I loved your story beachcomber76. It really resonated with me. What a decent man!
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I have had a sh*tty few years and this one is the worst. Today I was in pain (been getting worse over the weeks) so in desperation took myself off to the pharmacy in a nearby town for advice. Got said advice and three medications to tide me over till I can see my GP, when I realised I had left my purse at home. This is not the first time for that, in recent weeks and months cos I have been so stressed. The pharmacy was closing shortly and I couldn't make it home and back in time. I was near to tears at the thought of all weekend in pain.
A young/middle-aged lady had just finished paying for her purchases at the next till and came over to me and said "I'll pay for those things for you". Both I and the two assistants were gob-smacked at this and I stammered "But you don't know how much I've spent. I can't let you pay for me". But she smiled and insisted that it was no problem. She didn't look like a wealthy lady (think pink/green hair and nose rings!) - but what does one look like anyway? - and before I knew it she had settled the bill, which was just over £20. By the time I had picked up the meds and stashed them in my bag she had gone and there was no sign of her outside. I stood and cried right there on the pavement.
I am not short of £20 or even £200 and I did once pay for someone in a supermarket (it was about a fiver), and I a5m kicking myself for not asking for her address to repay her.
That act of kindness, unprompted and out of the blue raised my spirits immensely - and would you believe I haven't needed any pain relief this evening!
I loved your story beachcomber76. It really resonated with me. What a decent man!
I have a really love story of kindness that my late Mum told me. It happened in the early 1950s before I was born. My parents had three young children from Mum's first marriage and were very poor. Dad was in hospital and Mum's family allowance hadn't arrived. She said she literally didn't have ANY food in the house and she'd gone to the (was it called a National Assistance Board then? ) but it began closing for the day before her turn came. She was desperate and dashed to the nearest enquiry window in tears, explaining about her family allowance being late and three small children being due home from school and she had nothing at all to give them to eat. The man she spoke to took a ten shilling note out of his own pocket and told her to keep it. I have no idea how much ten shillings was worth then, but I think a lot as Mum immediately hurried to the shops to buy in bread, eggs, milk etc She never, ever forgot his incredible act of kindness

What a kind man.
That happened to me once in a bread shop. I was short a few shillings. A young man paying for his lunch gave the assistant the difference I needed. It wasn’t much but I was thrilled and very grateful. Such moments don’t happen often but much appreciated. 💖
There is kindness in strangers and although you paid for someone else in the past think of it as a blessing
That's such a lovely story. I sympathise with you over forgetfulness !
The other day I had popped my little dog back in the car and fixed his seatbelt. I then went to go round the car to the driver's door when a man in a traffic queue on the other side of the road pointed out that I had left my stick on the roof of the car. I laughed and thanked him. As he drove off he said "I did that once with a Christmas tree ! "
Your story has made my day and restored my faith in humanity 
Lovely story Madmeg, it was an Earth Angel, they vanish very quickly.
A lovely young man stepped in and paid for my biscuits when I realised I had left my purse at home. That kind action brought tears to my eyes
Madmeg i hope you feel better soon yes i think that if we can we all need to do something for each no matter how small
What a lovely story , very heartwarming .
Just a thought if you want to get in touch with her . You could try your local nextdoor app, or a local facebook group . I’ve seen messages on both sites , where people want to find someone who’d helped them in some way .
You see stories like this on YouTube and you never know if they are true or just acted out. So nice to see it happen in real life madmeg
D’you know, reading this made my day!
That made me cry! What a wonderful person she was. We are all so geared up to people not helping us like this that it's quite a shock when it happens and then whilst shock is kicking in we forget to thank them, get a forwarding address....or whatever, but d'you know what, probably all she wants is for you to pass that kindness onto someone else. You will be able to do that Madmeg. Interesting what Squiffy said about the endorphins kicking in that evening! I do hope your pain gets better. Be kind to yourself.
