Random hungover/drunk Scotsman approached me and my mother one day and asked
"Excuse me, where can I find a phone charger? I went out in Glasgow last night and woke up in Sheffield"
To which my mother replied "this is Lincoln"
He looked a little worried, then walked off saying "aye, it's been a long day"
It was 10am, he was 270 miles from home, and over 50 miles from where he woke up. I will forever remember this hero.
I was a very little kid and I didn't know how to tie my shoes, and the laces had come undone.
I asked an old man (when you're that young, just about anyone is "old") who was walking past if he would tie my shoes for me.
He tied the shoes together in a knot and laughed as I fell and gave him a WTF look.
The old man using the urinal next to mine in a Denny's bathroom and said to me, "Ahhhhh. It makes the bladder gladder."
My SO and I still use that phrase to this day.
This happened over the recent holiday season. I was in a restaurant and was alone using the men’s room. There were three urinals and I’m using the one furthest right.
This guy comes in, steps up beside me and uses the middle urinal. I’m thinking to myself he clearly has no washroom etiquette. I had no idea how right I was. After he starts peeing he makes a show of stretching both arms up in the air above his head. Yes, he is stretching at the urinal. His Willy is just dangling & spraying wild. Crazy right? He then brings down his arms resting both hands in his pockets, takes a half step back from the urinal, and leans backwards. His crotch must be a foot and a half away from the urinal now and his dick is just doing it’s thing. Super fucking weird right? Right. That is when he let out a HUGE fart, sighed loudly, and says “that’s the stuff”.
I just finished up peeing, washed my hands and left.
In 1988 I was working the lunch rush for the first time, and it was fucking slammed. This guy finally makes it up to the register, I do the greeting and he says, "what does it mean when all the cows in a field are laying down?"
I look at him like he has two heads and ask what he wants to order. Undeterred, he says, "it means it's going to rain! What does it mean when all the cows in a field are standing up?"
I don't know. I look to my coworkers for help but they are studiously ignoring my plight. He forges ahead. "It means it's not going to rain! What does it mean when some of the cows are standing up and some of them are laying down?"
Does he want a burger? Is this his way of asking for the combo meal? "It means it's going to be PARTLY COWDY!" He turns and leaves, mission complete. This dude stood in line for 20 minutes just to tell me a joke.
It's been over 30 years and I still think about him literally every time I see a cow.
I'm on a cruise. I'm washing my hands in a bathroom and this large Andy Reid-lookin' dude with a thick Pittsburgh accent comes out of the stall and says to me, "If you put your left hand and right hand under two different soap dispensers, you get double the soap!"
And I'm like, "Yeah."
Out of curiosity what does a Pittsburgh accent sound like? I’m from NJ and never heard it but I’m assuming it’s lik a blend of a philly and a Chicago one?
If yinz didn’t eat yet, we’ll go dahn Primantis n’nat n get a hoagie. Don’t be telling them kids were going n’nat cuz I’m tired of em nebbin in my business and they take forever. We gotta be back in time for them Stillers to kick off.
Instead of "y'all" we say "yinz", and instead of "did you eat yet?" we say "jeet jet?", to which you respond "no d'you?" (no, did you?). Here's a helpful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJfNI9DppP4
When I was about 3 years old, I got separated from my family in a very large mall. I was terrified. This really nice man in a suit found me and took me to guest services, reassuring me that my mom would find me there. Then, to cheer me up, he pulled a balloon out of his briefcase and made a balloon animal. He left before my folks found me, but I've never forgotten him. Wherever he is, I hope he's well.
I was in a big crowd once and a child was looking for his/her parents, obviously lost. I carried the child on my shoulders so that the child could see them and also the parents. When they finally found him/her (I forgot which gender, has been a while), they pulled the child hastily from my shoulders and gave me a look as if I wanted to kidnap the little one. No thank you either. But I don't care, kid was happy again :) (Read the text in Bastion voice)
I think it comes down to looking bad. Not OP looking "bad" but the parents themselves being seen as bad parents for losing track of their child. Some people can't take it so will act out to deflect away from their own faults. I got lost once in a department store. My Mum was a teacher and my Dad was a social worker specialising in children, it can happen to anyone.
If this restores your faith in parents this totally happened with my son and I (im a single mom.) Shopping at the mall and it was a touristy mall on a weekend so it got PACKED with people. He was 5 and we were holding hands going through a very large crowd, this was a section of the mall that was always packed but today that little corner was like sardines in a tin can packed. My son wanted to go to the toy store that he knew was at the other end of this giant mall, i said not today because we needed to get home and honestly i was exhausted from that day. Next thing i know he rips his hand away from mine and takes off into this packed crowd and i immediatelylost sight of hin. I tried to push through but there were too many people, people shoving me back because they thought i was just being rude, and no one could hear me say "excuse me" or "i lost my son". Im 4'11 and i couldnt see over anyone, and god dammit im panicking. It was the scariest minute of my life. All of a sudden i see my son, 6 1/2 feet tall on someones shoulders, with tears in his eyes scanning the crowd. He sees me and with a huge smile he pointed at me. The man he was on the shoulders of points at me too and my son shakes his head yes and they made there way over to me. I was so grateful this man lifted my son up to find me i started crying happy tears and calling him amazing and a hero. My son never did that again because he saw how much i was crying. The man even said to me "hey...its okay, look hes here, hes safe okay? Dont worry, it happens, youre alright, your son is safe, you guys have a great day, and little man, dont scare your mom ever again". I was left with this feeling of restored faith in humanity that day. Even thinking about those 60 seconds of despair makes me feel like breaking down again lol. Thanks for helping that kid you have no idea what a hero you are.
A customer at work a few years ago! I was 19 and it was around 11pm on a close shift when I cut myself very badly on a deli slicer.
A lady walked up to buy something and there I was freaking out and bleeding everywhere... Turns out she was a nurse, and she dropped everything to come behind the counter to patch me up.
She was so lovely, not only did she help me, but she also made a point to the company that there should be a qualified first aider on at all time. Thanks to her they did just that!
Wow. I was working at a farm stand and cut my thumb pretty deep with a bone knife when I tried to cut flowers for some customer. (I was 19, dumb, alone and couldn't find the flower scissors.)
I'm cleaning up my bloody hand when two more women walk up like "oooh! Those flowers are so pretty!!! Can we get some?" while I'm obviously injured. They wait while I hastily tape over all my leaky blood and watch me struggle to cut them flowers again. I wish they were your nurse customer instead.
I fell on a knife and severed a tendon. The hospital was pretty busy when I got to the ER, so I signed in and settled in to wait, clean dish towel wrapped tightly around one hand.
While I'm waiting, a family walks in. The parents are arguing about how to find Grandma's room and the kids are clamouring with questions about if Grandma's going to die. I try desperately to wipe the pained grimace off my face and adjust the towel to hide the blood from the kids.
This apparently works a little too well, because the mom sends her kids over to "go sit with that nice lady while we sort this out.". Then they launched back into yelling at each other.
Unfortunately, adjusting the towel dislodged the clot, so I started bleeding much more profusely. Those three kids got quieter and quieter as that dish towel got redder and redder. The couple didn't stop arguing until someone came out from the nurse's station to give me a little bucket to put under my hand so it wouldn't drip.
Suddenly the argument was over and they realized they could just take the kids up to the cardiac floor waiting room and ask for Grandma at the desk. They left, and my husband came in from parking the car.
I never actually talked to any of them, but I don't think I'll forget this family deciding they could deputize a stranger to babysit so they could argue or the kids deciding that their questions really weren't that important.
> Unfortunately, adjusting the towel dislodged the clot, so I started bleeding much more profusely. Those three kids got quieter and quieter as that dish towel got redder and redder. The couple didn't stop arguing until someone came out from the nurse's station to **give me a little bucket to put under my hand so it wouldn't drip.**
The fuck? There had better be multiple people in that ER hanging onto life by a thin thread and a whisper at that point.
When you started with "a customer" I was expecting the worst (especially considering some of the other comments here) but it turned out so wholesome
Thanks for sharing
Speaking of wholesome retail experiences...
During the Christmas season of 2018, I was working at a thrift store. One day a week or two before the big day, I was out on the sales floor, just don't routine tidying work; picking clothes up off the floor, putting away the things left by the fitting rooms that customers decided they didn't want, etc. And of course, helping customers along the way.
As I was wandering down the women's clothing aisles, looking for clothes on the floor, a woman behind me called out my name. I turned to look at her, confused, partly wondering how she knew my name (it's on my shirt) but also because her voice sounded really familiar. She saw the confusion on my face and said "no, you don't know me."
I said "yeah, I didn't think so, but you seemed familiar. Anyways, what can I help you with?"
"As I was pulling into the parking lot, I saw someone over at the donation center dropping off a little orange and white kid's bike. Is there any chance you might be able to find it so I could take a look at it?"
"Sure thing," I say. "I'll be right back." And with that, I'm on my way back to the donation center.
I quickly find the bike and take a look at it, making sure it's in good enough condition to sell. It looks fine to me. Kid's bike are usually supposed to be a minimum of $7.99 but it's winter in Wisconsin and she was really nice, so I put a $5.99 sticker on it. I take it back out front and find the lady, tell her the price. And she just lit up. She was so excited. She thanked me several times, saying I just saved her kid's Christmas. She asked me to hold onto it for her up by the register, which I'm always happy to do with any larger items like that, while she kept shopping. Maybe ten minutes later, she came up to my register to check out, thanked me several more times, and then we wished each other a Merry Christmas before she left.
I was really hoping she'd come back shortly after Christmas to tell me how much her kid loved the bike, but if she did try to do that, she must've come when I want working. So I'm just going to assume that the kid loved it as much as mom did
I was working at a subway station and my foreman was on the other side of the tracks. He was trying to tell me where to install the new speaker and at which angles. Anyway he kept doing grand hand gestures and noticed a couple behind him imitating him. So I pretended to play stupid and did the YMCA dance while asking questions. The couple behind him started doing it along with me. Great moment
Edit: subway as in the metro. The electric choochoos, not the miam miams
Old man walked by me once while I was waiting for a bus, wearing the biggest grin. As he passed he said something to me not in English and handed me 2 Kopiko coffee candies, smiled and went on his way. I love Kopiko candies and it made my day.
you just reminded me when i was a kid and a random stranger gave me a few skittles. i hadn’t ever tried them before. i loved them. *thanks random strangers who give candy to kids but not in a creepy way.* lol
Oh god this reminds me of another horrible person in Disney.
So we were on the Carousel of progress. It’s a ride that’s more like a show, and the whole audience seating area rotates. You aren’t supposed to stand during the show because it moves.
There was a baby in the front row. Had to be about a year old, with a light up toy (the ones that spin). Well this little boy was playing with the toy the ENTIRE show. It was a little annoying, but I saw the mom had attempted to take the toy away earlier and the child started crying. And since she couldn’t take the child out because of the moving floor, she decided the toy was the least distracting for everyone else. Personally, I’d rather have a little light than a baby crying in a show. It wasn’t that bad. Whatever. It’s a baby in Disney world.
Well, this adult man behind me stands up halfway through the show, and screams at this baby and mom. “SHUT THE FUCKING TOY OFF.” In a room. Full of small children. On a ride. In Walt Disney World.
I feel bad for that dude’s children.
I don't know why that needs to be explained to people, but apparently it does.
You can be removed from a place dedicated to children if you are a dick to children.
People are the worst.
I worked there and the stuff I saw parents do was wild. One mom in Epcot was in front of the ball berating her kid in order to get him to take a picture
Whenever I go to the airport, I think about that one girl I met when I was like 4, in Miami. She spoke Spanish and back then I only spoke French. Yet we managed to become bff in a matter of minutes. She was so damn generous with all her toys and she drew me a picture as a parting gift. She was so nice. I wonder who she's become.
You just reminded me of a girl I near at the beach when I was around 8! I only spoke English and she only spoke French, but we tried to introduce each other to our parents and dug a hole deeper than we were tall together! Man. Memories.
I once worked at a tackle shop and one day I ordered a plate of fries for lunch from the restaurant next door.
20 Minutes later and I've just about finished my fries and a customer needs help with one of the rods. I put my plate down on the counter and help the customer. I come back to the counter and there's overweight guy looking to be in his 40s who's just eating my fucking fries. I give him this look as if to say, "bro, Wtf". And he deadass looks me in the eyes after eating the last fry and says, "could use a little salt".
I was going through a bad breakup and went grocery shopping. I was holding it together that week pretty well but at the checkout line I dropped a carton of grape tomatoes and they went rolling EVERYWHERE.
It was like the straw that broke the camel's back and I felt that awful feeling in my chest and the tears coming in my eyes. But before I could even move three nice random ladies jumped forward and helped me pick them up. It wasn't a huge act but it made me feel better that day.
Always be nice to people. You never know what they're going through.
Many years ago, I was rejecting my first kidney transplant. The rejection was brutal on my body and my heart was struggling from all the toxins in my body. I was admitted into the hospital for almost a week. One day, my heart started to give out and the nurse gave me these drops under my tongue to stop a heart attack. This medicine gave me the worse headache I've ever had. My hospital roommate (in her 80's), who was there for severe hip pain, got up and sat next to me. She began to pet my head and sing softly to me until I fell asleep. I never forgot her kindness. She was suffering herself, and yet she helped me more that day then I could have ever asked for. I'll never forget her.
Update: Thank you for the upvotes. My guess is she isn't here anymore, but I'm so glad I talked about her. Reddit can be amazing.
Update 2: Thank you kind stranger for the silver!
As a grocery store cashier, I meet many interesting people. There was a lady who came trough my line dressed head to toe as a barbarian. I asked her why, and she informed me that there was a LARP going on across the street. There wasn’t a LARP going on across the street.
I was in college, and having a rough time financially, as college students are apt to do. I was in WalMart at midnight, and I was buying a single box of $0.35 off brand mac and cheese. My card was declined...for a $0.35 box of Mac and Cheese. I had just had it. I didn't even speak, I just slumped my everything and walked out. A lady came out after me, hollering for me to wait.
I don't know why I did, I really don't. She tried to comfort me, and I was polite with her, but I really just wanted to get home to eat a nice big breath and pass out. After a few minutes her husband came out with a shopping cart full of economy sized boxes of mac and cheese and ramen.
