Random Acts of Kindness

[Unkotare]

Asshole.

I know it sounds mean at first but I can completely understand Saigon's position on this.

When traveling to foreign countries, there are two words every traveler must learn in the native language: hello and thank you. It's not optional.

It is all about respect and a little humble respect can open doors to fantastic experiences while traveling abroad which would otherwise remain shut if the traveler arrogantly assumes the natives should and will automatically speak their own language. It's true 80% of the world can speak some English but that fact can never be taken for granted.

Exactly that!

It takes two minutes to learn "hello" and "thanks" in any language, and even if you can't get those you can start with "excuse me, do ou speak English" rather than "Hey - where's the post office?".

It takes zero seconds to NOT be an asshole.

 

[Saigon]

It takes zero seconds to NOT be an asshole.

In your case - apparently not.

I can't think of much more asshole-lke behaviour than stalking people on an internet forum.

 

[Unkotare]

It takes zero seconds to NOT be an asshole.

In your case - apparently not. .

You've admitted to being an asshole, and in exactly the pretentious manner that would be expected of you from your attitude here. You're just a shitty person. It wouldn't hurt to at least consider doing something about that.






Of course you won't.

 

[yazi]

That type of issue is common when you go for the tour of any country because your language is not understand those peoples and you also not understand and main problem is understanding the communication...

 

[Mr. H.]

As we pulled up to the shopping mall I noticed an elderly lady pushing her yet more elderly mother in a wheel chair. In the pouring rain.

I parked my car then went over and held my umbrella over the two of them while the mother was loaded into their vehicle.

Mission accomplished.


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[Mr. H.]

I was on the receiving end of random kindness years ago. Standing in a freezing driving rain hawking Tootsie Rolls raising funds for handicapped kids. Lady pulls up and offers to buy me dinner at the mall. She and hubby own the cafeteria got profoundly handicapped child. Says I'm doing good deed there. Score free food.


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[IsaacNewton]

I had biked to a local convenience store, parked the bike out front with the lock and chain just hanging on the wheel not really locked (takes too long apparently). As I was coming out of the store a kid had grabbed my bike and took off on it straight into traffic (two lane city road). I was right on his tail just an arms reach away but he got away so I thought the bike was gone. I called the police and about 10 minutes later a cop showed up and asked if I called about the bike, I said yes, he said someone has it a block away.

Some guy that lives in the neighborhood had seen me chasing the kid and he had followed him in his car, pulled up along side of him and asked why he just stolen that bike. The kid stopped, dropped the bike, and the driver picked it up, took it to his house and called the police. All happened in 10 minutes. Got the bike back, paid him what I had in my pocket. The driver's family and neighbors, maybe 15 of them, were out front when we pulled up in the police car. Everyone grinning.

Rather odd how something like that happens. Kindness can be found anywhere.

 

[ABikerSailor]

And you know, random acts of kindness don't really cost all that much, but the good feeling you get from doing it (as well as the shock value of the people who see it) are all good things as far as I'm concerned.

Went to the store last winter, just after a really hard cold snap and was standing in line ahead of a young couple. They were sitting there looking at the cooked chickens and meatloaf in the hot bar next to the check out line and teasing each other about not being able to eat a chicken. I then looked at them and told them that roasted chicken is actually pretty decent food, and since they cooked pretty good meals at that United they should get one for dinner.

They then looked at me and said they couldn't afford it. I looked in their basket and all they had was one banana, and a small container of instant coffee, and (I think) one can of soup. I then told them to grab one and that I would pay for it, because I remember what it's like to not have much in the way of grocery money.

The look of shock on their face and the cashier's was priceless, and I stayed warm for the rest of that cold day from the good feelings.

 

[Unkotare]

I had biked to a local convenience store, parked the bike out front with the lock and chain just hanging on the wheel not really locked (takes too long apparently). As I was coming out of the store a kid had grabbed my bike and took off on it straight into traffic (two lane city road). I was right on his tail just an arms reach away but he got away so I thought the bike was gone. I called the police and about 10 minutes later a cop showed up and asked if I called about the bike, I said yes, he said someone has it a block away.

Some guy that lives in the neighborhood had seen me chasing the kid and he had followed him in his car, pulled up along side of him and asked why he just stolen that bike. The kid stopped, dropped the bike, and the driver picked it up, took it to his house and called the police. All happened in 10 minutes. Got the bike back, paid him what I had in my pocket. The driver's family and neighbors, maybe 15 of them, were out front when we pulled up in the police car. Everyone grinning.

Rather odd how something like that happens. Kindness can be found anywhere.

And then the guy, the kid's father,sent him out three more times that day, making around $500 bucks on the day. The next day, the kid's three brothers joined the operation and...

