t stop and went on for days. Doctors couldn’t find the cause and in the end I had to have surgery to clamp an artery and had a three litre transfusion.

eviltwin

Its minor compared to some of the stories here but a few years ago I did my first half marathon and by mile 10 mentally and physically I was in a bad way. I was ready to quit and go home and this lovely man saw what I was going through and ran with me for over a mile, made me laugh with some funny, terrible jokes and really inspired me with his own story - he'd had two hip replacements. He got me through it and I never got to find out his name to say thank you because I know if I'd quit I would never have entered another race again, thanks to him I'm still running.

Paramite Pie

Not that long ago, I had flew into Dublin Airport while my Dad was having a serious surgery.

After a restless night travel, I weary and emotional me walked to a bus (that was going out the country) but the driver said that he wasn't stopping in Dublin city centre. It was about 5 maybe 6am in the morning and there wouldn't be a city bus for a while. It probably wasn't even a long wait, maybe another hour.

I said nothing about where I was going but the bus driver sensed something and told me to hop on. There was only one other set of tourists on the bus. I offered to pay and he said he couldn't charge cos there was no ticket/fare for my destination. Sure enough he drops me off at the quays, so I offer him a tip.

He wouldn't take it and I thanked him profusely. I was honestly in shock at his niceness and didn't quite know what to say. It made the rest of my journey to the hospital much easier.

captbarnacles

Ran out of petrol awhile ago on way home from work. I was thumbing a lift to get to the nearest petrol station and a guy in a van stopped and brought me and then insisted on bringing me back to my car (round trip would have been about 4 miles). Very very nice of him. Hope I can repay the favour to him or someone else in that situation although I do give lifts to hitchers often so maybe it was karma rewarding me.

Sherlof3

Was walking home from work in the rain a few months ago and a nice man gave me his umbrella. It was only drizzling and I was about five minutes from home but he insisted I take it. Really nice! Great people out there.

ghogie91

I can only remember one thing a total random, never met before person did for me ever.

In the pit at oxygen and downed way too much vodka before it was taken off me, then all I can remember stumbling out of it.

Next thing I knew a lad was picking me up off the ground saying if security saw me I would be kicked out of the festival. I was only 17 at the time aswell, he said he would hope someone done the same for his little brother if he was the same way. He then brought me to the Heineken tent, actually got me in too because they were checking for ID, bought us 3 pints each at a good 8 quid each, we stayed and watched an act while we drank. He finished his way quicker than mine, so he just said rite are ya ok? I said yeah I was grand now and he just tips off and said enjoy the next 2 days!

What a chap like I havn't forgotten that and it was 6 years ago!

cson

Got lost in Paris with the then GF after the Prix De L'Arc and for whatever reason no taxi's were around/would pick us up. Literally hadn't a breeze where we were. This is in the days before smartphones so no Google maps to call on only a pretty poor tourist map we took from the hotel. Feck all French between us too. Asked a couple where we were and they spent a good 15mins taking us through the exact directions we need to go. And somehow we manage to lost AGAIN. This time ask this real old French man, literally the only person knocking around, and between some pigeon French and what must have looked like a very elaborate game of charades he eventually decks that (a) we're lost and (b) miles from out destination. Probably knew well there wasn't a hope we'd find it ourselves so goes and walks us to the hotel. Conscious that we (well the GF) was a bit uneasy at the whole him leading us thing he insists on walking 20 yards ahead of us and us to just follow on. About 40mins later we arrive at the hotel, he wouldn't take money off me for a taxi back for himself either. So yeah, pretty much the exact opposite from what the general perception of Parisians is worldwide. I often think if it were me in Dublin today and someone with feck all English came looking for lets say the Croke Park hotel or somewhere like that would I do the same...

cloud493

I was running for the bus last week, wearing a jacket with tiny pockets, my pack of smokes, my wallet, and my keys fell out, and someone ran after me to give them back I was awfully grateful.

DareGod

I'm surprised at the amount of people getting into random vehicles that pull up beside them...