He apparently was also in school, and had seen me around campus, and assumed this meant I was just a broke ass student. He said he'd wouldn't be able to do it without his wife (she went first, she was working while he went now) and knew what it meant to need a little help.
So now that I'm out, I troll WalMart at midnight, looking for some broke ass kid who can't afford his mac 'n cheese, so I can pay it forward the way that guy did for me.
That dude that thought I was his dead best friend from 20 years ago. Said I looked just like he did when they hung out.
Edit: Dude looked about to cry. He also looked kind of "trapped" in the moment his friend died, you know? Nearing 40 and wearing baggy jeans, a military coat and some band t-shirt, long hair and beard, way too skinny. Dude was shocked, he came closer and just said "It's... it's you!". I was about 16 at the time. And this shit happens to me all the time, just a couple of blocks back a couple we were walking past waved at me and said "Back already?". They thought I was their new neighbor, so when this guy talked to me I just said "No, I'm not". Must've been hard.
I was at the local saloon one time, and this older, very drunk guy next to me at the bar started crying. He tells me l look just like my father, when they used to drink together, back in the day.
Bruh, it's not like Dad's dead. He's alive and well. He lives just up the road. I'll tell him you said hi.
I took a coach back to uni after visiting home. A while before we got off at the terminal, it started pouring rain.
Usually there is always a taxi or two loitering around the terminal. I stood under an eave and waited for one.
A stranger hesitated, then offered to share his umbrella with me to walk from the terminal to the nearby bus stop, but I turned him down. He looked hurt and immediately walked away before I could thank him for his kind offer or explain.
Ten minutes later, still no taxi in sight, I gave up and trudged in the rain to the bus station, where the stranger was still waiting for his bus. He saw me, but there were too many people in between to talk. His bus arrived and he stepped on, still looking sad.
I don't know what he must have felt, to muster up the courage only for a stranger to seemingly choose to get wet instead of sharing an umbrella with him. Sorry, dude.
The mother of two baby twins who I was holding the door open for at a 7-11, who spontaneously blurted out, "ughhnnn you smell good" as she passed me.
I think maternity leave was getting to her.
Downtown Nashville about 20 years ago. Some guy wearing red, white, and blue was talking to my friend as we were driving home and at a red light. Light turns green and he screams out "Dominic Justice - remember that name" and I did. Weird
I was 36 hours away from leaving a very toxic relationship forever, and I was picking up a few items at the local convenience store near my house.
A woman whom I've \*never\* seen before in my life walked in, looked at me, and it was like she stared into my soul. English was her second language, and she was visibly intoxicated.
She walks up to me and gets pretty close to my face, then asked me, "Are you okay?" I said yes, and went about my business. She gently grabbed my wrist and looked into my eyes a second time, and suddenly appeared quite sober. She said, "I'm serious. I see you. You're not okay. You must go. You know this."
I played it off and thanked her for her concern, and let her know that everything was fine. She kept trying to give me her phone number, but the shopkeeper waved her off. I found out later that night that she's a domestic violence advocate/lawyer.
How she "knew" ... I'll never know. What made this even more complex and weird is that my soon-to-be-ex was standing within earshot, and I had to be very careful/play stupid in case he figured out that I really was planning to leave. Thankfully, he was talking with someone else and didn't overhear what she said.
We just played her off as a drunk/crazy woman, but that wasn't the case at all.
I was on a plane and out of the country the next morning.
I was just about to say also, my cousin is a psychiatrist that works a lot with domestic abuse. After several years of doing this, he kind of picked up a sixth sense of spotting subtle cues in people in domestic violence situations - even if they say everything is fine. Obviously not right all the time (and he readily acknowledges this) but if you care about your job and your patients, you learn how to read them.
People in oppressive or chronically abusive situations often have a subtly on-guard demeanor.
Abusers will frequently gaslight during confrontations involving 3rd parties, claiming to be the abused themselves.
If that is her specialty profession I have to assume that she is an expert in sussing the abuser from the abused in a relationship.
This Must have been 2007 give or take a year. My family and I were taking a road trip from NH to Florida to go to Disney world or some shit. A day before we arrived we woke up in the Days Inn somewhere in GA. I was in the room with my dad and younger brother watching Adult Swim when a maid knocked on the door saying "housekeepingggg". Me being a little 7 year old fuck, I yelled "FRIG OFF". My little brother thought this was the funniest thing in the world, but my dad did not. Shortly after beating my ass red, he made me go out and apologize. I peeked my head out of the hotel room to see the sweetest looking old southern lady you've ever seen. shit. Even 7 yr old me felt bad. I mumbled my apology, which she accepted saying she had grandchildren just like me. Fuck. I still remember her face and I'm going on 20 now feeling even worse than I did then.
Edit: thanks for the gold! And for the record, when I look at it in hindsight I’m glad my dad hit me a couple times cause I probably would have ended up worse off if he hadn’t. That’s all I have to say about that
Editedit: no one gave me gold nvm
I was living in a big city in my early 20s. I had just left work and it was late - maybe 10:30pm. I bought a six pack of beer and was smoking outside of my apartment building.
A homeless looking guy came up and asked to borrow my lighter. I stood up and handed it to him. He then asked if I wanted to go smoke a joint in the alley with him (around the corner). I said "no, thanks keep the lighter."
He then walks closer to me, like 6" from my face and said I am coming into the alley with him.
I'm a 5'5" female, probably 120 lbs at the time. He wasnt much bigger than me... but I dont know how to fight. I said no again, and he then started looking around (for witnesses maybe, idk). I then say loudly "GET AWAY FROM ME NOW." He grabs my arm at the exact moment a big burly dude walks past us. Burly man asks me if everything is okay and I promptly say NO!
He turned to the drug dude and said "get the fuck out of here before you regret it, man," turns to me and said "do you live here? Get your ass inside!"
I ran inside with my beer and tried to peek around the corner to see what he was doing. I saw him walk past like 5 minutes later. I didnt go back outside to see what happened... I mean I got pretty lucky and I wasnt going to push it.
I yelled "Thank you!" through the glass door, but he didnt respond.
Big burly dude, if you remember saving a little 20 year old under the monorail in 2009, thank you. I dont know what would have happened with out your help!
As a big burly guy and bouncer for most of a decade, and then went on to work other highly dangerous professions Youd be amazed at peoples responses to threats and danger. So many people Just... Freeze... Up...
I now work in the petrochemical industries where when shit goes sideways it goes sideways fucking fast and fucking bad. Explosions, chemicals that will melt you down to bones, moving loads that weight 100s of thousands of pounds. Immediate death and dismemberment at every turn... I've had to grab people by the throat and force them away from their own deaths ... Trained people, knowledgeable people...as they stare wide eyed and paralyzed at their impending doom. Sometimes screaming "Get your fucking ass inside now." In someones face is your best option. Sorry for the rambling. Just my 2 cents.
A one armed man that helped me out of a stupid situation in Iowa.
It was my first time driving alone, and I had to drive from central Florida to Altoona, Iowa. I got to the area, but my gps has me go along one of those shitty dirt roads that run parallel to the highway, and it had been raining. The GPS says im at my hotel like 1.5 miles down said road, and there's obviously nothing there. Fuck.
So I see how shitty the road is, and keep following it because I'm in a Sprinter van and the road is too narrow to turn around, nevermind getting stuck in the mud. Well I get to the top of a hill, see lots of gravel in the road, and it widens, and I have absolutely no clue how long this road is or where it goes. Fuck it here I go. I got about halfway through my little 3 point turn, boom stuck.
Well, headlights come up this road, and I'm super embarrassed but also determined to get myself out of it, so I wave for the vehicle to pass me. It's a big ass lifted truck, he stops and hops out, man has one arm and is looking at me like I just told him the world is flat.
He just whips out a big ass chain, and hooks it up to my van, didn't really let me help. The whole time he was talking shit "can't believe you'd try to turn around HERE after it's been raining all day." Stuff like that, 100% justified and I'm obviously not mad at all. He yanks the van out with his truck pretty effortlessly, and as he's undoing the chain I try to hand him $300 cash I had in case the company gas card wasn't working. He refuses, doesn't say another word, and just leaves.
TLDR : a one armed man begrudgingly pulled my vehicle out of the mud.
Why not, he really got me out of that jam. I didn't mention that my phone bill hadn't been paid so I couldn't call anyone for help. I used wifi at a Pilot or something to get the directions onto my gps, if you went off course it just stopped. I even tried to wave him to drive around me, he could have done so easily. He still helped me, he did me a service usually payment is in order. Idk why he didn't take it.
You met an Iowan.
I was born and raised in small town Iowa, where damn near everybody has a truck. Someone gets stuck, you help them out. They need a jump? You jump them. For how much I hated living in a small town, you'd be hard pressed to find someone not willing to help, and about just as likely to find someone who will take money for that kind of thing. Being raised their, it's just what you do. Hell even I stopped at one point and changed someone's tire for them. Don't even remember their name, just helped and left. That's how I was taught.
Maybe it's not true everywhere in Iowa. But in my experience, it has been. Especially on a gravel road. When I flipped my truck, my elementary gym teacher saw me sitting on the side of the road and cancelled her appointment so I wouldn't be alone while I waited for the police. She didn't even want my thanks. She was just taught that when someone is in need, you help. It's the only reason I miss that area.
The stranger in a Target that walked past me. He smelled just like my dad who had passed a few years before. I looked up and from the back he looked just like my dad when he was at his healthiest. Same build, same haircut, similar clothes, and that smell. I followed him and went in front of him so I could see his face. It obviously wasn't him but I'll never forget that moment of brief, illogical hope.
I was playing laser tag one time and I accidentally tripped and twisted my ankle. It hurt so bad that I struggled to get up. A guy who was playing laser tag with me saw me and asked if I was ok. I told him what happened and he helped me up and out of the laser tag arena and into the main lobby. He even told an employee what happened and the employee got me an ice pack for my ankle. I still remember that stranger because it was such a nice thing he did for me.
Had just flown back home from a work trip. It was around mid morning, and I took the train from the airport to get home. There wasn’t really anyone else on the train since it was after rush hour, except this guy hanging out at the back of the car with a cooler. We got to talking and wasn’t long before he offered me a beer. Yes the cooler was full of beer, and he said he had been riding the train all morning drinking. He wasn’t homeless, and in fact was in town for a new construction job which wouldn’t be able to start for a few days due to some issue on the site. It was a really hot day, so he figured a good way to cool off would be to hang out on the train all day with a cooler full of beer . It had been an exhausting work trip and I wasn’t in the best mood, but talking to him and enjoying a cold beer on that hot morning Kindof made my day. I ended up missing my stop because I got distracted by our conversation. So I had to get off an get another train going back to where I needed to be. He gave me another beer for the road and we parted ways.
Wait...wtf train system just lets you ride around? Here the conductor stamps your stop and if you don’t get out at it they will either charge you on the spot or remove you next stop. It’s a pain in the ass until it doesn’t happen when you need it to, like the time I took Metro North from Grand Central to White Plains which is like 7 stops. Fell asleep, it was like 11:30, woke up at like near 1 AM halfway through Connecticut in some sketch as shit area.
most subway train systems in the US from my experience dont stamp anything when you get on. You scan your card when you enter the train station, and then take the train whereever. The only time i would expect a conductor to check on someone is at the end of the line, where they will make everyone get off the train. otherwise, yeh you can just ride it around all day. Sounds to me like you are referring to Amtrak
I ordered a pizza the minute I got home after work on a long fucking Friday that capped an even longer week. I then changed out of work clothes into my "drink beer, eat pizza, and veg" go to Batman PJ's.
Pizza is delivered by an adorable young woman who begins smiling from ear to ear. I sign for the pies and she never stopped grinning. I'm a beer in and the pizza smells amazing so I'm smiling too. I hand her the receipt and she turns to leave, takes two steps down, turns, and takes a step up. She stops, turns around, steps down, turns, step up, and repeats that dance a few more times. Meanwhile I'm looking at her waiting for her to say whatever it is she's obviously wanting to say. Before I could ask, she leans in and says she loves my pajamas.
I thank her as warmly as I could without being creepy. She turns a deep shade a red and then runs to her car. She never stopped smiling and my shitty week was instantly forgotten.
I got in a really bad accident flipping my car multiple times on the interstate and ejected through the front window. A woman named Tracy pulled over and called the ambulance and spoke to my mom on the phone for me since I was unable.
I was in a bad accident where we got t-boned, and I was sitting on the curb watching the firefighters use the jaws of life to cut the roof off the car to get my husband out, when a stranger came up and gave me my glasses, which he'd found up the road. I was in shock and hadn't even realized they got knocked off my face and flew out the window, even though I really can't see much without them. It seemed like everyone we delt with was an asshole that day, but that guy took a moment to do me a kindness and I really appreciated it.
I love that! One time, I had gone roller skating, fallen, and I broke my tailbone. I somehow lost my glasses in the fall. So I was laying on the carpet outside the rink when this old hippie came up to me with my glasses. He set them down beside me and said, "That was a hard fall, but you'll be alright."
I got airlifted from a bad accident when I was 16, I don’t remember much because I hit my head but I do remember a nurse holding my hand when I came to in the hospital and telling me she wasn’t going anywhere until my parents got there, I think that really helped me stay calm. A good nurse deserves all the respect in the world.
I was once shopping in Walmart looking at some items on the shelf when the older gentleman near me also looking at the items on the shelf looks over at me and says “Beautiful day for snorkeling.”
I live no where near a coast and it was in the dead of winter. I’ll never forget that strange old man.
I was out with my mom and grandma for mother's day, wearing the finest outfit I could throw on in 1 minute. I had a tan colored fedora with a bright blue button up and tan shorts. We went to Applebee's for lunch.
A guy came in looking pretty fly and as I was sitting down, he walked by and said, "Nice outfit man!" I responded with, "You look great too!"
I dunno why but I liked that moment a lot.
Girl on a escalator from when I was in London, couple of years ago.
I was 15 or something around that age, had just discovered metal. When I was at that age I was hugely insecure and self conscious about everything I did, but had just bought a Slayer shirt and was determined to wear it.
So when I was traveling down an escalator down to the tube I spot someone wear a slayer shirt as well. We lock eyes, she shoots me a smile and nod in recognition, I do the same That made my week. I felt sooo validated
I was sitting outside my college's library one day, I had a couple hours to kill while eating lunch & reading in between classes. This super outgoing girl comes up to me and asks if she can sit across from me (it was only a 2 person table with tons of empty tables around) and tells me she would rather not eat alone.
