I Sense Great Kindness In You

Editors' Choice, Geeks Rule, Inspirational, Kind Strangers | Working | May 4, 2016

(I’m running a table in the artist’s alley of a small sci-fi/anime/gaming convention, selling homemade jewelry and figurines. Since I’m the only person running the table, I can’t take a break to go experience the rest of the convention, and since few people are buying I’m pretty much just spending most of the convention staring off into space or handing out business cards. I manage to get someone to keep an eye on my table to go take a bathroom break, and on the way back I spot a table selling raffle tickets, and among the prizes is a mint-in-the-box, convention-exclusive Darth Vader figure. As a huge Star Wars fan I’m immediately sold, and buy myself a raffle ticket.)

Seller: “Good luck! We have all kinds of prizes!”

Me: “I’m really only interested in the Darth Vader. I never got to go to [Convention] but getting the figure would still be awesome!”

Seller: “Well, good luck to you!”

(Cut to the last day of the convention. I’ve missed almost every class and event, and have just barely managed to break even in sales, so I decide to just pack it in and go home. As I’m tearing down, an attendee I’ve never met before comes up to me.)

Attendee: “Here.” *hands me the Darth Vader figure*

Me: *stunned* “Wait, what? Really?”

Attendee: “Yeah, really. I won it and I don’t want it, and the guy said you really wanted it. This way I know it’s going to a good home.”

(I was completely floored, and offered the guy a free statue from my own table in return. He made a lackluster convention a whole lot better for me! I still have the Vader figure, and while I know it’s probably worth a fair amount if I ever sell it, the memories behind it are worth a lot more to me.)

This story is part of the Star Wars Day: May The Fourth roundup! This is the last story in the roundup, but we have plenty of others you might enjoy!

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