Does anybody else have any tales of when they were in a tricky situation and strangers helped them resolve it?
I was just recently in a messed up situation where.... I didn't realize how little gas I had in my car and I was on my way home. I pulled into a gas station because my car was out of gas. I figured I would search my car for change and put whatever I found in my tank.... Unfortunately, I only found 14cents because I had used all the hidden change in my car a few days earlier. ROUGH times! lol
I didn't know what to do. My cellphone was dead and there was nobody I could call to come help me out. I bravely went into the gas station, feeling like an IDIOT, and approached a guy in line. "Hi..... I feel incredible stupid approaching you and asking for this....... but my car ran out of gas, I need to get home, I only have 14cents.... *grimace*.... do you think I could bum a dollar or two off of you? ... I don't know what else to do."
He had just gotten his change from a purchase and he handed the woman at the counter back a $10 bill and asked if he could get two fives... then he gave me one. I was feeling incredibly flustered and I told him that I didn't need that much. A couple dollars would be enough to get home. He brushed my concern away and said to everybody standing around the counter that he KNEW what it is was like to be in a situation like that and he was happy to help me out. Another customer agreed and the 2 clerks at the counter enthusiastically agreed and I was floored with gratitude. After the first guy left, the second customer tried to hand me an extra $3 dollars. I was flabbergasted. I insisted that I didn't need his money too but the clerks and the man INSISTED I take it, so I did and I thanked him. Once he left, I went up to the counter to get $8 worth of gas, when the man at that register said, "oh hey... somebody left a dollar fifty in change here earlier so I'll just add that to total."
I left that gas station awestruck. Strangers came together to help me fill my gas with $9.50 when I only needed a couple dollars to get home. Before this happened, I was in a horrible mood because of how problematic my life was but after I left, I couldn't stop smiling. I was overkilled with kindness. They were so happy to help me and the only thing they requested was that if I were one day in their shoes, to pass on their generosity.
Do any of you have a story? It could be of how you helped a stranger too. We're one big human family here! so... pay it forward. 