Thank you, kind stranger

Local-womanizer · 05-11-2013 01:16PM

The car broke down on me one night in the middle of nowhere. It was 3am and the weather was blowing a gale and hailstones. Was told it would be a few hours for the tow truck to arrive.

While sitting there a car drove past, stopped up the road to turn around and came back down the road and pulled in in front of me. At this stage I was a little nervous as to who or what this was, when out of the passenger side jumped a man in his 50s, with his shirt open and quite visabily drunk. I got out to see what the story was, and to keep him away from the car if needed be.

Thankfully he explained to me that his wife just picked him up from the pub and he insisted on stopping to see if there was anything he could do!

05-11-2013 01:22PM

My stories are a bit morbid so apologies in advance.

I was involved in a car crash in which two of my family were killed. The kindness I received from strangers was humbling.

The crash was outside of dublin, and one member of my family died instantly, they had to be taken to waterford for a post mortem. The other, her brother, was taken to beaumont in Dublin as he had a head injury. He died two days later. The well wishes, the prayers, the flowers, it was unbelievable that people cared so so much for complete strangers.

The staff in beaumont hospital were angels on earth. They went above and beyond in every way. They arranged for the body to be brought from waterford to beaumont so that she could be laid out with her brother, that they could be together before being taken to the funeral home. They did not have to do this and there was a lot of red tape to get through, but they fought for it and it happened.

The funeral home did not charge for the funeral. Nothing. Not a penny. The only thing that cost money were the the grave, and the headstone.

The letters of condolence just kept coming, even a card from The Frames!, one man sent me €500 "to help with things". My landlord refunded my month's rent "to make things a bit easier".

My sister's company offered to pay for me to go to counselling.

The priest in the parish where the accident happened, has anniversary mass every single year on the sunday of the anniversary weekend without being asked to.

People are just brilliant, really really brilliant.

razorblunt · 05-11-2013 01:32PM

Deleted User wrote: »

People are just brilliant, really really brilliant.

First of all, sincere condolences to you.
But I've seen this countless times always around funerals, it's when people really show their true colours and provide help and support even when it's not asked for.

[-0-] · 05-11-2013 01:38PM

I hope your Ma is ok Khannie!

05-11-2013 01:43PM

razorblunt wrote: »

First of all, sincere condolences to you.
But I've seen this countless times always around funerals, it's when people really show their true colours and provide help and support even when it's not asked for.

Thanks

Yes, certainly illness and death are the times when people tend to rally around the most.

I genuinely feel that most people are kind, just that the world moves so fast these days that is can seem a little cold, but underneath that, there are people there always willing to lend a hand.

FouxDaFaFa · 05-11-2013 01:45PM

A stranger bought me lunch a few days ago because it was Diwali. It was so nice and unexpected.

05-11-2013 01:47PM

FouxDaFaFa wrote: »

A stranger bought me lunch a few days ago because it was Diwali. It was so nice and unexpected.

I got a free drink for Diwali

astrofool · 05-11-2013 01:58PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I see this a lot in a carpark near where I work. From both young and older people alike. Would you do it now that you've seen it done?

I'd usually stick them back on the machine for the next person to use

Itwasntme. · 05-11-2013 02:04PM

I hope your mom is better OP. This is a lovely, heart warming thread and I've been attacked by ninja onions while reading it

.

dan1895 wrote: »

Ha not at all. Fell about 6 metres into the river and cut my head open.

For future re-tellings, I would advise that you go with Anonoboy's kidnap version - it makes for a better story. You can always say you jumped back in to escape him and that's when you hit your head.

Tasden · 05-11-2013 02:11PM

In a shop one day I was given ten euro change instead of one euro. I realised what happened a couple of minutes later and brought it back to explain and after laughing in my face first the guy at the til gave me back one of the fivers and said "here, for your honesty!" Was really kind of him cause it almost killed me to hand over money that I got for nothing when I could've kept it- felt good for doing the right thing and got a fiver for nothing!

SteM · 05-11-2013 02:13PM

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

Reminds me of a woman coming up to a group of people asking if anybody would like her bus ticket as she didn't need it anymore.

I used to do this all the time in the airport when travelling to the UK. I'd travel up on the 747 using a 1 day rambler ticket because it was cheaper than cash and when I got off the bus I'd give explain the situation and give the ticket to someone that was waiting on the 747 into town.

Funny but the foreign people would always thank me but the Irish people would generally treat it as suspicious behavior.

Agricola · 05-11-2013 02:18PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I see this a lot in a carpark near where I work. From both young and older people alike. Would you do it now that you've seen it done?

Eh, I certainly wouldnt drive around the park looking for people to give it to but if someone just pulled in beside me as I was going out, I probably would if I thought of it.

I did my good deed last week actually. Was coming up to a roundabout when a woman in front of me stalled the engine while halfway out on the roundabout and couldnt get it started. Queue much blowing of horns. I waited maybe slightly too long to see what would happen so a couple of cars behind me overtook. I was overcome with feelings of civic duty, (unusual believe me), put my warning lights on, got out and pushed her car around the roundabout over to the next exit road and kept pushing til her vehicle was no longer causing an obstruction. :pac: It was a fúcking Passat too, I nearly had an aneurysm. Thats got to be worth alot of parking tickets?

