Random Acts of Kindness

[ancientone51]

Couple of weeks ago I lost my ID card. Not THAT big a deal here at school but it was to me as that's my background. I figured it was at the grocery store but they didn't have it.

Today a lady dropped it off at the office. Said she found it in the box of fireplace logs she'd bought at the store (boy was I happy we'd just had a cold spell come through!)

It made my day that she went out of her way to return it. With all the stuff I've got going on, I'll take all these good moments I can find!

 

[trampledamage]

You all are making me feel better about the world - thanks for sharing!

 

[May 20]

That's what I was hoping for. We are all really good about talking about what we have given to others. It seems to be easier to say "hey, look what I did for a total stranger" than to say "hey, wow, look what someone did for me, a total stranger". Every time we give, someone else receives, and we feel good about helping. When we are that someone else, we get to give someone the pleasure of giving.

 

[Cincinnatus]

Every once an while, while going through a toll both, I have paid for whoever was coming behind me.

 

[RJDiogenes]

^Damn a hundred bucks! That's a fortune when you're a kid!

Yeah, especially in 1981. He said his parents would have killed him if he lost it.

 

[JAG]

Every once an while, while going through a toll both, I have paid for whoever was coming behind me.

That is an awesome idea!

 

[Finn]

^First, make sure the car behind you doesn't have one of those EZ-passes...

 

[Emher]

^Damn a hundred bucks! That's a fortune when you're a kid!

Yeah, especially in 1981. He said his parents would have killed him if he lost it.

Wow yeah that's like a tenfold fortune!

 

[John Picard]

^First, make sure the car behind you doesn't have one of those EZ-passes...

Around here, the EZ-Pass (Pikepass) has its own lane.

 

[Franklin]

It happened over 35 years ago, and certainly I've been the recipient of random acts of kindness since, but this was the first thing to pop into my mind.

My dad and I were staying in a hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. I was about 10. We were the only ones in the hotel pool, which had an arcade next to it. A big man was playing one pinball machine for quite a while. I started over to the arcade to play another machine, but he called me over to his and said he had to go, do I want to take over his game? He walked off, and when I looked at the scoreboard of the machine, he'd actually ran up over 30 free games. OK, at the time that's only about $3.00 worth of games, but I was in heaven.

My dad recognized the guy and told me it was Gump Worsley, goalie for the NHL's Minnesota North Stars at the time. Considering Worsley had a Hall of Fame career and is noted as the last NHL goalie to be allowed to play without a mask, I guess it was a brush with greatness, too.

 

[Omnius]

I'm giving away all my Star Trek video tapes for free. I was cleaning out my stuff and I came across my small collection (19 VHS tapes) of TNG, DS9 and VOY tapes (official ones). I considered throwing them away, but I just couldnt do that, so instead I posted a notice on a local bulletin board and not a few hours later I got an email from a woman who wanted to pick them up for her kids.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

Last week my family and I were looking for a parking space in a very busy pay and display car park, when an elderly man who was only visiting for a few minutes handed us his parking ticket, which was paid for about 10 minutes ago but valid for 4 hours (everyone pays the flat fee of 4 hours parking, unfortunately), and said "Use it - I'm not needing it at all now" and even led us to his car so that we could use his parking space once he had left.

Technically transferring of parking tickets was illegal under local laws (i.e. the notice at the end of the car park), but we couldn't help but be touched by his gesture.

There was a pay and display car park in my town where this was common practice ~ people passing on their 'hours to run' tickets. Then the 'powers that be' changed the machine so you had to type in your first 4 bits of your number plate to validate the ticket. That is just pathetic and the karma sharing ceased.

I tracked down the owner of a found purse once. There was no money, well coins, but a lot of personal letters, notes and stuff. Returned it to their parents place and didn't even get a thank you. Maybe they thought I'd nicked the money

 

[trampledamage]

It happened over 35 years ago, and certainly I've been the recipient of random acts of kindness since, but this was the first thing to pop into my mind.

My dad and I were staying in a hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. I was about 10. We were the only ones in the hotel pool, which had an arcade next to it. A big man was playing one pinball machine for quite a while. I started over to the arcade to play another machine, but he called me over to his and said he had to go, do I want to take over his game? He walked off, and when I looked at the scoreboard of the machine, he'd actually ran up over 30 free games. OK, at the time that's only about $3.00 worth of games, but I was in heaven.

My dad recognized the guy and told me it was Gump Worsley, goalie for the NHL's Minnesota North Stars at the time. Considering Worsley had a Hall of Fame career and is noted as the last NHL goalie to be allowed to play without a mask, I guess it was a brush with greatness, too.