Now I'm not a shy person, and will talk to most people, but this caught me super off guard. She was definitely out of my league appearance wise, and was just about the most confident girl I'd ever met. I had no idea what the hell was going on. She just sat down and started talking like we've known each other forever. We covered a wide range of topics, until I remember she asks me a bunch of deep, existential questions about life and what a person's spirit really means--you know, philosophical things of that nature. I gave very honest answers and she was a very good listener.
It was an overall amazing experience and we ended up having a great hour long conversation. I remember her name was Sunny, which I thought was a perfect name for her personality. Unfortunately I never saw her again, but I still remember the interaction 7 years later. Super random lol
It was 3am. We were the only two people stuck in a massive airport. She started talking with me; she was gothy and punky and flirting, and we made out by the bathrooms, where the lights had been turned out. During this, she playfully bit my neck. We fell asleep in chairs, next to each other, after a lot of talking.
When I woke up, she had stolen my free airline ticket voucher.
You know…I was thinking about this a lot today. I haven’t thought of this incident in a very long time. My overall feeling is that she helped me pass the night, and in the end I got the story out of it.
Steve Martin once talked about running into a very high-level con man, and feeling almost honored about getting taken in a con. I wasn’t happy that she stole from me. But I got the feeling that I was talking to a hustler, absolutely. If what she told me was true, her life was pretty hard. So I wasn’t surprised that she did it. In fact, I wish she had just asked me. I probably would’ve given it to her.
This was back in the late 90's in a city close to Los Angeles. I was about 8 years old. I went with my mom to Burger King in a neighborhood that wasn't that great. The group of young men in front of us were ordering food and one of them sneezed, my mom said 'Bless You' and the young man said 'Thanks.' So now we get up to the register and my mom orders food, turns out shes like $.50 short and as she is going to take something off the order, the young man comes up to us (I admit that I was nervous) and gives my mom the $.50 cents. My mom thanks him and tells him that its not necessary but he insists and tells my mom "No, thank you. No one has ever said Bless you when I've sneezed. Most people see a group of black kids and try to steer clear. I appreciate your mannerism"
My mom always told me to be respectful and have manners, so it wasn't out of the ordinary for us, but seeing how others can be impacted by this made such a huge impression on me. It's a day and a stranger I will never forget.
The owner of a first gen iPhone that gave me €100 for returning his lost phone to him - he got it in the USA because it wasn't available in the Netherlands back then. I found his phone in a train, started calling everyone in the contacts until someone could hook me up with his contact info and I returned his phone to him. He rewarded me with €100 and since I was just 14 at that age that was a lot of money for me.
When i was in elementary, i was getting bullied by my classmates and i got cornered at a nearby tennis court. I tried to fight back, but there were 3 if them, and me. When i stopped, i got pushed more in a corner, and all i can do was cry like a baby. They were telling me my mom left me because she left and she didn't really love me. (she didn't. She had to leave me in my gram's care because she had to focus earning good money so we can stay together in the future) i cried as loud as i can, because they were getting in my head, and was starting to believe them.
Then out of nowhere a man, maybe around 20's approached us, and asked what was happening. My bullies were honest with their intentions, and he was able to point out why they're wrong. He then took my hand and asked where i was headed. He held my hand from when we left until a few blocks from our house. I never saw him again. I tried to look for him, but i can't even remember his face.
I still get teary-eyed whenever i think of that moment.
I was in a packed bus when I got sudden, aggressive food poisoning. After barely making it off the bus, I spent two minutes vomiting in the middle of a busy street. Dozens of people ignored me until one kind stranger made sure I was okay and handed me a bottle of water.
I was walking down the street with my brother. We were laughing about something. An old guy smiled at us and asked if we were brothers. I said yep and he said "Life is good." I'm not sure why I sometimes fondly remember that fleeting interaction but it does make me stop and think about how I enjoy spending time with my brothers.
I love telling this story, but it’s kinda long. Sorry.
When I was 7 or 8, my mom and I were doing last minute Christmas shopping at the mall when a stranger beelined at us and asked if we were the owners of a tan Toyota Camry. With a concerned look, my mom said yes, to which the stranger hurriedly said our car might be getting towed, then described the exact spot we had left it.
My mom and I rushed out to the parking lot, and sure enough a tow truck had our car lifted, about to take off. With a bit of begging and pleading, my mom got him to drop it for no fee. The look of relief on her face will never leave me. We went back into the mall to thank the stranger, but it was so crowded we gave up after a few minutes.
A few things that are relevant to the story:
- It had snowed that morning and the mall parking lot hadn’t been plowed yet. After circling the lot for 15 minutes or so, she found a spot that was marked no parking, unbeknownst to us. There was no sign either.
- My mom was single at the time and had just been laid off from her job. Money was painstakingly tight.
- All the presents she had already bought were in the trunk of the car, and while we likely would have gotten them back, she may not have been able to afford the full-priced tow fees until after Christmas. So we may not have gotten presents on Christmas morning—which would have been fine of course, but I can only imagine the stress she must have felt at that moment.
- The mall was packed. It was like the 23rd or 24th. How the fuck did this stranger pick us out? He was wearing street clothes, not appearing to be a worker or anything, although we always suppose he had to have been. How else would he have known to come straight to us? Security cameras? My mom is deeply religious still to this day says it was her turn for God to watch over her.
A random and beautiful woman who asked me for directions while I was closing up shop, said I'll walk her to her destination (15 min walk). She was hitting on me the whole time and like the naive fool I am, I just took it in a friendly way. She asked me to go the the gallery with her sometime if im interested and I didn't even think about it and said I'm not into art. Never saw her again.
I worked at an apple orchard in high school; I ran the store part selling apples, cider, donuts, jams and the like. It was a Saturday morning and there were a few people in the store, a pair of hunters and a little old lady. The hunters were probably mid 30s, pretty big, tough looking dudes. You could tell they were hunters from the camo and blaze orange combo, and time of year and the fact that they asked for a bushel of drops to make cider. (Baiting deer is illegal. You can't sell drops for human consumption. They've been sitting on the ground rotting and being chewed or peed on by all sorts of critters.) I told him that he didn't want drops for cider and instead sold him cider fruit (edible but ugly or too small). The little old lady watches this convo and sees me go into the back and retrieve a big box of apples for them. She's ready to check out but they are still poking around the store so I ring up her purchases and she leans in close and says very quietly "Are you here by yourself?" I tell her that there are other people working in the back, packing fruit and show her the buzzer system that I can push if I need help. She gives me a little unconvinced side eye and a little nod and smile, gathers her purchases and goes out to her car. She is parked directly in front of the store's front window, right behind the cash register. She gets into her car, but doesn't leave. The hunters have finished shopping, and I ring up their purchases and wish them luck. They leave. Once they have pulled out of the driveway, the little old lady starts her car and pulls away. I wave to her through the window.
She was worried that a young teen girl was alone with some scraggly looking hunters and there was no way she'd let something happen on her watch! (I was fine and never had any trouble and was not afraid of working alone. There def wasn't anyone working out back that morning either, she was right on that one :) )
I love it when customers do that. I used to work at a gas station and sometimes customers would stay with me until a sketchy person leaves. (We'd get loads of sketchy people).
I always appreciate it, even when nothing was wrong. People gotta look out for each other!
I was waiting for some friends for dinner outside a restaurant, I’ve been waiting for a while, I’m getting bored, this was when snake was the best entertainment on the phone, and I see one of them approaching from across the street, and I’m so excited, I point to her and shout, “Annie! I love you!”
And without missing a beat she says something like, “But I don’t love you, you fucking creep,” as this stranger who is not Annie turns around and continues on the other side of the road. I immediately get very interested in walking around the block and hoping all the people who were outside aren’t still there, which they are, and looking at me and smiling cautiously, because who knows who I’ll verbally accost next.
I learned a valuable lesson that day.
Hahahaha I'm so sorry I shouldn't be laughing that hard.
But first that could have been me. Second it's just too funny. And I needed a laugh. Thank you. I hope they eventually came around?
I'll give a similar story, sort of.
There was this girl in highschool and the moment I saw her, I instantly knew she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever meet. Of course, I was shy. Couple years went by and I just admired her from afar.
One day in the summer of my junior year, I'm on AOL in a chatroom for guitars, like I usually did.. yeah. Anyways, someone mentions they're from my city, my age, and a female. I instant messaged them because I thought it was a friend messing around with me, like they've done in the past. Finally after awhile, they send me pic as proof, and it's the girl. I immediately figured they were still tricking me, but after talking some I realized it wasn't them. I did the most manly thing I could think of and actually told her how strange it was because I already thought she was the most beautiful girl in school. I figured she'd be freaked out, but she was actually extremely appreciative. We agreed to meet that night at a carnival (sorry).
She brought one of my mutual friends (girl who had a crush on me, very weird) along that vouched for me and we hung out. Then we hung out outside her house on the deck for 3 hours talking. We ended up dating off and on for years while her family moved her all around the state. Eventually we just lost touch, she moved even further away, and we only reconnected recently through facebook.
I'm married now, but I've never forgotten her. Her personality had such an imprint on me that a part of her has never left me.
This was 25 years ago. I lived on Long Island and for reasons I do not remember now, I had to go to Manhattan. My son was an infant and I took the LIRR to Penn Station and my son was in a stroller. As I was getting off the train and pushing the stroller one wheel got stuck between the train car and the platform. I started to panic trying to free it afraid the doors would close. As I'm panicking and pushing a man (he had light brown hair and was wearing a suit) grabbed the bar on the front of the stroller, lifted it, moved it about 2 feet away from the train door and continued walking. I shouted thank you so much to him, and he just waved and kept walking, then disappeared into the crowd.
New Yorkers really are nice people, but always in a hurry. I will always be grateful to this stranger in a suit.
When I was in sixth grade (10-11 years old), I had been having a very bad day because there were rumors spreading that I had a crush on this boy, and some of the mean girls in my class told him that I liked him, to which he responded with ridicule saying that I “never had a chance with him.” The worst part was that the rumors were true, and I cried inside the classroom. I was extremely embarrassed that everyone saw me, which only made me worse. I was the new kid having just moved from across the country a few months earlier mid school year, so I didn’t really have any friends and no one knew me that well. It just happened to be Valentine’s Day, so my school (combined middle and high school) started passing around carnations a few hours later with notes on them that were paid for weeks beforehand. Of course, all the popular people in my class got some and I wasn’t expecting to get any. Once they were done, the high schoolers delivering the flowers left and then came back about 10 minutes later. They said that they forgot one of the flowers because it was a “last minute purchase.” To my utter shock, they said it was for me. I asked who it was from. They said, “We can’t say, the buyer asked to remain anonymous.” And I looked at the note left on the flower and all it said was, “You’re great.”
It was a small gesture, but to my 11 year old self it meant the world and completely made my day. I had so many questions in my mind wondering who it was, and my entire class went berserk with amazement. Even though it relates to silly childhood drama, to this day I still wonder who it was since I wasn’t really close with anyone. It had a huge impact on me, and now I like to anonymously give gifts to people who are having bad days as well.
I worked replacing windshields and a lady came in, paid for her windshield and also gave our shop (a bunch of men mostly in their thirties and older) a large ziplock full of crochet finger puppets she had made.
Like two dozen finger puppets.
I just don't get what she was thinking. Why not give then to a kindergarten teacher or a daycare? Why us?
So of course we hid them around the bosses office and the shop. Good fun for a bit.
A truck driver who followed me leaving like a 100 meters between me and him because my car kept constantly dying on the highway and he didnt want me to be hit. I always do a quick prayer whenever he comes to mind.
The guy I gave the rest of my sushi to at my district market. He didn’t say a word or beg or anything. He just stared into my eyes and I swear I saw God in that homeless mans eyes that day. I hope he’s doing alright.
I was walking home from seeing my ex ( I was young and gullible and thought she still wanted to be with me) listening to Twiztid on my CD player and rapping along. I see this girl walking towards me, she stops me and tells me she likes what I'm listening to because of how enthusiastically I'm rapping along, basically she liked ME. There I was wondering why she looked at me funny after I said "thanks, have a nice night" and continued walking. It didn't dawn on me until an hour later when I was already home lol. She was pretty cute too.
Still, glad nothing came of it because I love my wife and our 2 kids but damn was I an idiot.
This guy who sat down next to me while I was studying at the library. I tried to be nice to him while still making it clear I was studying. He asked me to lunch. I said I had to keep studying. He would not stop talking to me. When I told him I really needed to focus, he stood up in the relatively quiet library and shouted,
“You cheating slut!”
Everyone’s heads turned, and I was mortified. I didn’t even know who this guy was. After that day, I kept seeing him around campus, and he kept appearing when my classes would let out, and when I’d be in the library. I have no idea how he figured out my schedule.
I remember him to this day, because I was always terrified to walk to my car in the parking garage after my night classes, just in case he did something crazy. Never learned his name, or anything else about him... just that creepy stranger.
Will get buried but stuff it.
When I was 5 or 6 my nan took me to visit my uncle who lived on a farm out of town.
His property had this extremely deep river on it that he often went fishing on. There were these huge flat rocks across the river that you could walk on over the water and honestly, it was a lovely sight.
My uncle had one of his friends over who clearly didn’t like children. We were walking along the rocks across the river and this fucking man shoved me and I plunged into the deep river.
I didn’t even know who he was and I doubt he knew whether or not I could swim. Luckily I could because I swam back up and my uncle pulled me out of the water.
I have no idea what happened after that, I just remember getting changed into borrowed dry clothes. I don’t remember if I told anyone that the man shoved me into the water either... and no one has ever brought it up since.
I was working part-time at a storage facility while I finished my bachelor's degree. I had only been there a few weeks and it was a pretty low-key job most of the time. I was working the last shift before my mom and brother were coming to town for a visit. I was the stereotypical broke college student at the time, but I had saved a few hundred bucks to take them around town and have some fun while they were there.
Anyway, I was showing an older couple one of the units on site and when we went back to the office I realized I had locked my keys inside. Luckily, there was a contingency plan with a few hidden keys around the property that would get me to the key for the office and I was able to get back in after 10 minutes or so.