 

[OldLady]

Okay. I've got one:
I was driving from Connecticut to Maine one Friday night with my 7 year old son and (another female) cousin in my old VW bug. We pulled into a highway rest stop on 495 so my son could pee; it was more a truck turn off than a rest stop--no facilities or lights. After walking my son to the bushes, we returned to the car and it wouldn't start for love, money or all the cursing I could summon. This was before cell phone days. Luckily, a cop was there and saw I was having trouble. He radioed a tow truck and left, saying it would be about half an hour.

It was summer. We sat in the car with the windows down, waiting for road side assistance. A minute or two after the cop left we started hearing laughing, hooting and hollering coming from the belt of trees that separated the turn-off from the highway. A couple of very inebriated guys appeared from the trees and hollered over, asking if I needed help. I hollered back, no, but thanks, a tow was on the way.

More laughing, hooting, hollering and the sound of splintering beer bottles from the trees. The two guys stood there consulting. I felt pretty threatened at that point, instinctively didn't want to be trapped, so I ordered my son to stay in the car, put up his window and lock the doors. (No worries about my cousin--she had gone semi-hysterical and broken out the Oreos). I got out and casually leaned against the car, keys in my fingers, ready to try and make the assholes bleed if they came closer. Which of course, they did.

One asked me if I'd like to have a little fun, some stupid shit like that, and I told him no, but thanks again, guys. Then I saw that my 7 year old had gotten out of the car and was standing behind me with a broken piece of the seatbelt housing as a weapon. The guys were still walking (staggering more like) and coaxing, "Aw come on honey, you'll have fun..." I was about as furious at that point as I have ever been in my life, because no one makes my seven year old watch his mother get raped.

Just before they got close enough for the situation to turn ugly, out of the darkness walks a man whose car I hadn't noticed there before. He asked if I was having trouble, and I told him a truck was on its way, but we had a while to wait. He went over to the drunks and talked to them low like, I have no idea what he said, but one of them gave my son a very sloppy apology, saying he didn't mean to scare him, and they retreated back into the trees. The hero got his flashlight, diagnosed my starter problem and stood there with me until the tow truck arrived, pretending he had nothing better to do.

I was pretending to be calm and all put together, but I have never forgotten that guy and I hope he knows how much I appreciated him that night. My "Thank you" didn't cover it.

 

[Dhara]

People are always saying New Yorkers are aloof, unfriendly. I grew up there and never found that to be true. It's more that in a crowded bus or subway, NYers instinctively give each other a bit more space.

I went back to NY after moving away to meet my bio mom for the first time in 25 years. I'd flown all day and was exhausted, I'd rented a car and for the life of me couldn't figure out how to get the damn key out. I was nearly hysterically.

A man I don't know came over seeing my distress and offered to help. Within second's the key was removed and I was on my way to my room to sleep.

Small kindnesses make a HUGE difference.

 

[OldLady]

People are always saying New Yorkers are aloof, unfriendly. I grew up there and never found that to be true. It's more that in a crowded bus or subway, NYers instinctively give each other a bit more space.

I went back to NY after moving away to meet my bio mom for the first time in 25 years. I'd flown all day and was exhausted, I'd rented a car and for the life of me couldn't figure out how to get the damn key out. I was nearly hysterically.

A man I don't know came over seeing my distress and offered to help. Within second's the key was removed and I was on my way to my room to sleep.

Small kindnesses make a HUGE difference.

I've only been there once, but I decided right then that New Yorkers are actually the most patient people in the world. There is a line for EVERYTHING, and people at your elbow and breathing down your neck everywhere you turn. God, I'd go crazy there.

 

[Dhara]

People are always saying New Yorkers are aloof, unfriendly. I grew up there and never found that to be true. It's more that in a crowded bus or subway, NYers instinctively give each other a bit more space.

I went back to NY after moving away to meet my bio mom for the first time in 25 years. I'd flown all day and was exhausted, I'd rented a car and for the life of me couldn't figure out how to get the damn key out. I was nearly hysterically.

A man I don't know came over seeing my distress and offered to help. Within second's the key was removed and I was on my way to my room to sleep.

Small kindnesses make a HUGE difference.

I've only been there once, but I decided right then that New Yorkers are actually the most patient people in the world. There is a line for EVERYTHING, and people at your elbow and breathing down your neck everywhere you turn. God, I'd go crazy there.

Sure, I'm not into big cities anymore. But when I lived there I though NY was the center of the universe. I loved growing up in Brooklyn. The neighborhoods were like small towns. Everyone knew each other, all the moms were at home and as a kid you couldn't get away with a whole lot of mischief.