Way to go, Gump!

My favourite hockey quote is from him - playing goal-tender in the NHL is like being javelin catcher at a track and field meet.

 

[jamestyler]

I'm giving away all my Star Trek video tapes for free. I was cleaning out my stuff and I came across my small collection (19 VHS tapes) of TNG, DS9 and VOY tapes (official ones). I considered throwing them away, but I just couldnt do that, so instead I posted a notice on a local bulletin board and not a few hours later I got an email from a woman who wanted to pick them up for her kids.

I'm doing something similar, but with old wrestling tapes. I was going to throw them away or lock them in the attic... but figured if someone else wanted them, he should have them.

He was surprised I didn't want any money.

 

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I moved to a mobile home park last year. I have a decent guy living next to me, and he has a 19-year-old daughter. The guy works two FT jobs but due to past credit problems half the money he earns goes to paying old creditors. I try to help them whenever they can simpel things like buying groceries, offering a meal at my house. the daughter is expecting her first child any day now AND she's moving out from her dad's to live with the father of the child. I have been helping with the move. I gave them an extra dvd and vcr I had around, some extra movies I don't watch. I took her to a couple of DR's appointements. her father was behind the eightball this past week so I spotted him 40 bucks for gas to go to his job.
basically I told them anything I can do during this time, particularly for the daughter I would do. she said she appreciated me waiting for her in the dr.s office waiting room for a few hours. I told her, it was time well spent. sure it put me out a few hours and it was boring, but her WHOLE LIFE is about to change drastically, so I don't mind doing my part as a good neighbor to make it easy for her.

 

[Franklin]

It happened over 35 years ago, and certainly I've been the recipient of random acts of kindness since, but this was the first thing to pop into my mind.

My dad and I were staying in a hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. I was about 10. We were the only ones in the hotel pool, which had an arcade next to it. A big man was playing one pinball machine for quite a while. I started over to the arcade to play another machine, but he called me over to his and said he had to go, do I want to take over his game? He walked off, and when I looked at the scoreboard of the machine, he'd actually ran up over 30 free games. OK, at the time that's only about $3.00 worth of games, but I was in heaven.

My dad recognized the guy and told me it was Gump Worsley, goalie for the NHL's Minnesota North Stars at the time. Considering Worsley had a Hall of Fame career and is noted as the last NHL goalie to be allowed to play without a mask, I guess it was a brush with greatness, too.

Way to go, Gump!

My favourite hockey quote is from him - playing goal-tender in the NHL is like being javelin catcher at a track and field meet.

We were actually in Bloomington in August to see a Twins game. The North Stars' arena was near the Met, and they were in town for training. The next year, we went back up in the winter for a hockey game, and I got to see him play in goal for one period.

It's weird how one short run-in with a person can create a lasting impression. I was moved and sad to hear when he died in 2007 at 77. And, why does even 77 seem too young these days?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

A few years ago in New York City, I lost my cellphone on the subway. Ordinarily I wouldn't have cared much - it was only a prepaid cell. But it was borrowed from my dad, so that's why I was bummed out for losing it.

That night, when I got back to my aunt and uncle's house in NJ (I stay with them when I'm on vacation), they tell me that they got a call - somebody found the phone, started calling the numbers in its address book until they found me, and now want me to come get the phone! So I did. A very nice nurse who worked near Union Square had found it and returned it to me.

And speaking of my dad: Another time, my parents were in NYC themselves - I wasn't with them - and they were trying to find Yankee Stadium. They got lost on the subway, but a bunch of people on the train helped them orient themselves and get to where they needed to go.

So much for New Yorkers being mean, eh?

 

[Bears Discover Fire]

So much for New Yorkers being mean, eh?

Seriously. I don't get the stereotype. Just about every New Yorker I've ever met, inside and outside the city, was a friendly, lovely person. The only grumpy one I remember was an frazzled cop trying to direct traffic in an intersection, and that was understandable.

 

[K'Ehleyr]

Good luck on Friday 13th.

I managed to get a cab last night back from pub, at 11pm that's quick a feat! A chap was also waiting and couldn't get one. He was going in the same direction so I said I'd share mine if he wanted. When they dropped me off I got my money out and he refused to take any, he had been at Cheltenham races for the day and obviously did well and just wanted to get home. Saved me about £6. Nice man

 

[DBR]

My neighbour has shoveled my sidewalks after every snowfall this year so far. I'm up pretty early, but he's always up earlier and gone until about 12:30 at night. I thanked him the first time I saw him in months (in late January or something) and he just said it was no problem and shrugged me off.