(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.)

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(I’m 15. My St Bernard gets arthritis in his spine (a common disease for the breed) and due to his size, life in a sling would be very painful. He has to be put down as he can’t get off the ground on his own. After, I am sitting on the curb outside my house crying when the ice cream truck comes around the corner and stops in front of me.)

Me: *thinking that he thinks I’m waiting for the truck* “Sorry to make you stop. I’m not waiting for you to come around. You should keep going.”

Ice-Cream-Man: “What’s wrong? You’re usually quite cheery.”

Me: “My dog just had to be put down; I’ve had him since i was 5. He was way past his life-expectancy, so I knew it was coming, but i can’t help but miss him”

Ice-Cream-Man: “Hmm… one second.”

(He gets me my usual order of strawberry and blueberry.)

Ice-Cream-Man: “Here. I know it’s not much, but I hope this’ll cheer you up a bit.”

Me: “Thank you so much, but I don’t have any money on me… I could pay you back next time you come around.”

Ice-Cream-Man: *giving me the cone* “No, you won’t. It’s on the house. I’ve made enough profit from you and your brother that i can spare $4. Enjoy. I hope you feel better.”

Me: “Thank you so much… I don’t even know what to say…”

Ice-Cream-Man: “No problem. I hate seeing people upset.” *he walks back through to the driver’s seat of the truck and drives away*

(It wasn’t much, but this is quite possibly the best thing anyone has done for me so far.)

(I run a traveling non-profit graphic novel library that travels all over the country helping kids learn how to read using comics. We transport everything in a 12ft trailer and drive it ourselves. One day on the way to a convention our trailer blows a tire. Thankfully, despite being a younger female, I know how to change tires. I’m by myself on the side of the interstate diligently changing the tire when I realize that I have no idea where the tire iron is in my new SUV. I climbed back into the cab to grab the owner’s manual when suddenly someone knocked on my window.)

Maintenance Fellow: “Everything okay here, ma’am? Need some help?”

Me: “Yeah, I just… can’t remember where my tire iron is.”

Maintenance Fellow: *laughs* “I have one.”

(In five minutes he had the blown tire off and the new one on. He even walked along the highway side of my trailer to put the tire away so I wouldn’t get rushed by the traffic. When I thanked him profusely he just laughed.)

Maintenance Fellow: “Well, I was traveling the other direction on the highway when I saw you all by yourself changing the tire. You were so intent that you didn’t even see me pull up behind you. I watched for a minute and you obviously knew what you were doing, but then I saw you get back in the car and just knew something wasn’t right. Glad I could help, even if you didn’t really need me!”

(I tried to pay him but he hugged me, took a business card for my nonprofit, and got back in his car. Thank you, Maintenance Fellow, for not only being courteously chivalrous, but for turning around on a highway to help a stranded motorist!)

(I am running like a lunatic to catch a tram only to see it leave the stop. But luckily another tram is right after it…)

Me: *gets on oblivious to it being empty*

Tram Driver: “Hey! HEY!”

Me: “Sorry, did I do something wrong?”

Tram Driver: “This tram is not driving anymore tonight and headed for storage”

Me: “But you stopped for me?”

Tram Driver: “Yes, because I saw you run for the tram, and that was the last tram tonight and you’d be stuck here otherwise. I can’t take you to wherever you’re going, but if I speed a bit you can catch the previous tram at the next stop and run to it”.

Me: “Thank you!”

(And so he did, and I caught the other tram at the next stop. I was too flustered to do much other than stand there, but the kindness was much appreciated. It would have been a two-hour walk!)

(I am having a terrible week and a particularly terrible day. I tell myself that I need to leave my apartment since I haven’t spoken to anyone in a few days and decide to go downtown by bus. The bus driver greets me very cheerfully, but gives me a worried look as a get on. I get out my book and start reading. I pull the cord to get off the next stop.)

Driver: “So, how is that book?”

Me: “It’s pretty good. I just started.”

Driver: “Yeah, I was looking at you read in my mirror and I was going to ask how it was, because through a mirror it looked like you were nearly done, but then I realized you were just starting!”

(He continued to chatter with me cheerfully for the remainder of my ride. I had a feeling that he could see that I was not feeling too happy. By the time I got off the bus, I was smiling and felt better than I had in days. He greeted the next person just as cheerfully. I hope I will get on his bus again sometime.)

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