View Full Version : Gratuitous Acts of Kindness
helenwyler
22-Mar-08, 11:17
My daughter had her mobile stolen while out last night....but it reminded me of a gratuitous act of kindness that happened to me when I was 17-18.
I was on my way home to England after a summer au pairing in France. This was in the early '70s, so no EasyJet or Channel Tunnel. A long train journey, followed by a ferry crossing, followed by more train journeys home.
I'd fallen asleep on the French train and woke when we stopped at a station, to find that my bag was missing. It contained my passport, tickets and money. Having searched all around, I asked the controleur what to do, and he promptly threw me off the train...at about 1.00 am:eek:!
I was a complete non-person...no identity, no ticket home, no money to get anywhere. I remember being in a dimly-lit room explaining to the station master what had happened. He didn't seem to know what to do with me.
Then a man came in to the room. I recognised him from my compartment in the train. He was French-speaking Vietnamese, and had obviously seen what had happened to me. I don't remember the details, but he paid my travel expenses and accompanied me to the nearest British Embassy office, fed me and paid for a hotel room while I waited for a temporary passport, then paid for my ticket home. No questions, no demands!
He gave me his address for return of payment, which my parents settled of course.........but I sometimes wonder how difficult and distressing it would have been for me to get home, but for that gratuitous act of kindness:)!
ciderally
22-Mar-08, 11:28
what a lovely story ....not the one of you and your daughters loss...but of human kindness of a total stranger....
dirdyweeker
22-Mar-08, 11:31
wonderful story but hope your daughter was not left stranded anywhere due to her loss of mobile? It is so nice to hear such heart warming stories.
That's a lovely tale, Helen (yours, not your daughter's) with a happy ending!:)
I wonder if nowadays we'd automatically suspect a helpful stranger of an ulterior motive, rather than realising they were being kind?
My poor son in law was just helping a little old lady to her feet outside my flat -she'd been blown over by a gust of wind - but both she and passers-by assumed he was mugging her!! :(
helenwyler
22-Mar-08, 11:48
wonderful story but hope your daughter was not left stranded anywhere due to her loss of mobile? It is so nice to hear such heart warming stories.
No she wasn't, thanks dirdyweeker!
We've all got so used to our teenagers having mobile phones, and being able to communicate with them instantly (as long as they don't turn the darned things off ;)) that the tought of them being without one is worrying!
Our parents probably coped better without!
Now i don't remember this as i was too little but apparently when i was wee and we were on a family camping holiday (fort william i think) i had a kite and was having trouble putting it together and getting it to fly.
then these troop of 'hells angels' come roaring in on their bikes. mum and dad were like hmm. one of the big burly bikers came up to me , and proceeded to help me put together my kite and help me fly it!
i just really wish i could remember that!
Now i don't remember this as i was too little but apparently when i was wee and we were on a family camping holiday (fort william i think) i had a kite and was having trouble putting it together and getting it to fly.
then these troop of 'hells angels' come roaring in on their bikes. mum and dad were like hmm. one of the big burly bikers came up to me , and proceeded to help me put together my kite and help me fly it!
i just really wish i could remember that!
angels indeed!
angels indeed!
Often thought bikers' bad reputation is totally undeserved. It is lovely to hear of these acts of kindness - almost restores your faith in humanity.
(love that wee dog, jean)
The good thing is the world IS full of kind, considerate and helpful people. The bad thing is we don't hear about them often enough.
Helen, your tale brought a tear to my eye. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Venture, I agree with you.
Moi x
I was in a shop the other night and a wee loon was getting shopping for his mum but was 15p short so the shopkeeper said come back later with it, just as I was going to give him it a man reached over me and gave him it. I found it very sweet that so many were willing to help.
anneoctober
22-Mar-08, 15:45
Well done Helen for starting a thread which shows that the human race are n't totally a lost cause ! :D
Tales of trust and generosity are very refreshing.
There are many trustworthy and generous folk about. Unfortunately, the rest give them a bad name :(
HW - that must be the same gent that 'rescued' me in Paris. Back in '71 me and 2 mates bought this old delivery van for £50 and set off to do Europe. We went to Paris, then down to Pau, in the south. Later, we crossed the border to Lequitio and Bilbao. At this point I had to leave to hitch back to Paris and fly home to return to work, whilst they carried on.
The journey to Paris took two days, then I discovered that the fare was more than my measly saved dosh. I didn't know what to do, so some guy in the queue offered to pay my fare. I took down his details and Dad wired him the money once I got back. Friendly, helpful and trusting bunch - the French. Nice! :D
PS I hope your daughter gets her phone back.
Penelope Pitstop
22-Mar-08, 17:07
Tales of trust and generosity are very refreshing.
There are many trustworthy and generous folk about. Unfortunately, the rest give them a bad name :(
In reality I think the bad uns are only a very small percentage...but as you rightly point out it spoils it for the rest of us. Having said that I think Caithness is very fortunate with its folkies:Razz
Helen what a refreshing story with a nice outcome I think your Guardian Angel was around that day so different from the stories about France these days with people having all there documets and money stolen on Public Transport etc etc
I hope your Daughter is okay and she gets her phone returned to her
Margaret M.
22-Mar-08, 17:46
Then a man came in to the room. I recognised him from my compartment in the train. He was French-speaking Vietnamese, and had obviously seen what had happened to me. I don't remember the details, but he paid my travel expenses and accompanied me to the nearest British Embassy office, fed me and paid for a hotel room while I waited for a temporary passport, then paid for my ticket home. No questions, no demands!
Hmmm, so he was in the same compartment -- he could have been the bag snatcher -- he felt guilty, stepped in to help -- paid for the hotel and everything with your own money and then got paid again by your parents. I think I've solved it. Just kidding, Helen, there are many good eggs in this world. :)
helenwyler
22-Mar-08, 17:51
Haha:)...good one Inspector M!
sassylass
24-Mar-08, 03:22
In 1977, I got off the ferry in Stockholm at midnight, a young woman alone, carrying my heavy suitcase, hurrying to get to the train station. Suddenly a man overtook me and snatched my suitcase out of my hand. I thought, that's me robbed and good riddance to the heavy suitcase, my valuables were safely around my neck. He strode off and I trotted along behind for a good long way until we came to a junction where he set down my case, pointed to the railway station sign nearby and walked off in the opposite direction. Thanks to his help, I made my connection.
Lolabelle
24-Mar-08, 08:20
Lovely story Helen, your's, not your daughters stolen phone.
My sister and her husband on their honey moon to Fiji didn't realise they had to pay some kind of small fee to get back into Australia, not sure how much, about $20 each, but they hadn't kept any extra money and were stranded at the airport. A kind gentleman paid for them and wouldn't even allow them to reimburse him. They looked such babies, 20ish, that he must have felt sorry for them. :Razz
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