SurferRosa · 05-11-2013 02:36PM

A few years ago I was driving home on a country road, and running a little low on petrol. According to some serious miscalculations, I thought I would make it to the next petrol station. Suddenly my car started slowing down,and came to a gentle halt.
Somehow - stupidly enough - I couldn't understand why, squinting at the petrol gauge, I was sure the needle was not quite at the second red line.
As I was standing outside the car calling AA, a car with 3 men pulls over, They had just come from a nearby house. The older guy suggested that I move the car further into the ditch so that other cars could pass more easily. I must've had some look on my face, as 2 seconds later, the lads came and pushed my car over themselves. They asked what happened, and I said the car had just stopped driving. They asked could it be out of petrol, and I did admit the tank was a little low so the guy went home,and came back with a canister of petrol, and poured a fair bit in my tank. The guys were very kind, despite probably thinking what a bimbo I was!
Sure enough, the car started, and I made it to the next petrol station. I was so grateful. The next day I drove back down to the house (about a 20-30 min drive from my house) and left a card, bottle of wine and box of roses as a thank you.

Khannie · 05-11-2013 02:52PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I genuinely feel that most people are kind

Strongly agree with that. I've been burned in the past for assuming that people are good, but the rare occasion that it happens isn't enough to even nearly make me lose faith. People are great.

astrofool wrote: »

I'd usually stick them back on the machine for the next person to use

That's a really good idea. Hadn't thought of it. I have gone around looking for potential recipients of my parking ticket like a tool.

GAAman · 05-11-2013 02:56PM

I am on my phone so will just link to my thread on it

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057024666/1/#post86212500

MurdyWurdy · 05-11-2013 03:02PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Thanks

Yes, certainly illness and death are the times when people tend to rally around the most.

I genuinely feel that most people are kind, just that the world moves so fast these days that is can seem a little cold, but underneath that, there are people there always willing to lend a hand.

I believe this too, that most people are inherently good. The same way that I believe that I am truly blessed with what I have and am very lucky with where I was born and brought up. It astounds me when posters on AH moan and claim we live in a third world country because of really trivial things. Most of us don't know how lucky we are.

Thanks for sharing your story. It brought tears to my eyes, in particular how in an awful situation you are still positive and see the good in the world.

paulbok · 05-11-2013 03:04PM

foxyboxer wrote: »

I think donating blood is an incredibly kindly act. You never know who will benefit from your blood and it could potentially save peoples lives.

I should start giving more often.

Yes, me too. I must go in the next week or so. Haven't been in well over a year because of having travelled to a malarial(?) area.

krudler · 05-11-2013 03:04PM

Few years ago I was flying to Toronto to stay with a friend, had a flight from Shannon to Heathrow then onto Toronto, asked in Shannon if I needed to check in my bag again and they said no it was a connecting flight so it'd be fine, asked again in Heathrow just to be sure, nope, don't worry. Get to Toronto, bag left in Heathrow, sigh.
To make it worse I stupidly deleted a text from my friends Canadian number so had no number to contact him on, I was meant to text him when I landed and arrange a time to be picked up from the airport.
So I'm in a country I've never been in before, with no bag and no idea where I'm supposed to be going. The guy who was sitting next to me on the flight saw me at the desk asking about my bag and when I explained what happened he gave me his contact details, rang his wife and said they might have a guest for the night and said if I didnt sort out meeting my friend to get a taxi to his house and I could crash on his couch, he even offered to pay for the taxi.
I got it sorted in the end but it was cool how a total stranger offered to put me up like that, some random guy who just happened to be sitting on the same flight, he just told me to pay it forward so I did one night we were out for dinner and got a pizza, they gave us a wrong one by accident but said we could keep it and not be charged, so I just gave it to the homeless guy sitting near the restaurant and he was over the moon, saw him going over to split it with another homeless dude.

weisses · 05-11-2013 03:06PM

Legs.Eleven wrote: »

That's one great thing about Ireland - people are flexible; that wouldn't have happened in many countries. Very often, doing the decent thing often comes before rules. I couldn't live in a country where that wasn't the case.

Great story, OP.

Khannie wrote: »

HAHAHAHA. No. He was a reasonably tall, semi-burly, eastern european man.

oops

Call Me Jimmy · 05-11-2013 03:07PM

Is someone chopping onions in here or what?!

vitani · 05-11-2013 03:45PM

It's years ago now but myself and my friend were on our way to Kerry on the train, to go to the Gaeltacht. I think we were about 12 or 13 at the time. We had to change trains along the way, which meant hauling our heavy suitcases over a footbridge. We were both about halfway up, struggling to drag the suitcases with us when two men came up beside us and without saying a word, they grabbed a suitcase each and carried them across the bridge for us. It was a tiny thing but it was one of the first times a complete stranger had helped me for no reason at all.