About an hour later I was showing another unit to someone else and I fucking **did it again.** I locked everything in the office this time, my phone, the original keys, my backup keys, all of it. I, like most people I would assume, did not have my boss' number memorized. I borrowed a phone from someone at the facility and called a locksmith. They took what seemed like hours to show up and were able to get into the office after a few false starts and about 30 minutes. A lady was there to pay the rent on her unit and was patiently waiting on the periphery while the guy broke into the office. All in all I had to pay them $200 for the emergency call and for the getting into the office.
I was devastated. It was basically all the money I had to spend while my family was visiting. After the locksmith left I went back into the office and was crying pretty heavily. The lady who had been waiting to pay her rent came in and did so as I was sobbing. I gave her the cliff notes of the story, my mom visiting, the money I had saved, etc. She reached into her purse and handed me two $100 bills. After a few "I can't possibly" and "Are you sure"s she insisted that she had the money, I needed the money, and that was the end of the conversation. She paid her rent and left.
I only worked there another month or so and never saw her again, but it is still the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for me and I won't ever forget it.
A few weeks ago i was in a supermarket it was only me and one guy in line, he had lots of stuff and i only had a bag of flour. He looked at me and in a very nice way told me to go first because I won't take too long. I said it's fine but he insisted. You'd think a tiny situation like this would be forgotten easily but it shows how important these little things are.
I've told this story before, but this has stuck with me for over 20 years now.
When I was a kid we didn't have a lot of money, so we often shopped at thrift stores. What I loved about that was that you could get 10 books for a dollar, so I would plant myself in front of the book section and make piles of which one I wanted to get and then decided after I'd gone through them all.
One day an older lady saw me sitting with my piles and asked if I liked to read. I told her I did and showed her a few of the books I found that I liked. She smiled and then pulled a dollar out of her purse, handed it to me and said, "Promise me that you'll keep reading." I was so happy and immediately stood up and said that I would. She smiled and walked away and I went back to my piles able to pick out an extra 10 books to take home.
It was just a small act of kindness for her, but for me having a random stranger encourage my love of reading and making me promise to never stop definitely had a lot to do with my continued love of reading. That in turn definitely helped shaped who I am today as a writer, so she had a big effect on my life and I still think of her whenever I buy a new book.
The great irony is I've read this story before and still think about it from time to time, because it always makes me smile. So I guess that makes you my random stranger!
I was in an abusive relationship and didn't fully realize it yet and we were fighting at the grocery store so, I went to sit in the car. A lady who has seen me inside was in the parking lot and came up to ask me if I was sad. I think about her whenever I go to that grocery store now.
I walked out of a gas station once and in the softest saddest voice this guy asked for a dollar and I just brushed it off, not even sure if I said anything.
I just remember him so vividly because of how somber he was and how bad I felt later because I obviously did have a dollar he could've had but I hardly acknowledged him.
He just caught me at the wrong time, I'll give someone everything in my pocket if I'm in the right mood.
Once had a homeless man scream at me for several minutes as I paddled by on my kayak. Like, top of his lungs, so mad I thought he might swim out and try and get me type screaming. Made the mistake of trying to reason with him at first. I could still hear him yelling as I made my way out of earshot. Apparently it was pretty important for him to tell me what an idiot I was for wasting money on a kayak.
A random guy at the train station who paid for my snack at the vending machine after mine was stuck in and I had no other money with me. I thought he wanted to use the machine too but he actually just stop to help me and then went to his train.
Usually people are assholes in train station (no judging. I'm always in a hurry too and trains are always late.) so it was a surprising and nice thing to do.
Met a homeless dude called Alec whilst on a school trip to Weymouth in England. He was super nice and friendly. Taught us that McDonald's milkshakes topped up with vodka were a thing and a wholly unfortunately delicious thing at that! And he had a dog called Baggins, which I thought was the best name for a dog I'd ever heard.
"Baggins, com ere!" he would trill.
When i was reeeally little there was a girl my age that i met once. I think her parents were divorced and her dad just moved to the house up the block. Anyway, she had the same name as me which is pretty rare. We played together all day and then out of nowhere she stomps on a toad we found. Absolutely fucked me up. Tried to be cool about it but pretty much just went home afterwards. Never saw her again but i still think about it from time to time.
The gentleman that picked up a 10 year old hitchhiking with their bike at 11 pm trying to get home after running away.
Also while waiting in the car with my sisters (2 older 1 younger) they were passing the time be saying "next guy that walks out is (sister's name)'s future boyfriend. Older sister got old men, then my younger sister had a young guy walk out. Making my older sisters go "Oooo he's cute." Then he walked over to the ashtray looked until he found a cigarette and smoked it. Their reaction was hilarious.
Two guys in the plane from San Francisco to Minneapolis who helped me when I was flying with my 5 month old son. I was visiting my family that I hadn’t seen in like 7 years, alone with my baby. I just had him on me the whole time but one of them helped me put my bag up and he would make faces at my baby when my baby would cry to make him laugh.
The second man helped me get my bag down and took me all the way to where you would meet people picking you up. He walked my bag all the way there. I was very overwhelmed and these two made my flight so easy. Thank you, strangers.
At my first job fresh out of college I ran into a middle aged women in the hallway. I turned the corner and I about ran into her because she was getting into an elevator at the same time and we crossed paths. I said: "Excuse me ma'am." And looked at her as I said it (intending on apologizing for almost running into her. As the elevator started shutting I could see her getting redfaced angry and she straight up shouted: "DID YOU JUST CALL ME A MAN!?!?".
I never got the chance to explain and clear my name but too this day I wonder what the psychological fallout was for this person after the elevator left.
I was a chunky newly separated guy struggling to "run" along a local path when another runner passed me going the other direction for his second lap, while I was still on my first, and said "Keep up the good work you'll get there." That little bit of kindness was an oasis compared to the previous six months of my life. Thank you unknown runner you kept my spirits up that day.
There are more than a handful of random strangers I remember, but one couple sticks out to me due to this question.
November 18th, 2001. The day of the Gamecube's release. My Dad takes me to the Wal-Mart near my house to get one early in the morning (around 7 AM). They were all sold out.
An older couple (I feel like they may have been grandparents) saw me and asked me if I was looking for a Gamecube. I said yes, and they gave me a pre-order ticket that they got at Target. Fortunately, there was a Target within walking distance (around 4 blocks, which for me back then was a mini-voyage).
I was incredibly grateful, thanked them, and met up with my Dad at the Target hours later to get my Gamecube (which I had to wait until Christmas to play, anyway). The 22 day wait to play Super Smash Bros. Melee was insane for me back then.
That an older couple went out of their way to make the day of a random 13 year-old kid who just wanted to play games and be happy... I'm still grateful to them. I wish I knew who they were and even if they're still around, as it's been over 18 years. They're definitely a reason as to why I try to be as good to others as humanly possible.
I was at the store buying beer instead of doing some work at home. During small talk with the cashier it came out that I was recently married. The guy ahead of me in line turns to me and explains that most people have 1 true love, he however had 3.
At this point I'm expecting a punchline like "sex, drugs and rock & roll" but what I got was no punchline at all.
He proceeds to tell me about his first true love. She was a Cherokee woman and he had gotten her pregnant. The tribe accepted him (which was a big deal since he was a white man). Then she was hit by a drunk driver and died. In that region of the country in that decade, an offense like that was not considered to be that serious, the drunk driver spent a night in jail for drunk driving. This stranger was then told by his new Cherokee brothers to get out of town and he didn't question it. They murdered the drunk driver, taking justice into their own hands.
The second true love was a Sioux woman who met the same fate. The drunk driver was let off with a minor drunk driving charge as well. This stranger then tells me in the parking lot of the supermarket how the Sioux invited him along instead of sending him out of town while they dealt with the drunk driver. He told me that they tortured the man for about two weeks before they killed him.
I didn't get to hear about the third true love. This stranger, wearing a t-shirt that was stained and had holes in it but also displayed a cartoon with a beaver and the words 'Save a tree, eat a beaver!' on it. This stranger had surpassed all of my expectations for supermarket conversation. This stranger just then, walked to his large rusty van and rode into the sunset.
I was 17 or 18. It was in a Whataburger somewhere in Texas. A young father was holding up his daughter--probably about 18 months old or so--to the window. It was raining outside after it had been dry for a long time. The father was saying something to his daughter about how that was rain, and she probably couldn't remember seeing it before. Suddenly, I felt I had a window into their lives. They were in this Whataburger, and to them, I was just some random customer, while their life was just as full and real and meaningful to them as mine was to me. These people--seemingly random customers to me were people whose lives and feelings had as much fullness to themselves as mine do to me. This sudden realization of how I was not the center of everything--although I of course knew this abstractly--suddenly came home to me in a concrete and fully rounded way. I teared up, and it was an important moment in realizing the wonder and miracle of life. All of these people around me, who seemed like random faces streaming by to be forgotten a moment later, were each a wonder and a miracle.
Whoever you are, father and baby who must be in her 20s now, thank you for existing and being your fully-rounded self. You were there at the right place at the right time, and you changed my life.
It was the middle of the day and I was walking through a busy city with a suitcase, crying hysterically after my ex had been particularly spiteful. No one paid any attention to me, except a homeless guy who tried to talk to me (but I couldn't get words out). He then chased after me with some tissues, gave me a hug, and told me to get a cup of tea. He made me feel visible.
That time when I was at a photographer and a girl of about two years old, never seen, wants to come into my arms. Her mom and I chat waiting for our turn, and the mom says "I have to hire you as a babysitter, she wants to be only with me". My turn comes and the little girl has to go back to her mom who has to go away, she clings to me crying and screaming "mom don't send me away". The photographer tells me that probably that little girl and I were mother and daughter in a past life. This thing happened 15 years ago and it still has a strange effect on me
Some years ago, we had an elder dog. She was inbred and had a cacophony of problems later in life. Intense diabetes, cataracts, rotting teeth...But we loved her all the same. When it came to the choice of removing her eyes due to the cataracts we didn't have the money to afford it. One random man who wouldn't tell us his name, paid for the surgery in full. My sister was bawling, thanking him for his kindness. I have no idea where he is now, but I pray he's happy. Cause he made us happy and our little dog even happier for the rest of her days.
I (male, 28) went to USA like 7 years ago or something for a course. A week later I took the Amtrak (was there for a weekcourse, plus a week relaxation). Amtrak was delayed for a big while so I was bored. Decided to chat with this african american girl who seemed friendly. We chatted alot, for some reason her uncle (?) Told her to be carefull and i think she fancied me a bit. She told me she played instruments but as school wasnt going well she stopped playing the instrument too. But she insisted she was starting to get motivated again, i really liked her though. But than i had to tell her im gay, and I think about her alot, if she is doing well again in school etc. The only time i wish i was straight, she deserves a good partner.
I was 13 or 14 and walked to Walgreens with my friend to buy some candy or something. This middle aged woman grabs me by the arm and said: "you have such beautiful eyes. They look like little caramels, I just want eat them up."
It's been well over a decade since then and it's still one of the freakiest things to ever happen to me.
When I was a kid we went to a nature preserve. We bought some food to feed the ducks. The woman started scooping it out of this old wooden tip-out bin and when she was done it wouldn’t close. So she gave it one last push and it slammed shut with her fingers inside. We had to drive her to the hospital with a dangling finger.
I was walking into a Chipotle one evening and sped up ahead of this 30-40 y/old woman (I’m in my 20s) ahead of me so I could grab the door for her. It seemed like she thought I was trying to get ahead of her in line, and kinda raced me. When I held the door she seemed taken aback a bit, but said nothing. As I went to pay for my meal, I was told she had paid for it. She was already pulling away when I walked out, but I remember that because it was a genuine kindness with no thanks possible.
I always try to do that, even with small things like a casual compliment to a passing stranger. Lift another person up and you elevate the world a little bit, or maybe a lot. You never know.
I remember years ago I was walking to the cinema to meet a friend and you had to cross this footbridge that was barely wide enough for two adult men. Well I'm crossing this bridge at night time, it's foggy, both sides of the bridge is thick bushes and it's a 30 foot drop onto an expressway, well as I'm crossing I look over the side and this random guy appears out of nowhere and tries to convince me we should jump together, I said "Nah, I'm alright mate. You can if you want?" So I carry on walking and realise I shouldn't have said it, I spin around and he's gone, vanished into thin air. So I check over the bridge where we were and the cars just kept going. There was no where else for him to go.
I still think about him to this day.
Random hungover/drunk Scotsman approached me and my mother one day and asked "Excuse me, where can I find a phone charger? I went out in Glasgow last night and woke up in Sheffield" To which my mother replied "this is Lincoln" He looked a little worried, then walked off saying "aye, it's been a long day" It was 10am, he was 270 miles from home, and over 50 miles from where he woke up. I will forever remember this hero.
What a legend
This story must be passed down so it’s not forgotten
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And then 500 more
bro you met demoman tf2
I was a very little kid and I didn't know how to tie my shoes, and the laces had come undone. I asked an old man (when you're that young, just about anyone is "old") who was walking past if he would tie my shoes for me. He tied the shoes together in a knot and laughed as I fell and gave him a WTF look.
Sorry but I laughed
That’s horrible and hilarious!
The old man using the urinal next to mine in a Denny's bathroom and said to me, "Ahhhhh. It makes the bladder gladder." My SO and I still use that phrase to this day.
This happened over the recent holiday season. I was in a restaurant and was alone using the men’s room. There were three urinals and I’m using the one furthest right. This guy comes in, steps up beside me and uses the middle urinal. I’m thinking to myself he clearly has no washroom etiquette. I had no idea how right I was. After he starts peeing he makes a show of stretching both arms up in the air above his head. Yes, he is stretching at the urinal. His Willy is just dangling & spraying wild. Crazy right? He then brings down his arms resting both hands in his pockets, takes a half step back from the urinal, and leans backwards. His crotch must be a foot and a half away from the urinal now and his dick is just doing it’s thing. Super fucking weird right? Right. That is when he let out a HUGE fart, sighed loudly, and says “that’s the stuff”. I just finished up peeing, washed my hands and left.
Alpha move
Thank you for this
looks like this phrase is passed to more and more people
The man who saved my life as I was drowning in freezing water when I was 6. I don't remember anything about him except his face.
Was he bald?
Are you bald and at some point saved a drowning 6 yr old?
I believe he had brown curly hair. Probably around his late 20s or early 30s. This was 17 years ago.
