I'm doing 42 things
I feel like in the last week or two I may have done this a handful of times, besides benefitting from others’ kindness too.
First, I was in the charity shop in town with my mum and brother and I was just leaving to nip next door while they browsed, when I was fenced in by an elderly lady struggling to unload two full bin bag donations from a shopping trolley. Naturally I asked if she was managing, and took one of the bags which she’d perched on the edge of the trolley before lifting the other out for her.
I don’t know, I’m not sure this counts or not, it just seemed the obvious thing to do. Mind you, I can think of people who would have tried to squeeze past or watched her struggle while waiting to get by.
Second, I was in the city last Sunday evening after returning from London, milling about to find somewhere to change a £50 to get bus fare. I ended up in Subway buying a chicken Sub, and the guy who worked in there (he was on his own, very quiet at that time) was astonished when he saw the £50 note, he couldn’t believe it. I laughed and said “Sorry, it’s all I have. I need bus fare, that’s what it is”, he said “no problem at all!” then commented at the £46.something change he had to give me. As he was about to hand it over, he put the £5 on the counter and said “tell you what…. here’s your bus fare” as he counted out 5 pound coins.
Maybe that’s not a big deal but I just thought it was nice of the guy to do that for me, as a £5 would have been okay to pay my fare. He was in such a good mood and so was I, before but even moreso after that incident. :D
After leaving Subway a woman hauling 2 suitcases stopped me and asked me where Queen Street was… I had no idea. I could tell from her accent she wasn’t from the UK. I asked if she was looking for a specific address, to which she replied “Yes, Chasley hotel. I have a map”, I’d not heard of it but I looked at the map and according to it we were right on the corner. “It should be here” she said, I looked around and glanced over her shoulder, “Ah, it is! Queen Street, look, there’s the sign”, after which I looked down the street and saw “Chasley Hotel” in huge letters. I pointed and said “that would be it, wouldn’t it?” She thanked me and smiled, and I wished her a good night. That felt good.
On another day, I had nipped into town with friends during a college lunch break. I only had fare one way so my friend loaned me the return fare. While waiting at the bus station for the bus back to college, a girl came out of nowhere and offered a day ticket to me, for which I thanked her greatly and gave my friend her money back.
Phew, long post! It all seemed to come at once. I’m hoping these kinds of things may happen more frequently. =)