I've lost count of the number of times I've been out with my daughter and a stranger has helped carry the buggy up or down steps, on or off the train and on one memorable occasion, up a hill in Powerscourt Gardens. I do believe that most people are inherently good as well.

Lollipops23 · 05-11-2013 04:14PM

Deleted User wrote: »

People are just brilliant, really really brilliant.

whoopsadaisydoodles, your post made me well right up at my desk

I recall reading your story before and you're amazing to have the strength and positivity that you seem to.

A few years ago, during the "bad snow" my bus home had to stop about 20mins drive/ a good hour's walk from my house as it couldn't go any further. A few of us started the walk and after about half an hr a guy pulled up in a 4X4 Jeep and gave us all lifts home. He had just been out driving around looking for people to help. Really amazing guy, he made that night so much easier.

theblaqueguy · 05-11-2013 04:21PM

So I was in KFC buying my family some dinner. I decided to purchase the family bargain bucket , it was good value for money. I grab the tray with the food on it and head towards my family , they are seated about 20 metres from the counter all of a sudden I loose my balance slip and fall all the food ends up ruined on the floor . The children start crying because they are no longer going to be eating dinner tonight , I have no more money on me because I don't get paid until after midnigt . I don't know what to do the children are crying hysterically because they are so hungry , then a complete stranger approaches me and offers to buy my family another family bargain bucket . I was so happy at the kindness of this complete stranger helping me feed my family.
Thank you stranger!

rainbowdrop · 05-11-2013 04:31PM

I was talking to 2 girls at Electric Picnic this year, who told me that on their way there they had lost a bag that contained both their tickets and one of their phones a bus stop/on a bus in Dublin somewhere.

The lady that found it rang one of their mothers to say she had found the tickets, and then arranged for her niece (who was also going to the picnic), to take the bag/tickets and meet the girls there.

Restored faith in humanity tbh

ChewChew · 05-11-2013 04:35PM

Agricola wrote: »

Just entering a parking spot, an old guy gets out of his car, knocks on the window and tells me theres about a half hour left on his parking ticket and that I could have it. I think things like that might be gone in the years to come. Its hard to see young to middle age people even thinking of doing something like that. I know I wouldnt. Very nice gesture.

I did that a couple of weeks ago. Was in the shop for 10 mins but paid for an hour. Came out and offered my ticket to an elderly lady who proceeded to laugh at me and went and bought her own ticket anyways. So I waited and gave to a young woman with a few kids. I reckon granny thought it was a fake.

jimgoose · 05-11-2013 04:39PM

Bleh. I'm the total stranger who starts cars, finds phones, trundles up the road for a gallon of petrol, lends a few tenners, and feeds the dog. All for sod-all thanks, usually. People are cunts, and younger people are generally the worst. Next time I feel the urge to help a stranded soul I think I might just give him/her a wedgie and go Ha-Ha!! like the bully fella in the Simpsons. :mad:

AgileMyth · 05-11-2013 04:42PM

Last winter I was working washing cars. It must have been around Christmas cause it was mental busy. Freezing cold and getting dark with no end in sight!

This young guy who I've never met before walked out of the shop, left a coffee down on the wall and said 'coffee for you'. Then he walked away and I've never seen him since.

It might seem small but, considering I've never met the guy I'd say it was the nicest thing anyones ever done for me.

There were no drugs in it either before anyone asks, mores the pity.

Agricola · 05-11-2013 04:59PM

vitani wrote: »

I've lost count of the number of times I've been out with my daughter and a stranger has helped carry the buggy up or down steps, on or off the train and on one memorable occasion, up a hill in Powerscourt Gardens. I do believe that most people are inherently good as well.

I offered to lift the front of a buggy up a train steps for a Chinese woman a while back. She reacted like I was asking if I could run off with her kid for some sexy times. I suppose its just a cultural thing, a western woman would general treat that as a man just trying to help her out when she was struggling, an Asian woman might see it as too invasive.

131spanner · 05-11-2013 05:07PM

My auld lad was driving home one evening last December and met a courier whose van had broken down. It was 8 or 9 o' clock and yer man had no way of getting home (a little over an hour away) until the van was right.

To make a long story short my auld lad offered to let your man drive our jeep home, a '99 Pathfinder so nothing mad fancy. He dropped dad off at our house and went home. You can imagine what the mother said when she realised he'd loaned the jeep to a randomer :P Anyway, he returned the jeep again the following day. On the 23rd of December (2 weeks later), we had a parcel of sweets, wine and cake delivered to the door with a lovely note.

When someone is genuinely in a fúcker of a situation, it's nice to give a hand

Donkey Oaty · 05-11-2013 05:19PM

AgileMyth wrote: »

It might seem small but, considering I've never met the guy I'd say it was the nicest thing anyones ever done for me.

"Never despise those simple actions" - Terry Waite.

(After receiving a postcard addressed to him "c/o Hezbollah, Party of God, Beirut, Lebanon" with a supportive message from someone he didn't know - it was his first contact with the outside world in years as a hostage in complete isolation.)

Thank you, kind stranger

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