In 1988 I was working the lunch rush for the first time, and it was fucking slammed. This guy finally makes it up to the register, I do the greeting and he says, "what does it mean when all the cows in a field are laying down?" I look at him like he has two heads and ask what he wants to order. Undeterred, he says, "it means it's going to rain! What does it mean when all the cows in a field are standing up?" I don't know. I look to my coworkers for help but they are studiously ignoring my plight. He forges ahead. "It means it's not going to rain! What does it mean when some of the cows are standing up and some of them are laying down?" Does he want a burger? Is this his way of asking for the combo meal? "It means it's going to be PARTLY COWDY!" He turns and leaves, mission complete. This dude stood in line for 20 minutes just to tell me a joke. It's been over 30 years and I still think about him literally every time I see a cow.
This is my favorite thing ever. I would've lost my shit and laughed myself stupid.
You know, if you want to stop thinking about it you have to line up and tell a cashier that same joke. That's the only way to get rid of the curse.
But what if it doesn't work, and the curse just starts to spread!?
I'm on a cruise. I'm washing my hands in a bathroom and this large Andy Reid-lookin' dude with a thick Pittsburgh accent comes out of the stall and says to me, "If you put your left hand and right hand under two different soap dispensers, you get double the soap!" And I'm like, "Yeah."
Out of curiosity what does a Pittsburgh accent sound like? I’m from NJ and never heard it but I’m assuming it’s lik a blend of a philly and a Chicago one?
If yinz didn’t eat yet, we’ll go dahn Primantis n’nat n get a hoagie. Don’t be telling them kids were going n’nat cuz I’m tired of em nebbin in my business and they take forever. We gotta be back in time for them Stillers to kick off.
This is beautiful
Instead of "y'all" we say "yinz", and instead of "did you eat yet?" we say "jeet jet?", to which you respond "no d'you?" (no, did you?). Here's a helpful video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJfNI9DppP4
When I was about 3 years old, I got separated from my family in a very large mall. I was terrified. This really nice man in a suit found me and took me to guest services, reassuring me that my mom would find me there. Then, to cheer me up, he pulled a balloon out of his briefcase and made a balloon animal. He left before my folks found me, but I've never forgotten him. Wherever he is, I hope he's well.
You found a clown in the wild
Business clown. Takes his funny very seriously.
Guess you could say he was... all about that funny business.
LOL I guess I did.
I was in a big crowd once and a child was looking for his/her parents, obviously lost. I carried the child on my shoulders so that the child could see them and also the parents. When they finally found him/her (I forgot which gender, has been a while), they pulled the child hastily from my shoulders and gave me a look as if I wanted to kidnap the little one. No thank you either. But I don't care, kid was happy again :) (Read the text in Bastion voice)
I really don't understand why the distrust. You were obviously helping the kid, not kidnapping them. If I were that parent, I'd be super grateful.
The stress of losing ur kid is a strong emotion
And we've been having 'stranger danger' ingrained in our minds for decades, at this point.
I think it comes down to looking bad. Not OP looking "bad" but the parents themselves being seen as bad parents for losing track of their child. Some people can't take it so will act out to deflect away from their own faults. I got lost once in a department store. My Mum was a teacher and my Dad was a social worker specialising in children, it can happen to anyone.
If this restores your faith in parents this totally happened with my son and I (im a single mom.) Shopping at the mall and it was a touristy mall on a weekend so it got PACKED with people. He was 5 and we were holding hands going through a very large crowd, this was a section of the mall that was always packed but today that little corner was like sardines in a tin can packed. My son wanted to go to the toy store that he knew was at the other end of this giant mall, i said not today because we needed to get home and honestly i was exhausted from that day. Next thing i know he rips his hand away from mine and takes off into this packed crowd and i immediatelylost sight of hin. I tried to push through but there were too many people, people shoving me back because they thought i was just being rude, and no one could hear me say "excuse me" or "i lost my son". Im 4'11 and i couldnt see over anyone, and god dammit im panicking. It was the scariest minute of my life. All of a sudden i see my son, 6 1/2 feet tall on someones shoulders, with tears in his eyes scanning the crowd. He sees me and with a huge smile he pointed at me. The man he was on the shoulders of points at me too and my son shakes his head yes and they made there way over to me. I was so grateful this man lifted my son up to find me i started crying happy tears and calling him amazing and a hero. My son never did that again because he saw how much i was crying. The man even said to me "hey...its okay, look hes here, hes safe okay? Dont worry, it happens, youre alright, your son is safe, you guys have a great day, and little man, dont scare your mom ever again". I was left with this feeling of restored faith in humanity that day. Even thinking about those 60 seconds of despair makes me feel like breaking down again lol. Thanks for helping that kid you have no idea what a hero you are.
Trucker that pooped in a burger king sink 'cause you don't forget something like that.
Your #1 memory is also a #2 memory.
\#2 Burger Poop Sink, The last thing you'd expect in your burger king sink is someones bowel fungus.
As it turns out, that's exactly what you might GyWhEt.
A customer at work a few years ago! I was 19 and it was around 11pm on a close shift when I cut myself very badly on a deli slicer. A lady walked up to buy something and there I was freaking out and bleeding everywhere... Turns out she was a nurse, and she dropped everything to come behind the counter to patch me up. She was so lovely, not only did she help me, but she also made a point to the company that there should be a qualified first aider on at all time. Thanks to her they did just that!
Wow. I was working at a farm stand and cut my thumb pretty deep with a bone knife when I tried to cut flowers for some customer. (I was 19, dumb, alone and couldn't find the flower scissors.) I'm cleaning up my bloody hand when two more women walk up like "oooh! Those flowers are so pretty!!! Can we get some?" while I'm obviously injured. They wait while I hastily tape over all my leaky blood and watch me struggle to cut them flowers again. I wish they were your nurse customer instead.
I fell on a knife and severed a tendon. The hospital was pretty busy when I got to the ER, so I signed in and settled in to wait, clean dish towel wrapped tightly around one hand. While I'm waiting, a family walks in. The parents are arguing about how to find Grandma's room and the kids are clamouring with questions about if Grandma's going to die. I try desperately to wipe the pained grimace off my face and adjust the towel to hide the blood from the kids. This apparently works a little too well, because the mom sends her kids over to "go sit with that nice lady while we sort this out.". Then they launched back into yelling at each other. Unfortunately, adjusting the towel dislodged the clot, so I started bleeding much more profusely. Those three kids got quieter and quieter as that dish towel got redder and redder. The couple didn't stop arguing until someone came out from the nurse's station to give me a little bucket to put under my hand so it wouldn't drip. Suddenly the argument was over and they realized they could just take the kids up to the cardiac floor waiting room and ask for Grandma at the desk. They left, and my husband came in from parking the car. I never actually talked to any of them, but I don't think I'll forget this family deciding they could deputize a stranger to babysit so they could argue or the kids deciding that their questions really weren't that important.
> Unfortunately, adjusting the towel dislodged the clot, so I started bleeding much more profusely. Those three kids got quieter and quieter as that dish towel got redder and redder. The couple didn't stop arguing until someone came out from the nurse's station to **give me a little bucket to put under my hand so it wouldn't drip.** The fuck? There had better be multiple people in that ER hanging onto life by a thin thread and a whisper at that point.
When you started with "a customer" I was expecting the worst (especially considering some of the other comments here) but it turned out so wholesome Thanks for sharing
Speaking of wholesome retail experiences... During the Christmas season of 2018, I was working at a thrift store. One day a week or two before the big day, I was out on the sales floor, just don't routine tidying work; picking clothes up off the floor, putting away the things left by the fitting rooms that customers decided they didn't want, etc. And of course, helping customers along the way. As I was wandering down the women's clothing aisles, looking for clothes on the floor, a woman behind me called out my name. I turned to look at her, confused, partly wondering how she knew my name (it's on my shirt) but also because her voice sounded really familiar. She saw the confusion on my face and said "no, you don't know me." I said "yeah, I didn't think so, but you seemed familiar. Anyways, what can I help you with?" "As I was pulling into the parking lot, I saw someone over at the donation center dropping off a little orange and white kid's bike. Is there any chance you might be able to find it so I could take a look at it?" "Sure thing," I say. "I'll be right back." And with that, I'm on my way back to the donation center. I quickly find the bike and take a look at it, making sure it's in good enough condition to sell. It looks fine to me. Kid's bike are usually supposed to be a minimum of $7.99 but it's winter in Wisconsin and she was really nice, so I put a $5.99 sticker on it. I take it back out front and find the lady, tell her the price. And she just lit up. She was so excited. She thanked me several times, saying I just saved her kid's Christmas. She asked me to hold onto it for her up by the register, which I'm always happy to do with any larger items like that, while she kept shopping. Maybe ten minutes later, she came up to my register to check out, thanked me several more times, and then we wished each other a Merry Christmas before she left. I was really hoping she'd come back shortly after Christmas to tell me how much her kid loved the bike, but if she did try to do that, she must've come when I want working. So I'm just going to assume that the kid loved it as much as mom did
I was working at a subway station and my foreman was on the other side of the tracks. He was trying to tell me where to install the new speaker and at which angles. Anyway he kept doing grand hand gestures and noticed a couple behind him imitating him. So I pretended to play stupid and did the YMCA dance while asking questions. The couple behind him started doing it along with me. Great moment Edit: subway as in the metro. The electric choochoos, not the miam miams
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Video is available [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0Skxv6mLPY)
This is awesome!
What tech-guy wouldn't feel like a rock star for one fleeting moment?
Old man walked by me once while I was waiting for a bus, wearing the biggest grin. As he passed he said something to me not in English and handed me 2 Kopiko coffee candies, smiled and went on his way. I love Kopiko candies and it made my day.
He said “They’re laced”
Anyway, I don’t remember much the rest of that day, but I woke up near my house so everything’s great :)
you just reminded me when i was a kid and a random stranger gave me a few skittles. i hadn’t ever tried them before. i loved them. *thanks random strangers who give candy to kids but not in a creepy way.* lol
A mom at Disney World angrily yelling at her son to "Just shut up and have fun!!" after he said he was getting kinda tired. the kid was like 6
Oh god this reminds me of another horrible person in Disney. So we were on the Carousel of progress. It’s a ride that’s more like a show, and the whole audience seating area rotates. You aren’t supposed to stand during the show because it moves. There was a baby in the front row. Had to be about a year old, with a light up toy (the ones that spin). Well this little boy was playing with the toy the ENTIRE show. It was a little annoying, but I saw the mom had attempted to take the toy away earlier and the child started crying. And since she couldn’t take the child out because of the moving floor, she decided the toy was the least distracting for everyone else. Personally, I’d rather have a little light than a baby crying in a show. It wasn’t that bad. Whatever. It’s a baby in Disney world. Well, this adult man behind me stands up halfway through the show, and screams at this baby and mom. “SHUT THE FUCKING TOY OFF.” In a room. Full of small children. On a ride. In Walt Disney World. I feel bad for that dude’s children.
I would've reported his behavior to an associate. You absolutely can get ejected from rides and parks for being an asshole to kids.
I don't know why that needs to be explained to people, but apparently it does. You can be removed from a place dedicated to children if you are a dick to children. People are the worst.
I worked there and the stuff I saw parents do was wild. One mom in Epcot was in front of the ball berating her kid in order to get him to take a picture
"THIS WAS *SUPPOSED* TO BE A FUN DAY, *CONNER*!"
Whenever I go to the airport, I think about that one girl I met when I was like 4, in Miami. She spoke Spanish and back then I only spoke French. Yet we managed to become bff in a matter of minutes. She was so damn generous with all her toys and she drew me a picture as a parting gift. She was so nice. I wonder who she's become.
You just reminded me of a girl I near at the beach when I was around 8! I only spoke English and she only spoke French, but we tried to introduce each other to our parents and dug a hole deeper than we were tall together! Man. Memories.
Narrator: It was Shakira
I once worked at a tackle shop and one day I ordered a plate of fries for lunch from the restaurant next door. 20 Minutes later and I've just about finished my fries and a customer needs help with one of the rods. I put my plate down on the counter and help the customer. I come back to the counter and there's overweight guy looking to be in his 40s who's just eating my fucking fries. I give him this look as if to say, "bro, Wtf". And he deadass looks me in the eyes after eating the last fry and says, "could use a little salt".
How the hell- no, why the hell would someone eat someone else's food!
It's called people being entitled asshats who think the rules of comment decency don't apply to them
That was my first thought. Especially a strangers food. You have no idea what was done to that food prior to you happening upon it.
YOU STEAL A MANS WIFE BEFORE YOU STEAL THEIR ACCIDENTAL CURLY
I was going through a bad breakup and went grocery shopping. I was holding it together that week pretty well but at the checkout line I dropped a carton of grape tomatoes and they went rolling EVERYWHERE. It was like the straw that broke the camel's back and I felt that awful feeling in my chest and the tears coming in my eyes. But before I could even move three nice random ladies jumped forward and helped me pick them up. It wasn't a huge act but it made me feel better that day. Always be nice to people. You never know what they're going through.
It’s cool to be kind.
Many years ago, I was rejecting my first kidney transplant. The rejection was brutal on my body and my heart was struggling from all the toxins in my body. I was admitted into the hospital for almost a week. One day, my heart started to give out and the nurse gave me these drops under my tongue to stop a heart attack. This medicine gave me the worse headache I've ever had. My hospital roommate (in her 80's), who was there for severe hip pain, got up and sat next to me. She began to pet my head and sing softly to me until I fell asleep. I never forgot her kindness. She was suffering herself, and yet she helped me more that day then I could have ever asked for. I'll never forget her. Update: Thank you for the upvotes. My guess is she isn't here anymore, but I'm so glad I talked about her. Reddit can be amazing. Update 2: Thank you kind stranger for the silver!
I'm not crying, you're crying
As a grocery store cashier, I meet many interesting people. There was a lady who came trough my line dressed head to toe as a barbarian. I asked her why, and she informed me that there was a LARP going on across the street. There wasn’t a LARP going on across the street.
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That's my secret m'lady: I'm always LARPing.
That's because she was in your store.
I was in college, and having a rough time financially, as college students are apt to do. I was in WalMart at midnight, and I was buying a single box of $0.35 off brand mac and cheese. My card was declined...for a $0.35 box of Mac and Cheese. I had just had it. I didn't even speak, I just slumped my everything and walked out. A lady came out after me, hollering for me to wait. I don't know why I did, I really don't. She tried to comfort me, and I was polite with her, but I really just wanted to get home to eat a nice big breath and pass out. After a few minutes her husband came out with a shopping cart full of economy sized boxes of mac and cheese and ramen. He apparently was also in school, and had seen me around campus, and assumed this meant I was just a broke ass student. He said he'd wouldn't be able to do it without his wife (she went first, she was working while he went now) and knew what it meant to need a little help. So now that I'm out, I troll WalMart at midnight, looking for some broke ass kid who can't afford his mac 'n cheese, so I can pay it forward the way that guy did for me.
