(I am six years old, and my dad gives me a $20 bill so that I can go buy a smoothie. The guy made my smoothie (which is $3 or so) and I give him the $20 bill.)

Me: “Keep the change!”

(I had recently heard someone say that and I was too young to realize that telling someone to keep $17 of change wasn’t normal. I got yelled at by my dad but I still remember how happy that guy looked.)

(I don’t feel like cooking so we drive into town to a local franchise. My husband, small son, and I are the only customers in the store. We have just been brought our food when three teen boys come in drenching wet and sit down at the next table. We overhear them:)

Teen #1: “We have to buy something or they’ll kick us out. Mom won’t be here for 20 minutes.”

(They started to pool their money counting out change. Then go to the counter to order.)

Teen #1: “Small fries and some water, please.”

Teen #2: “Same for me, please.”

Cashier: *to third teen* “And for you?”

Teen #3: *embarrassed foot shuffle* “Just water, please.”

(A few minutes later the cashier, a middle-aged man whom I believe is the owner, comes out with three orders of fries.)

Teens: “We just ordered two?

Cashier: “Well, he should have something, too.”

(It was a small gesture, and though we didn’t normally eat fast food, we always went there because of their kind act.)

(I am on a crowded bus. Next to me is a man with a plastic shopping bag of groceries, and a woman with four canvas bags of groceries. The woman is honestly the most surly-looking person I have ever met, just a scowl on her face, glaring at her phone, like someone forced her to be alive today when she had better things to do. The bus rolls up to the next stop, and the man next to me shifts to allow people out… and his bag splits open on the side, but he doesn’t notice. [Grouchy Woman] quickly condenses her belongings between the other three bags and hands the fourth, now empty, bag to him.)

Grouchy Woman: *mutters at the floor* “Your bag’s ripped.”

Man: “Oh! Thank—”

(Before he even finishes saying thank you, she is shuffling off the bus. I get off, too. Now the grouchy woman is waiting at the bus stop for the next connection with me.)

Me: “Hey. That was very kind of you.”

Grouchy Woman: *just glances up* “Oh.”

Me: “He said thank you but I don’t think you heard him.”

Grouchy Woman: *just shrugs* “I guess I didn’t need a thank you. You just watch out for other people. That’s just what you’re supposed to do.”

([Grouchy Woman], even though you were having what was clearly a rotten day, I was glad to see your priorities were in order and it didn’t stop you from doing something simple and selfless. I was happy to see that little gesture, and I hope someone makes you smile soon.)

This story is part of the grouch day roundup!

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(While browsing a notorious online auction site, I find a trinket I’m interested in. There are no bidders and only a few minutes left till the end of the auction. I place a bid and end up winning the trinket. Then I realize the seller only offers registered shipping, which has an acceptable cost in the lower 48s, but is prohibitive for shipping overseas. I write an email to the seller…)

Me: “Dear sir, I’ve made a mistake in placing the bid before checking the shipping costs. Please let me know the price of the item plus auction expenses, and I’ll cover that. You can put the item back for auction.”

Seller: “Are you sure? I could just cancel the auction and you wouldn’t owe me anything.”

Me: “Thank you for your offer, but you’d still have to pay the auction expenses; the mistake was on my part.”

(The seller gave me a quote, I paid the amount, and got on with other things. A few weeks later an unexpected parcel arrived. The seller had shipped the trinket anyway! Thank you, dear sir. I put it to good use and whenever I look at it, I’m reminded that most people are kind.)

(I have flown out to Boston from the Midwest to an anime convention to meet a specific guest of honor who has been brought in from Japan. Unfortunately, due to the convention using a new ticket system for autographs, with only two items to sign allowed per ticket, I am not able to get in on Saturday, and by the time I get to the area on Sunday, the last day of the event, the tickets have all been given out. I excuse myself to vent my emotions by myself, crying in a side hallway, when all of a sudden, a young woman I hadn’t seen all weekend approaches me.)

Woman: “Excuse me… I wanted to make sure you were all right. Is everything okay?”

Me: *quickly drying my eyes* “I’m sorry, I’ll be all right. I came all the way here to meet Nobuo Uematsu, and I’m not going to be able to.”

Woman: *looking at me like she’s considering deeply* “How many things do you have for him to autograph?”

Me: “Just one… Why?”

Woman: “If you take my notebook with you and grab that second autograph for me, I’ll give you my ticket to get in.”

(I stared at the woman in disbelief, trying to decline, but she insisted, and together, we went to explain the situation to the ticket organizers. By the time we finished telling the staff member what’s going on, there’s not a dry eye in the vicinity, and much to both our surprises, the staff lets both me and my hero go in! We were both able to get both our items signed, and while I haven’t seen my friend in years, I will never forget the kindness she showed to a poor, lost, Midwestern girl on her first trip to Boston.)