Comments on: The kindness or cuckoldry of strangers

By: sd

sd — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 20:10:36 +0000

this is a different story than anyone else posted, but i feel the need to include it because it just happened to me this morning
i stopped at the store on the way to work this morning to pick something up for my office. when i got in the short line (i wasn’t running late or annoyed at all) the older couple in front of me turned around & the man said “are you in a hurry to get back to your office? you can go ahead of me!” he was so polite & genuine that felt bad cutting in front of him, but he promised that they were in no hurry at all & would probably be chatting with the cashier & insisted that i go ahead of them.. they were so cute & thoughtful & kind that i just wanted to hug them! i didn’t even ask for help, nor did i really *need* it, but they were thoughtful enough to value my time.. i’m going to try to Pay It Forward today :)

By: Becky

Becky — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 21:52:17 +0000

Illegal stopping–how upsetting! That is just wrong. Lovely how a rigid infrastructure can attempt to trump humanism.

By: Tdave

Tdave — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 07:30:49 +0000

My mom had a flat tire. A guy stopped and changed the tire. He was almost done when a cop came along and gave him a ticket for illegal stopping. He was so mad he drove off, but all mom had to do was tighten the nuts and get the car off the jack.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 03:06:42 +0000

I have helped lots of people over the years. Once I was approached by a woman at McDonalds. She asked me for money to feed her starving children. I offered to buy them each a Happy Meal, and she cussed me out big time.

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 23:30:46 +0000

I was once approached by a couple outside a local discount store. They asked if I could give them a ride across town, as the bus did not come that far out on Sunday evenings. I think I said yes just because I couldn’t think of a good excuse to tell them. That’s my problem – I always feel I need an excuse. Looking back, I was insane – we’ve all heard those horror stories about hitchhikers. Luckily they were on the up and up and very grateful. They even warned me that I really shouldn’t pick up strangers.
Then again, I was working at a mental health facility at the time, and spent quite a bit of time driving mental health patients around town, so I was always alert and ready for surprises when I drove.

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 23:30:46 +0000

By: zale

zale — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 20:58:57 +0000

I help when I can.

I usually don’t give money when I’m panhandled though, instead I use fast food or coffee shop gift certificates.

I work in a hospital and I’m frequently asked for help or directions and I always give it. If the patient or visitor seems a little unsure or confused after I’ve given directions, if I can spare the time I will walk them to their destination, or at least part way.

Once while I was waiting for a bus I saw a guy fall off his bike. After making sure he was ok, he still seemed really upset. Turned out he was living in the group home down the street and he’d been waiting all day to go get the coffee that he’d spilled when he fell. I gave him the money for another coffee and he seemed thrilled and rushed back to the convienience store – people like that make it worth while.

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 20:13:48 +0000

My first instinct is to help someone, but living in the neighborhood I live in I know I’ve been suckered more than I’ve been helpful and I’ve learned that it’s never more apparent to me than when I’m telling someone about the crazy guy who I gave my money to for talking such a good talk; that’s how I justified not having the guts to say NO when I knew I was getting conned. I’m tired of rewarding someone for ripping me off. Especially by 12 year olds with poor photocopies of candy fundraiser forms (old signatures included) trying to get their baseball team enough money to do whatever.

We can all tell when someone is being genuine to us, it’s like a survival instinct, and when someones being dishonest to you and you can sense it and you give anyway its because guilt makes you give. Guilty because if you don’t give you’re a racist or something. And that’s not right.

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:35:47 +0000

It seems that folks will go out of their way to help a pregnant woman. Both times I’ve ever had flat tires, a man has stopped to help within 5-10 minutes of me pulling over to the side of the road. I’m perfectly capable of changing a tire, but it’s a little trickier when you’re 7 months pregnant. I offered both times to give the men a couple of bucks for their time, but neither of them took me up on it.

My best story though was when I was shoveling my driveway, also pregnant. The snowplow came around and pushed the snow back into the driveway (of course). The driver must’ve gotten a look at me because he came around the block again and drove onto my driveway to remove the snow. I was so touched that I cried.

I try to help people when I can, but I’m more likely to help women than men. I keep thinking about Ted Bundy…

By: ac

ac — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 16:34:13 +0000

Once a man came up to me and asked for a dollar so he could ride the bus home. He seemed genuine, perhaps drunk, and not homeless. I gave him the dollar.

A year later, he pulled the same thing, and that time I said, “You’re full of sh**. I gave you a dollar for the bus a year ago you drunk.” Embarrassed, he walked away silently.

It was the beginning of me coming into my own…