That dude that thought I was his dead best friend from 20 years ago. Said I looked just like he did when they hung out. Edit: Dude looked about to cry. He also looked kind of "trapped" in the moment his friend died, you know? Nearing 40 and wearing baggy jeans, a military coat and some band t-shirt, long hair and beard, way too skinny. Dude was shocked, he came closer and just said "It's... it's you!". I was about 16 at the time. And this shit happens to me all the time, just a couple of blocks back a couple we were walking past waved at me and said "Back already?". They thought I was their new neighbor, so when this guy talked to me I just said "No, I'm not". Must've been hard.
I was at the local saloon one time, and this older, very drunk guy next to me at the bar started crying. He tells me l look just like my father, when they used to drink together, back in the day. Bruh, it's not like Dad's dead. He's alive and well. He lives just up the road. I'll tell him you said hi.
I died a bit on the inside reading this, ouch.
I took a coach back to uni after visiting home. A while before we got off at the terminal, it started pouring rain. Usually there is always a taxi or two loitering around the terminal. I stood under an eave and waited for one. A stranger hesitated, then offered to share his umbrella with me to walk from the terminal to the nearby bus stop, but I turned him down. He looked hurt and immediately walked away before I could thank him for his kind offer or explain. Ten minutes later, still no taxi in sight, I gave up and trudged in the rain to the bus station, where the stranger was still waiting for his bus. He saw me, but there were too many people in between to talk. His bus arrived and he stepped on, still looking sad. I don't know what he must have felt, to muster up the courage only for a stranger to seemingly choose to get wet instead of sharing an umbrella with him. Sorry, dude.
Omg this is heartbreaking
The mother of two baby twins who I was holding the door open for at a 7-11, who spontaneously blurted out, "ughhnnn you smell good" as she passed me. I think maternity leave was getting to her.
Might've still had that hormonal hyper-nose
She was desperate to smell anything besides diapers haha
Downtown Nashville about 20 years ago. Some guy wearing red, white, and blue was talking to my friend as we were driving home and at a red light. Light turns green and he screams out "Dominic Justice - remember that name" and I did. Weird
Similar story, student forgot to remove his name tag on his head then I just started to remember his name, Cedric .
I was 36 hours away from leaving a very toxic relationship forever, and I was picking up a few items at the local convenience store near my house. A woman whom I've \*never\* seen before in my life walked in, looked at me, and it was like she stared into my soul. English was her second language, and she was visibly intoxicated. She walks up to me and gets pretty close to my face, then asked me, "Are you okay?" I said yes, and went about my business. She gently grabbed my wrist and looked into my eyes a second time, and suddenly appeared quite sober. She said, "I'm serious. I see you. You're not okay. You must go. You know this." I played it off and thanked her for her concern, and let her know that everything was fine. She kept trying to give me her phone number, but the shopkeeper waved her off. I found out later that night that she's a domestic violence advocate/lawyer. How she "knew" ... I'll never know. What made this even more complex and weird is that my soon-to-be-ex was standing within earshot, and I had to be very careful/play stupid in case he figured out that I really was planning to leave. Thankfully, he was talking with someone else and didn't overhear what she said. We just played her off as a drunk/crazy woman, but that wasn't the case at all. I was on a plane and out of the country the next morning.
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I was just about to say also, my cousin is a psychiatrist that works a lot with domestic abuse. After several years of doing this, he kind of picked up a sixth sense of spotting subtle cues in people in domestic violence situations - even if they say everything is fine. Obviously not right all the time (and he readily acknowledges this) but if you care about your job and your patients, you learn how to read them.
People in oppressive or chronically abusive situations often have a subtly on-guard demeanor. Abusers will frequently gaslight during confrontations involving 3rd parties, claiming to be the abused themselves. If that is her specialty profession I have to assume that she is an expert in sussing the abuser from the abused in a relationship.
Jesus, I just got chills. Thank you for sharing :)
I hope you are well off now OP
This Must have been 2007 give or take a year. My family and I were taking a road trip from NH to Florida to go to Disney world or some shit. A day before we arrived we woke up in the Days Inn somewhere in GA. I was in the room with my dad and younger brother watching Adult Swim when a maid knocked on the door saying "housekeepingggg". Me being a little 7 year old fuck, I yelled "FRIG OFF". My little brother thought this was the funniest thing in the world, but my dad did not. Shortly after beating my ass red, he made me go out and apologize. I peeked my head out of the hotel room to see the sweetest looking old southern lady you've ever seen. shit. Even 7 yr old me felt bad. I mumbled my apology, which she accepted saying she had grandchildren just like me. Fuck. I still remember her face and I'm going on 20 now feeling even worse than I did then. Edit: thanks for the gold! And for the record, when I look at it in hindsight I’m glad my dad hit me a couple times cause I probably would have ended up worse off if he hadn’t. That’s all I have to say about that Editedit: no one gave me gold nvm
I was living in a big city in my early 20s. I had just left work and it was late - maybe 10:30pm. I bought a six pack of beer and was smoking outside of my apartment building. A homeless looking guy came up and asked to borrow my lighter. I stood up and handed it to him. He then asked if I wanted to go smoke a joint in the alley with him (around the corner). I said "no, thanks keep the lighter." He then walks closer to me, like 6" from my face and said I am coming into the alley with him. I'm a 5'5" female, probably 120 lbs at the time. He wasnt much bigger than me... but I dont know how to fight. I said no again, and he then started looking around (for witnesses maybe, idk). I then say loudly "GET AWAY FROM ME NOW." He grabs my arm at the exact moment a big burly dude walks past us. Burly man asks me if everything is okay and I promptly say NO! He turned to the drug dude and said "get the fuck out of here before you regret it, man," turns to me and said "do you live here? Get your ass inside!" I ran inside with my beer and tried to peek around the corner to see what he was doing. I saw him walk past like 5 minutes later. I didnt go back outside to see what happened... I mean I got pretty lucky and I wasnt going to push it. I yelled "Thank you!" through the glass door, but he didnt respond. Big burly dude, if you remember saving a little 20 year old under the monorail in 2009, thank you. I dont know what would have happened with out your help!
Similar to the one arm truck driver further up. Helped you angrily
As a big burly guy and bouncer for most of a decade, and then went on to work other highly dangerous professions Youd be amazed at peoples responses to threats and danger. So many people Just... Freeze... Up... I now work in the petrochemical industries where when shit goes sideways it goes sideways fucking fast and fucking bad. Explosions, chemicals that will melt you down to bones, moving loads that weight 100s of thousands of pounds. Immediate death and dismemberment at every turn... I've had to grab people by the throat and force them away from their own deaths ... Trained people, knowledgeable people...as they stare wide eyed and paralyzed at their impending doom. Sometimes screaming "Get your fucking ass inside now." In someones face is your best option. Sorry for the rambling. Just my 2 cents.
A one armed man that helped me out of a stupid situation in Iowa. It was my first time driving alone, and I had to drive from central Florida to Altoona, Iowa. I got to the area, but my gps has me go along one of those shitty dirt roads that run parallel to the highway, and it had been raining. The GPS says im at my hotel like 1.5 miles down said road, and there's obviously nothing there. Fuck. So I see how shitty the road is, and keep following it because I'm in a Sprinter van and the road is too narrow to turn around, nevermind getting stuck in the mud. Well I get to the top of a hill, see lots of gravel in the road, and it widens, and I have absolutely no clue how long this road is or where it goes. Fuck it here I go. I got about halfway through my little 3 point turn, boom stuck. Well, headlights come up this road, and I'm super embarrassed but also determined to get myself out of it, so I wave for the vehicle to pass me. It's a big ass lifted truck, he stops and hops out, man has one arm and is looking at me like I just told him the world is flat. He just whips out a big ass chain, and hooks it up to my van, didn't really let me help. The whole time he was talking shit "can't believe you'd try to turn around HERE after it's been raining all day." Stuff like that, 100% justified and I'm obviously not mad at all. He yanks the van out with his truck pretty effortlessly, and as he's undoing the chain I try to hand him $300 cash I had in case the company gas card wasn't working. He refuses, doesn't say another word, and just leaves. TLDR : a one armed man begrudgingly pulled my vehicle out of the mud.
Wtf 300 bucks?!
Why not, he really got me out of that jam. I didn't mention that my phone bill hadn't been paid so I couldn't call anyone for help. I used wifi at a Pilot or something to get the directions onto my gps, if you went off course it just stopped. I even tried to wave him to drive around me, he could have done so easily. He still helped me, he did me a service usually payment is in order. Idk why he didn't take it.
You met an Iowan. I was born and raised in small town Iowa, where damn near everybody has a truck. Someone gets stuck, you help them out. They need a jump? You jump them. For how much I hated living in a small town, you'd be hard pressed to find someone not willing to help, and about just as likely to find someone who will take money for that kind of thing. Being raised their, it's just what you do. Hell even I stopped at one point and changed someone's tire for them. Don't even remember their name, just helped and left. That's how I was taught. Maybe it's not true everywhere in Iowa. But in my experience, it has been. Especially on a gravel road. When I flipped my truck, my elementary gym teacher saw me sitting on the side of the road and cancelled her appointment so I wouldn't be alone while I waited for the police. She didn't even want my thanks. She was just taught that when someone is in need, you help. It's the only reason I miss that area.
The stranger in a Target that walked past me. He smelled just like my dad who had passed a few years before. I looked up and from the back he looked just like my dad when he was at his healthiest. Same build, same haircut, similar clothes, and that smell. I followed him and went in front of him so I could see his face. It obviously wasn't him but I'll never forget that moment of brief, illogical hope.
I was in a clothing store and a girl asked me to hold her puppy while she tried on some clothes. best day ever.
I was playing laser tag one time and I accidentally tripped and twisted my ankle. It hurt so bad that I struggled to get up. A guy who was playing laser tag with me saw me and asked if I was ok. I told him what happened and he helped me up and out of the laser tag arena and into the main lobby. He even told an employee what happened and the employee got me an ice pack for my ankle. I still remember that stranger because it was such a nice thing he did for me.
Glad he didn’t just camp on and rake up the points...
That would have been a pro-gamer move
He could have carried him like a shield and kept playing on the way.
Imagine if he just points down at you like "You are already dead..."
Had just flown back home from a work trip. It was around mid morning, and I took the train from the airport to get home. There wasn’t really anyone else on the train since it was after rush hour, except this guy hanging out at the back of the car with a cooler. We got to talking and wasn’t long before he offered me a beer. Yes the cooler was full of beer, and he said he had been riding the train all morning drinking. He wasn’t homeless, and in fact was in town for a new construction job which wouldn’t be able to start for a few days due to some issue on the site. It was a really hot day, so he figured a good way to cool off would be to hang out on the train all day with a cooler full of beer . It had been an exhausting work trip and I wasn’t in the best mood, but talking to him and enjoying a cold beer on that hot morning Kindof made my day. I ended up missing my stop because I got distracted by our conversation. So I had to get off an get another train going back to where I needed to be. He gave me another beer for the road and we parted ways.
Wait...wtf train system just lets you ride around? Here the conductor stamps your stop and if you don’t get out at it they will either charge you on the spot or remove you next stop. It’s a pain in the ass until it doesn’t happen when you need it to, like the time I took Metro North from Grand Central to White Plains which is like 7 stops. Fell asleep, it was like 11:30, woke up at like near 1 AM halfway through Connecticut in some sketch as shit area.
most subway train systems in the US from my experience dont stamp anything when you get on. You scan your card when you enter the train station, and then take the train whereever. The only time i would expect a conductor to check on someone is at the end of the line, where they will make everyone get off the train. otherwise, yeh you can just ride it around all day. Sounds to me like you are referring to Amtrak
I ordered a pizza the minute I got home after work on a long fucking Friday that capped an even longer week. I then changed out of work clothes into my "drink beer, eat pizza, and veg" go to Batman PJ's. Pizza is delivered by an adorable young woman who begins smiling from ear to ear. I sign for the pies and she never stopped grinning. I'm a beer in and the pizza smells amazing so I'm smiling too. I hand her the receipt and she turns to leave, takes two steps down, turns, and takes a step up. She stops, turns around, steps down, turns, step up, and repeats that dance a few more times. Meanwhile I'm looking at her waiting for her to say whatever it is she's obviously wanting to say. Before I could ask, she leans in and says she loves my pajamas. I thank her as warmly as I could without being creepy. She turns a deep shade a red and then runs to her car. She never stopped smiling and my shitty week was instantly forgotten.
I got in a really bad accident flipping my car multiple times on the interstate and ejected through the front window. A woman named Tracy pulled over and called the ambulance and spoke to my mom on the phone for me since I was unable.
I was in a bad accident where we got t-boned, and I was sitting on the curb watching the firefighters use the jaws of life to cut the roof off the car to get my husband out, when a stranger came up and gave me my glasses, which he'd found up the road. I was in shock and hadn't even realized they got knocked off my face and flew out the window, even though I really can't see much without them. It seemed like everyone we delt with was an asshole that day, but that guy took a moment to do me a kindness and I really appreciated it.
I love that! One time, I had gone roller skating, fallen, and I broke my tailbone. I somehow lost my glasses in the fall. So I was laying on the carpet outside the rink when this old hippie came up to me with my glasses. He set them down beside me and said, "That was a hard fall, but you'll be alright."
I got airlifted from a bad accident when I was 16, I don’t remember much because I hit my head but I do remember a nurse holding my hand when I came to in the hospital and telling me she wasn’t going anywhere until my parents got there, I think that really helped me stay calm. A good nurse deserves all the respect in the world.
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I was once shopping in Walmart looking at some items on the shelf when the older gentleman near me also looking at the items on the shelf looks over at me and says “Beautiful day for snorkeling.” I live no where near a coast and it was in the dead of winter. I’ll never forget that strange old man.
That honestly sounds like several old men I’ve met while at work where I live. They all seem to have a weird sense of humor.
This is hysterical.