I was once stuck in a dark back street in a strange city, 80 miles from home, with a flat battery, late on a miserable, wet Friday evening. The days before mobile phones. I was only 23 or so, and panicking. Suddenly, there was a roar of dozens of motorbikes, the Black Power Gang, right behind me, screeching to a halt all around my little car. I glanced up at the window to see a couple of scary tattooed faces, hands indicating to roll my window down...I tentatively did so, just a little, and one of the men said "You got a problem, lady?" After I stammered that my battery was flat, they said "No worries, lady, we'll give you a push..." which they did, All these huge blokes, pushing and puffing... I revved up the motor, drove off down the road, tooted a couple of times and yelled "Thanks!!" They all waved and cheered...I have never forgotten those lovely boys...
My mum was in Sainsbury’s a few years ago and was at the till but couldn’t pay with her card as their systems had gone down. A stranger paid her £90 bill in cash and wouldn’t accept mum’s offer of repaying her at a future date.
This lovely woman saw an elderly lady in distress and didn’t think twice about helping her.
Years ago I was going to a friends house after work, straightening up after going round a roundabout I had the clunking of a flat tyre. Started to undo the nuts this van pulled up, a gentleman got out and changed the wheel for me (a lot quicker than I would have
). We were talking as he did it for me - he said it was nice that I was having a go myself, his wife and daughters would have phoned him to come and do it. I used to do stuff with my father so didn't give it a second thought.
I have also given people money if they are short for paying for something, when asked for my name etc just tell them to pay it forward 
I was once on a long-distance train journey with four young children and two cats in cardboard carriers. One cat chewed and scratched and got out of her box.
An American woman across the aisle cried, ‘I have Scotch tape!’ and produced a huge roll which she wound round and round the box to contain the cat.
I’ve never forgotten her kindness and still wonder why she had that jumbo roll of sticky tape on an English train.
Beautiful x
Lovelt stories here! I am convinced that most people are nice, and it's a shame that we mostly hear about those who stand out because they aren't nice.
There is so much kindness in the world. Unfortunately, we mostly hear of the negative stories in the news.
It maybe worth asking the pharmacy, as the lady in question could be a regular customer.
I do hope you are feeling better Madmeg. 💐
In the sixties two friends and I were trying to get back to the uk with very little cash but we had our train and ferry tickets. We asked a taxi driver what time the train was and we were horrified that it wouldn’t have been until the next morning. He insisted we spent the night in his flat as he was working all night and his wife was visiting his mother. He took us to his flat, humble but spotlessly clean, he found food for us and left for work, we had to leave before he got home but none of us have ever forgotten his amazing kindness to trust us with his home. Doubtful it would happen today.
I had to go to the pharmacy again today to pick up more meds and did ask the assistants if they knew the kind lady but they didn't. So I made a donation to the Cancer Research charity cos they had a box for that on the counter. It made me feel a bit better!
Madmeg that’s a kind gesture, thank goodness for that kind lady.
I was called to the hospital about ten years ago as my mum had taken a turn for the worse, it was late evening and dark, I didn’t have enough change for the car park, a lovely young man paid for my ticket I’ve never forgotten it. Hope you feel better soon 
Similar story. I was on a shuttle bus at Gatwick airport with my mom and LH many years ago. An American couple boarded obviously flustered because apparently a booked alarm call was missed and they were literally rushing to catch their flight. The problem was that they had thought the shuttle was free and they had given all their English money out in tips not realising they needed to pay the shuttle. The bus driver was ardently refusing to allow them to board and the woman was in tears. I stepped in and paid the fare, just a few pounds so they wouldn’t miss their flight. The whole bus then applauded to a very embarrassed me, and the couple couldn’t thank me enough. Whilst then waiting for our flight I was buying drinks and snacks at the airport cafe. I went to pay the bill when a very smartly dressed man behind me stepped in and said “I will pay for that” . Both myself and the cashier were astounded and I went to refuse. But he explained he had been on the shuttle and seen my act of kindness. He said it never for one second thought to step in and pay and felt ashamed! But it opened his eyes to what a small act of kindness can do!
I agree, these stories are heartwarming in a world where there is so much negativity! Such a refreshing reminder.
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