Mom Grateful for Stranger Who Paid for Family Groceries: 'You Didn't Judge'

[vienna]

Something to think about:


https://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/mo...163003709.html


<O>

[vanjast]

Standing in the queue with my groceries, behind this guy.
His bill comes to a few notes and some change. He doesn't have change but has some bigger notes that he doesn't want to break.

So he turns to me and asks for a few coins - to which I reply.
'No ways mate, pay your own bills' !!

He gets all huffy trying to embarrass me and I talk even louder.
'DON'T COME HERE WITH THAT POORMAN NONSENSE WHEN YOU HAVE THE MONEY IN YOUR WALLET - PAY YOUR OWN BILLS'

He moved on very quickly... the usual chancers we get here ..idjut

[Sailor Steve]

My first thought was "That's great, but it's what anyone would do."

I have to remind myself that it's not what anyone would do. A surprising (to me) amount of people would not reach out to help a stranger, even with an amount so small even I could easily afford it.

I was taking a bus to work one night several years ago. The bus fare was $1.75 at that time, and to my embarrassment over not checking before hand I realized I only had a $5 bill, and the bus drivers don't make change. The driver said she'd let me slide and I said I'd make it up on my next trip. Then another passenger said "I'll pay it." So somebody else paid for my bus ticket. I've returned the favor more than once. I've taken time to show strangers how to get from one place to another. I help every time a neighbor, or a stranger, asks for it.

It actually started long before that bus trip. Many years ago I was at a birthday party for a friend. One poor frazzled waitress waited on thirty or so of us all night. When we were getting ready to leave they assigned a team to help clean up the room. We had all left tips on the table, but figuring that they would now be shared among the group one enterprising girl dumped the sugar packets out of the bowl and went around to everyone gathering a special tip just for the one waitress, and as we were leaving she quietly handed the bowl to her and said "This is just for you". As I recall it was around $100.

I'm not trying to toot my own horn, because I tend to think I'm less special, not more. After all, isn't it what anybody would do?

Oh, and thanks Vienna for sharing that.

[vanjast]

Had an old lady take her money from the ATM machine and walk off.
My turn next and was about to put my card in when I noticed a 100 ZAR note sticking out of the machine.

I could have pocketed it, but chased her down the road and gave it to her.
As a pensioner I think she was really grateful.. I had to rejoin the atm queue, annoying when you're in a hurry and people are slow.

That other guy in my previous post was just a lazy bugger.. even the teller was upset with him.

[Platapus]

Despite what the news media pushes, the world *is* filled with decent people.

Decent, however does not result in revenue for the media.

[Wolferz]

Don't just accept it and walk away.
Pay it forward.

Anecdote:
My wife and I were dining at our favorite restaurant one day and being regular patrons we got to know the wait staff. Our waitress was conversing with us about the upcoming school year and how tough it was to get school clothes for her six kids. Waitresses don't get paid a lot of money in America and they must depend on tips to round out their meager wages. We left a Benjamin ($100.00) and departed. She came running out the door before we got out of the parking lot and we just smiled and waved goodbye.

Helping others is like tossing a stone into a pond. There's a ripple effect.

[Jimbuna]

Agreed....there isn't a better feeling than helping someone and expecting nothing in return. That used to be a duty/requirement expected of me but I'd like to think I've carried on doing that at each opportunity since said duty/requirement was no longer expected of me.

[u crank]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

She came running out the door before we got out of the parking lot and we just smiled and waved goodbye.

Helping others is like tossing a stone into a pond. There's a ripple effect.

Nice.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Despite what the news media pushes, the world *is* filled with decent people.

Decent, however does not result in revenue for the media.

Point of the day.

Good things aren't usually considered news.

Wolferz, Vanjast, you guys actually brought tears to my tired old eyes. I like reading stories about good deeds and good people.

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Point of the day.

Good things aren't usually considered news.

Wolferz, Vanjast, you guys actually brought tears to my tired old eyes. I like reading stories about good deeds and good people.

I'm sorry Steve. Do you need a tissue?
I must confess, the story in the OP made me a bit verklempt.

I don't normally extol my good deeds. It kind of defeats the purpose.
I prefer that my generosity be done from the shadows, so I won't mention any of the other opportunities I've had to help someone out when they needed it most. There have been times where I had to fight off evil in order to do the right thing.

[August]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Despite what the news media pushes, the world *is* filled with decent people.

Decent, however does not result in revenue for the media.

This ^

I would go so far as to say that the disparity in reporting is responsible for much of the cynicism our folks experience about our country.

[swamprat69er]

Originally Posted by August

This ^

I would go so far as to say that the disparity in reporting is responsible for much of the cynicism our folks experience about our country.

and this country too.