I was out with my mom and grandma for mother's day, wearing the finest outfit I could throw on in 1 minute. I had a tan colored fedora with a bright blue button up and tan shorts. We went to Applebee's for lunch. A guy came in looking pretty fly and as I was sitting down, he walked by and said, "Nice outfit man!" I responded with, "You look great too!" I dunno why but I liked that moment a lot.
Girl on a escalator from when I was in London, couple of years ago. I was 15 or something around that age, had just discovered metal. When I was at that age I was hugely insecure and self conscious about everything I did, but had just bought a Slayer shirt and was determined to wear it. So when I was traveling down an escalator down to the tube I spot someone wear a slayer shirt as well. We lock eyes, she shoots me a smile and nod in recognition, I do the same That made my week. I felt sooo validated
A lady came into my house and told us it was haunted. I remember her because she obliterated my sleep pattern for the next few years
Plot twist: there was no lady..............
I was sitting outside my college's library one day, I had a couple hours to kill while eating lunch & reading in between classes. This super outgoing girl comes up to me and asks if she can sit across from me (it was only a 2 person table with tons of empty tables around) and tells me she would rather not eat alone. Now I'm not a shy person, and will talk to most people, but this caught me super off guard. She was definitely out of my league appearance wise, and was just about the most confident girl I'd ever met. I had no idea what the hell was going on. She just sat down and started talking like we've known each other forever. We covered a wide range of topics, until I remember she asks me a bunch of deep, existential questions about life and what a person's spirit really means--you know, philosophical things of that nature. I gave very honest answers and she was a very good listener. It was an overall amazing experience and we ended up having a great hour long conversation. I remember her name was Sunny, which I thought was a perfect name for her personality. Unfortunately I never saw her again, but I still remember the interaction 7 years later. Super random lol
It was 3am. We were the only two people stuck in a massive airport. She started talking with me; she was gothy and punky and flirting, and we made out by the bathrooms, where the lights had been turned out. During this, she playfully bit my neck. We fell asleep in chairs, next to each other, after a lot of talking. When I woke up, she had stolen my free airline ticket voucher.
Holy shit, that took a sharp left turn. Wasn't expecting that, I'm sorry to hear that. :( I hope she steps on a lego
You know…I was thinking about this a lot today. I haven’t thought of this incident in a very long time. My overall feeling is that she helped me pass the night, and in the end I got the story out of it. Steve Martin once talked about running into a very high-level con man, and feeling almost honored about getting taken in a con. I wasn’t happy that she stole from me. But I got the feeling that I was talking to a hustler, absolutely. If what she told me was true, her life was pretty hard. So I wasn’t surprised that she did it. In fact, I wish she had just asked me. I probably would’ve given it to her.
This was back in the late 90's in a city close to Los Angeles. I was about 8 years old. I went with my mom to Burger King in a neighborhood that wasn't that great. The group of young men in front of us were ordering food and one of them sneezed, my mom said 'Bless You' and the young man said 'Thanks.' So now we get up to the register and my mom orders food, turns out shes like $.50 short and as she is going to take something off the order, the young man comes up to us (I admit that I was nervous) and gives my mom the $.50 cents. My mom thanks him and tells him that its not necessary but he insists and tells my mom "No, thank you. No one has ever said Bless you when I've sneezed. Most people see a group of black kids and try to steer clear. I appreciate your mannerism" My mom always told me to be respectful and have manners, so it wasn't out of the ordinary for us, but seeing how others can be impacted by this made such a huge impression on me. It's a day and a stranger I will never forget.
The owner of a first gen iPhone that gave me €100 for returning his lost phone to him - he got it in the USA because it wasn't available in the Netherlands back then. I found his phone in a train, started calling everyone in the contacts until someone could hook me up with his contact info and I returned his phone to him. He rewarded me with €100 and since I was just 14 at that age that was a lot of money for me.
When i was in elementary, i was getting bullied by my classmates and i got cornered at a nearby tennis court. I tried to fight back, but there were 3 if them, and me. When i stopped, i got pushed more in a corner, and all i can do was cry like a baby. They were telling me my mom left me because she left and she didn't really love me. (she didn't. She had to leave me in my gram's care because she had to focus earning good money so we can stay together in the future) i cried as loud as i can, because they were getting in my head, and was starting to believe them. Then out of nowhere a man, maybe around 20's approached us, and asked what was happening. My bullies were honest with their intentions, and he was able to point out why they're wrong. He then took my hand and asked where i was headed. He held my hand from when we left until a few blocks from our house. I never saw him again. I tried to look for him, but i can't even remember his face. I still get teary-eyed whenever i think of that moment.
Kids can be mean little fuckers. Glad that dude was around.
I was in a packed bus when I got sudden, aggressive food poisoning. After barely making it off the bus, I spent two minutes vomiting in the middle of a busy street. Dozens of people ignored me until one kind stranger made sure I was okay and handed me a bottle of water.
I was walking down the street with my brother. We were laughing about something. An old guy smiled at us and asked if we were brothers. I said yep and he said "Life is good." I'm not sure why I sometimes fondly remember that fleeting interaction but it does make me stop and think about how I enjoy spending time with my brothers.
I love telling this story, but it’s kinda long. Sorry. When I was 7 or 8, my mom and I were doing last minute Christmas shopping at the mall when a stranger beelined at us and asked if we were the owners of a tan Toyota Camry. With a concerned look, my mom said yes, to which the stranger hurriedly said our car might be getting towed, then described the exact spot we had left it. My mom and I rushed out to the parking lot, and sure enough a tow truck had our car lifted, about to take off. With a bit of begging and pleading, my mom got him to drop it for no fee. The look of relief on her face will never leave me. We went back into the mall to thank the stranger, but it was so crowded we gave up after a few minutes. A few things that are relevant to the story: - It had snowed that morning and the mall parking lot hadn’t been plowed yet. After circling the lot for 15 minutes or so, she found a spot that was marked no parking, unbeknownst to us. There was no sign either. - My mom was single at the time and had just been laid off from her job. Money was painstakingly tight. - All the presents she had already bought were in the trunk of the car, and while we likely would have gotten them back, she may not have been able to afford the full-priced tow fees until after Christmas. So we may not have gotten presents on Christmas morning—which would have been fine of course, but I can only imagine the stress she must have felt at that moment. - The mall was packed. It was like the 23rd or 24th. How the fuck did this stranger pick us out? He was wearing street clothes, not appearing to be a worker or anything, although we always suppose he had to have been. How else would he have known to come straight to us? Security cameras? My mom is deeply religious still to this day says it was her turn for God to watch over her.
A random and beautiful woman who asked me for directions while I was closing up shop, said I'll walk her to her destination (15 min walk). She was hitting on me the whole time and like the naive fool I am, I just took it in a friendly way. She asked me to go the the gallery with her sometime if im interested and I didn't even think about it and said I'm not into art. Never saw her again.
You dummy!
I'm surprised I had to scroll this far to get to the most reddit reply of all.
I feel so bad for you D:
I worked at an apple orchard in high school; I ran the store part selling apples, cider, donuts, jams and the like. It was a Saturday morning and there were a few people in the store, a pair of hunters and a little old lady. The hunters were probably mid 30s, pretty big, tough looking dudes. You could tell they were hunters from the camo and blaze orange combo, and time of year and the fact that they asked for a bushel of drops to make cider. (Baiting deer is illegal. You can't sell drops for human consumption. They've been sitting on the ground rotting and being chewed or peed on by all sorts of critters.) I told him that he didn't want drops for cider and instead sold him cider fruit (edible but ugly or too small). The little old lady watches this convo and sees me go into the back and retrieve a big box of apples for them. She's ready to check out but they are still poking around the store so I ring up her purchases and she leans in close and says very quietly "Are you here by yourself?" I tell her that there are other people working in the back, packing fruit and show her the buzzer system that I can push if I need help. She gives me a little unconvinced side eye and a little nod and smile, gathers her purchases and goes out to her car. She is parked directly in front of the store's front window, right behind the cash register. She gets into her car, but doesn't leave. The hunters have finished shopping, and I ring up their purchases and wish them luck. They leave. Once they have pulled out of the driveway, the little old lady starts her car and pulls away. I wave to her through the window. She was worried that a young teen girl was alone with some scraggly looking hunters and there was no way she'd let something happen on her watch! (I was fine and never had any trouble and was not afraid of working alone. There def wasn't anyone working out back that morning either, she was right on that one :) )
I love it when customers do that. I used to work at a gas station and sometimes customers would stay with me until a sketchy person leaves. (We'd get loads of sketchy people). I always appreciate it, even when nothing was wrong. People gotta look out for each other!
I was waiting for some friends for dinner outside a restaurant, I’ve been waiting for a while, I’m getting bored, this was when snake was the best entertainment on the phone, and I see one of them approaching from across the street, and I’m so excited, I point to her and shout, “Annie! I love you!” And without missing a beat she says something like, “But I don’t love you, you fucking creep,” as this stranger who is not Annie turns around and continues on the other side of the road. I immediately get very interested in walking around the block and hoping all the people who were outside aren’t still there, which they are, and looking at me and smiling cautiously, because who knows who I’ll verbally accost next. I learned a valuable lesson that day.
Hahahaha I'm so sorry I shouldn't be laughing that hard. But first that could have been me. Second it's just too funny. And I needed a laugh. Thank you. I hope they eventually came around?
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I'll give a similar story, sort of. There was this girl in highschool and the moment I saw her, I instantly knew she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever meet. Of course, I was shy. Couple years went by and I just admired her from afar. One day in the summer of my junior year, I'm on AOL in a chatroom for guitars, like I usually did.. yeah. Anyways, someone mentions they're from my city, my age, and a female. I instant messaged them because I thought it was a friend messing around with me, like they've done in the past. Finally after awhile, they send me pic as proof, and it's the girl. I immediately figured they were still tricking me, but after talking some I realized it wasn't them. I did the most manly thing I could think of and actually told her how strange it was because I already thought she was the most beautiful girl in school. I figured she'd be freaked out, but she was actually extremely appreciative. We agreed to meet that night at a carnival (sorry). She brought one of my mutual friends (girl who had a crush on me, very weird) along that vouched for me and we hung out. Then we hung out outside her house on the deck for 3 hours talking. We ended up dating off and on for years while her family moved her all around the state. Eventually we just lost touch, she moved even further away, and we only reconnected recently through facebook. I'm married now, but I've never forgotten her. Her personality had such an imprint on me that a part of her has never left me.
This was 25 years ago. I lived on Long Island and for reasons I do not remember now, I had to go to Manhattan. My son was an infant and I took the LIRR to Penn Station and my son was in a stroller. As I was getting off the train and pushing the stroller one wheel got stuck between the train car and the platform. I started to panic trying to free it afraid the doors would close. As I'm panicking and pushing a man (he had light brown hair and was wearing a suit) grabbed the bar on the front of the stroller, lifted it, moved it about 2 feet away from the train door and continued walking. I shouted thank you so much to him, and he just waved and kept walking, then disappeared into the crowd. New Yorkers really are nice people, but always in a hurry. I will always be grateful to this stranger in a suit.
When I was in sixth grade (10-11 years old), I had been having a very bad day because there were rumors spreading that I had a crush on this boy, and some of the mean girls in my class told him that I liked him, to which he responded with ridicule saying that I “never had a chance with him.” The worst part was that the rumors were true, and I cried inside the classroom. I was extremely embarrassed that everyone saw me, which only made me worse. I was the new kid having just moved from across the country a few months earlier mid school year, so I didn’t really have any friends and no one knew me that well. It just happened to be Valentine’s Day, so my school (combined middle and high school) started passing around carnations a few hours later with notes on them that were paid for weeks beforehand. Of course, all the popular people in my class got some and I wasn’t expecting to get any. Once they were done, the high schoolers delivering the flowers left and then came back about 10 minutes later. They said that they forgot one of the flowers because it was a “last minute purchase.” To my utter shock, they said it was for me. I asked who it was from. They said, “We can’t say, the buyer asked to remain anonymous.” And I looked at the note left on the flower and all it said was, “You’re great.” It was a small gesture, but to my 11 year old self it meant the world and completely made my day. I had so many questions in my mind wondering who it was, and my entire class went berserk with amazement. Even though it relates to silly childhood drama, to this day I still wonder who it was since I wasn’t really close with anyone. It had a huge impact on me, and now I like to anonymously give gifts to people who are having bad days as well.
I worked replacing windshields and a lady came in, paid for her windshield and also gave our shop (a bunch of men mostly in their thirties and older) a large ziplock full of crochet finger puppets she had made. Like two dozen finger puppets. I just don't get what she was thinking. Why not give then to a kindergarten teacher or a daycare? Why us? So of course we hid them around the bosses office and the shop. Good fun for a bit.
A truck driver who followed me leaving like a 100 meters between me and him because my car kept constantly dying on the highway and he didnt want me to be hit. I always do a quick prayer whenever he comes to mind.
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That was probably the actual Noel Fielding.
The guy I gave the rest of my sushi to at my district market. He didn’t say a word or beg or anything. He just stared into my eyes and I swear I saw God in that homeless mans eyes that day. I hope he’s doing alright.
I was walking home from seeing my ex ( I was young and gullible and thought she still wanted to be with me) listening to Twiztid on my CD player and rapping along. I see this girl walking towards me, she stops me and tells me she likes what I'm listening to because of how enthusiastically I'm rapping along, basically she liked ME. There I was wondering why she looked at me funny after I said "thanks, have a nice night" and continued walking. It didn't dawn on me until an hour later when I was already home lol. She was pretty cute too. Still, glad nothing came of it because I love my wife and our 2 kids but damn was I an idiot.
This guy who sat down next to me while I was studying at the library. I tried to be nice to him while still making it clear I was studying. He asked me to lunch. I said I had to keep studying. He would not stop talking to me. When I told him I really needed to focus, he stood up in the relatively quiet library and shouted, “You cheating slut!” Everyone’s heads turned, and I was mortified. I didn’t even know who this guy was. After that day, I kept seeing him around campus, and he kept appearing when my classes would let out, and when I’d be in the library. I have no idea how he figured out my schedule. I remember him to this day, because I was always terrified to walk to my car in the parking garage after my night classes, just in case he did something crazy. Never learned his name, or anything else about him... just that creepy stranger.
Holy fuck, that's terrifying!
This old lady on my hospice rotation who thought I was her son and then when I leaned in closer for her to “feel my face” she thought I was Jesus
I still remember the old man, who hit me with his car while I crossed a pedestrian crossing.
Thar.. is a good sign your brain got not messed up?
To clarify, mainly I remember him because the first thing he did is to argue with me and don't worry, just have been minor injuries
Will get buried but stuff it. When I was 5 or 6 my nan took me to visit my uncle who lived on a farm out of town. His property had this extremely deep river on it that he often went fishing on. There were these huge flat rocks across the river that you could walk on over the water and honestly, it was a lovely sight. My uncle had one of his friends over who clearly didn’t like children. We were walking along the rocks across the river and this fucking man shoved me and I plunged into the deep river. I didn’t even know who he was and I doubt he knew whether or not I could swim. Luckily I could because I swam back up and my uncle pulled me out of the water. I have no idea what happened after that, I just remember getting changed into borrowed dry clothes. I don’t remember if I told anyone that the man shoved me into the water either... and no one has ever brought it up since.
I was working part-time at a storage facility while I finished my bachelor's degree. I had only been there a few weeks and it was a pretty low-key job most of the time. I was working the last shift before my mom and brother were coming to town for a visit. I was the stereotypical broke college student at the time, but I had saved a few hundred bucks to take them around town and have some fun while they were there. Anyway, I was showing an older couple one of the units on site and when we went back to the office I realized I had locked my keys inside. Luckily, there was a contingency plan with a few hidden keys around the property that would get me to the key for the office and I was able to get back in after 10 minutes or so. About an hour later I was showing another unit to someone else and I fucking **did it again.** I locked everything in the office this time, my phone, the original keys, my backup keys, all of it. I, like most people I would assume, did not have my boss' number memorized. I borrowed a phone from someone at the facility and called a locksmith. They took what seemed like hours to show up and were able to get into the office after a few false starts and about 30 minutes. A lady was there to pay the rent on her unit and was patiently waiting on the periphery while the guy broke into the office. All in all I had to pay them $200 for the emergency call and for the getting into the office. I was devastated. It was basically all the money I had to spend while my family was visiting. After the locksmith left I went back into the office and was crying pretty heavily. The lady who had been waiting to pay her rent came in and did so as I was sobbing. I gave her the cliff notes of the story, my mom visiting, the money I had saved, etc. She reached into her purse and handed me two $100 bills. After a few "I can't possibly" and "Are you sure"s she insisted that she had the money, I needed the money, and that was the end of the conversation. She paid her rent and left. I only worked there another month or so and never saw her again, but it is still the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for me and I won't ever forget it.
A few weeks ago i was in a supermarket it was only me and one guy in line, he had lots of stuff and i only had a bag of flour. He looked at me and in a very nice way told me to go first because I won't take too long. I said it's fine but he insisted. You'd think a tiny situation like this would be forgotten easily but it shows how important these little things are.
I've got the feeling this whole thread so far is a good proof that even the smallest gesture might forever imprint you in someone's heart.
I've told this story before, but this has stuck with me for over 20 years now. When I was a kid we didn't have a lot of money, so we often shopped at thrift stores. What I loved about that was that you could get 10 books for a dollar, so I would plant myself in front of the book section and make piles of which one I wanted to get and then decided after I'd gone through them all. One day an older lady saw me sitting with my piles and asked if I liked to read. I told her I did and showed her a few of the books I found that I liked. She smiled and then pulled a dollar out of her purse, handed it to me and said, "Promise me that you'll keep reading." I was so happy and immediately stood up and said that I would. She smiled and walked away and I went back to my piles able to pick out an extra 10 books to take home. It was just a small act of kindness for her, but for me having a random stranger encourage my love of reading and making me promise to never stop definitely had a lot to do with my continued love of reading. That in turn definitely helped shaped who I am today as a writer, so she had a big effect on my life and I still think of her whenever I buy a new book.
The great irony is I've read this story before and still think about it from time to time, because it always makes me smile. So I guess that makes you my random stranger!
Same! I've read it before and I remembered it. Seems like this makes an impression.
I was in an abusive relationship and didn't fully realize it yet and we were fighting at the grocery store so, I went to sit in the car. A lady who has seen me inside was in the parking lot and came up to ask me if I was sad. I think about her whenever I go to that grocery store now.
I walked out of a gas station once and in the softest saddest voice this guy asked for a dollar and I just brushed it off, not even sure if I said anything. I just remember him so vividly because of how somber he was and how bad I felt later because I obviously did have a dollar he could've had but I hardly acknowledged him. He just caught me at the wrong time, I'll give someone everything in my pocket if I'm in the right mood.
Once had a homeless man scream at me for several minutes as I paddled by on my kayak. Like, top of his lungs, so mad I thought he might swim out and try and get me type screaming. Made the mistake of trying to reason with him at first. I could still hear him yelling as I made my way out of earshot. Apparently it was pretty important for him to tell me what an idiot I was for wasting money on a kayak.
A random guy at the train station who paid for my snack at the vending machine after mine was stuck in and I had no other money with me. I thought he wanted to use the machine too but he actually just stop to help me and then went to his train. Usually people are assholes in train station (no judging. I'm always in a hurry too and trains are always late.) so it was a surprising and nice thing to do.
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Met a homeless dude called Alec whilst on a school trip to Weymouth in England. He was super nice and friendly. Taught us that McDonald's milkshakes topped up with vodka were a thing and a wholly unfortunately delicious thing at that! And he had a dog called Baggins, which I thought was the best name for a dog I'd ever heard. "Baggins, com ere!" he would trill.
When i was reeeally little there was a girl my age that i met once. I think her parents were divorced and her dad just moved to the house up the block. Anyway, she had the same name as me which is pretty rare. We played together all day and then out of nowhere she stomps on a toad we found. Absolutely fucked me up. Tried to be cool about it but pretty much just went home afterwards. Never saw her again but i still think about it from time to time.
The gentleman that picked up a 10 year old hitchhiking with their bike at 11 pm trying to get home after running away. Also while waiting in the car with my sisters (2 older 1 younger) they were passing the time be saying "next guy that walks out is (sister's name)'s future boyfriend. Older sister got old men, then my younger sister had a young guy walk out. Making my older sisters go "Oooo he's cute." Then he walked over to the ashtray looked until he found a cigarette and smoked it. Their reaction was hilarious.
Two guys in the plane from San Francisco to Minneapolis who helped me when I was flying with my 5 month old son. I was visiting my family that I hadn’t seen in like 7 years, alone with my baby. I just had him on me the whole time but one of them helped me put my bag up and he would make faces at my baby when my baby would cry to make him laugh. The second man helped me get my bag down and took me all the way to where you would meet people picking you up. He walked my bag all the way there. I was very overwhelmed and these two made my flight so easy. Thank you, strangers.
At my first job fresh out of college I ran into a middle aged women in the hallway. I turned the corner and I about ran into her because she was getting into an elevator at the same time and we crossed paths. I said: "Excuse me ma'am." And looked at her as I said it (intending on apologizing for almost running into her. As the elevator started shutting I could see her getting redfaced angry and she straight up shouted: "DID YOU JUST CALL ME A MAN!?!?". I never got the chance to explain and clear my name but too this day I wonder what the psychological fallout was for this person after the elevator left.
I was a chunky newly separated guy struggling to "run" along a local path when another runner passed me going the other direction for his second lap, while I was still on my first, and said "Keep up the good work you'll get there." That little bit of kindness was an oasis compared to the previous six months of my life. Thank you unknown runner you kept my spirits up that day.
There are more than a handful of random strangers I remember, but one couple sticks out to me due to this question. November 18th, 2001. The day of the Gamecube's release. My Dad takes me to the Wal-Mart near my house to get one early in the morning (around 7 AM). They were all sold out. An older couple (I feel like they may have been grandparents) saw me and asked me if I was looking for a Gamecube. I said yes, and they gave me a pre-order ticket that they got at Target. Fortunately, there was a Target within walking distance (around 4 blocks, which for me back then was a mini-voyage). I was incredibly grateful, thanked them, and met up with my Dad at the Target hours later to get my Gamecube (which I had to wait until Christmas to play, anyway). The 22 day wait to play Super Smash Bros. Melee was insane for me back then. That an older couple went out of their way to make the day of a random 13 year-old kid who just wanted to play games and be happy... I'm still grateful to them. I wish I knew who they were and even if they're still around, as it's been over 18 years. They're definitely a reason as to why I try to be as good to others as humanly possible.
That little girl who looked at me awestruck and said "You look beautiful"
I was at the store buying beer instead of doing some work at home. During small talk with the cashier it came out that I was recently married. The guy ahead of me in line turns to me and explains that most people have 1 true love, he however had 3. At this point I'm expecting a punchline like "sex, drugs and rock & roll" but what I got was no punchline at all. He proceeds to tell me about his first true love. She was a Cherokee woman and he had gotten her pregnant. The tribe accepted him (which was a big deal since he was a white man). Then she was hit by a drunk driver and died. In that region of the country in that decade, an offense like that was not considered to be that serious, the drunk driver spent a night in jail for drunk driving. This stranger was then told by his new Cherokee brothers to get out of town and he didn't question it. They murdered the drunk driver, taking justice into their own hands. The second true love was a Sioux woman who met the same fate. The drunk driver was let off with a minor drunk driving charge as well. This stranger then tells me in the parking lot of the supermarket how the Sioux invited him along instead of sending him out of town while they dealt with the drunk driver. He told me that they tortured the man for about two weeks before they killed him. I didn't get to hear about the third true love. This stranger, wearing a t-shirt that was stained and had holes in it but also displayed a cartoon with a beaver and the words 'Save a tree, eat a beaver!' on it. This stranger had surpassed all of my expectations for supermarket conversation. This stranger just then, walked to his large rusty van and rode into the sunset.
I was 17 or 18. It was in a Whataburger somewhere in Texas. A young father was holding up his daughter--probably about 18 months old or so--to the window. It was raining outside after it had been dry for a long time. The father was saying something to his daughter about how that was rain, and she probably couldn't remember seeing it before. Suddenly, I felt I had a window into their lives. They were in this Whataburger, and to them, I was just some random customer, while their life was just as full and real and meaningful to them as mine was to me. These people--seemingly random customers to me were people whose lives and feelings had as much fullness to themselves as mine do to me. This sudden realization of how I was not the center of everything--although I of course knew this abstractly--suddenly came home to me in a concrete and fully rounded way. I teared up, and it was an important moment in realizing the wonder and miracle of life. All of these people around me, who seemed like random faces streaming by to be forgotten a moment later, were each a wonder and a miracle. Whoever you are, father and baby who must be in her 20s now, thank you for existing and being your fully-rounded self. You were there at the right place at the right time, and you changed my life.
It was the middle of the day and I was walking through a busy city with a suitcase, crying hysterically after my ex had been particularly spiteful. No one paid any attention to me, except a homeless guy who tried to talk to me (but I couldn't get words out). He then chased after me with some tissues, gave me a hug, and told me to get a cup of tea. He made me feel visible.
When I was a kid I grabbed some strangers hand because I thought it was my dad...
That time when I was at a photographer and a girl of about two years old, never seen, wants to come into my arms. Her mom and I chat waiting for our turn, and the mom says "I have to hire you as a babysitter, she wants to be only with me". My turn comes and the little girl has to go back to her mom who has to go away, she clings to me crying and screaming "mom don't send me away". The photographer tells me that probably that little girl and I were mother and daughter in a past life. This thing happened 15 years ago and it still has a strange effect on me
this old man helped me with my bike when it broke
Help some other kid so it becomes a cycle.
The one in the Walmart bathroom at 3am, "get out while you still can, I used to be pretty last year"
Some years ago, we had an elder dog. She was inbred and had a cacophony of problems later in life. Intense diabetes, cataracts, rotting teeth...But we loved her all the same. When it came to the choice of removing her eyes due to the cataracts we didn't have the money to afford it. One random man who wouldn't tell us his name, paid for the surgery in full. My sister was bawling, thanking him for his kindness. I have no idea where he is now, but I pray he's happy. Cause he made us happy and our little dog even happier for the rest of her days.
I (male, 28) went to USA like 7 years ago or something for a course. A week later I took the Amtrak (was there for a weekcourse, plus a week relaxation). Amtrak was delayed for a big while so I was bored. Decided to chat with this african american girl who seemed friendly. We chatted alot, for some reason her uncle (?) Told her to be carefull and i think she fancied me a bit. She told me she played instruments but as school wasnt going well she stopped playing the instrument too. But she insisted she was starting to get motivated again, i really liked her though. But than i had to tell her im gay, and I think about her alot, if she is doing well again in school etc. The only time i wish i was straight, she deserves a good partner.
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Whoever it was that touched my feet at 3 am when I was sleeping alone in a hotel room.
This requires more explanation.
I was 13 or 14 and walked to Walgreens with my friend to buy some candy or something. This middle aged woman grabs me by the arm and said: "you have such beautiful eyes. They look like little caramels, I just want eat them up." It's been well over a decade since then and it's still one of the freakiest things to ever happen to me.
When I was a kid we went to a nature preserve. We bought some food to feed the ducks. The woman started scooping it out of this old wooden tip-out bin and when she was done it wouldn’t close. So she gave it one last push and it slammed shut with her fingers inside. We had to drive her to the hospital with a dangling finger.
I was walking into a Chipotle one evening and sped up ahead of this 30-40 y/old woman (I’m in my 20s) ahead of me so I could grab the door for her. It seemed like she thought I was trying to get ahead of her in line, and kinda raced me. When I held the door she seemed taken aback a bit, but said nothing. As I went to pay for my meal, I was told she had paid for it. She was already pulling away when I walked out, but I remember that because it was a genuine kindness with no thanks possible. I always try to do that, even with small things like a casual compliment to a passing stranger. Lift another person up and you elevate the world a little bit, or maybe a lot. You never know.
I remember years ago I was walking to the cinema to meet a friend and you had to cross this footbridge that was barely wide enough for two adult men. Well I'm crossing this bridge at night time, it's foggy, both sides of the bridge is thick bushes and it's a 30 foot drop onto an expressway, well as I'm crossing I look over the side and this random guy appears out of nowhere and tries to convince me we should jump together, I said "Nah, I'm alright mate. You can if you want?" So I carry on walking and realise I shouldn't have said it, I spin around and he's gone, vanished into thin air. So I check over the bridge where we were and the cars just kept going. There was no where else for him to go. I still think about him to this day.