I’m the customer in this story. I got a necklace at a Renaissance Faire not too long ago that’s essentially a tiny book on a chain, and since I work as a librarian I’ve been wearing it to work every day and I’ve gotten a LOT of compliments on it.

A couple weeks after getting it I end up going to the post office on my lunch break to send a package, and as she’s helping me the clerk compliments me on my necklace. Without thinking I reply “Thanks. I work at the library.”

The clerk gives me a weird look but says nothing, and finishes up with my package. It’s not until I’m out the door that I realize I’m NOT wearing the book necklace today, but a pendant with the Autobot symbol from Transformers on it.

I can only wonder what was going through that clerk’s head when I responded to a compliment on my “geeky” necklace with a complete non-sequitur about my job.

(I’m a field service tech working on one of the older model self-checkout registers in large grocery store – it isn’t dispensing change. The whole machine is open and a little boy of about eight or nine is watching me, seemingly fascinated by the gears and pumps. His father is nearby; they are waiting for the next register to clear up.)

Me: *smile at the boy*

Boy: “What’s wrong with it?”

Me: “It’s not giving out change.”

Boy: *frowns for a couple of seconds then opens his eyes wide* “Check the hyperdrive!”

Me: *smiling* “Hyperdrives only work on starships, kid.” *referencing Han Solo calling Luke that*

Boy: “Oh… have you ever worked on one?”

Me: *chuckling* “I have one in my garage.”

Father: *chimes in* “Is it a Corellian YT-1300 like Han Solo has?”

Boy: *eyebrows shooting up to his hairline* “Dad, you’re cool!”

Me & Father: “Rebel Alliance!”

(It’s a Saturday noon and a day before my birthday. While running some errands I stop by my favourite café where I’m a regular. The owner is very friendly and pleasant and often stops to chat with me when it’s quiet. It’s worth noting are both huge geeks and big fans of ‘Doctor Who.’ The place is also known for doing 3D printing.)

Owner: “So, you’re by yourself today or are you waiting for someone?”

Me: *while drinking a hot chocolate* “Just me today. Thought I’d stop by for an early birthday hot chocolate, since you’re closed tomorrow.”

Owner: “It’s your birthday?”

Me: “Tomorrow, yeah.”

(He’s quiet for a second, then walks to one of the racks where he displays the 3D prints that are for sale. He comes back with two dalek key chains.)

Owner: “You want the grey one or the orange one?”

(I chose the orange one, gave him thousands of thanks, and kept smiling throughout the day. Best. Café. Ever!)

(This story takes place a couple of years ago. There is a comic and game store inside a local mini mall that I frequently visit to play Magic: the Gathering. It is between rounds in a small tournament they’re hosting, so I am passing the time on a bench just outside the store. Across from the store is a hair and nail salon, and I see a little girl start crying. I get up and approach the girl and her mother.)

Me: “Is everything okay? What happened?”

Girl: *crying* “Mommy, owie!”

Mother: *to me* “It’s okay. She just pinched her finger a little in the door.”

(The mother turns to her daughter and begins to comfort her. I look down at my phone and see my cell phone charm of an anime character I really like. I take the charm off my phone and hand it out for the girl.)

Me: “This is [Anime Character], and he always does a good job of making me feel better whenever I’m sad or hurt. I’ll let you borrow him for a little while if you promise to take care of him, okay?”

Girl: *wipes her eyes and nods, taking the charm* “Thank you…”

(I headed back into the game store for the next round of the tournament. When I came back out during the next break the girl’s mother was waiting for me near the bench and returned my charm to me, telling me that her daughter was feeling much better and wanted to thank me for what I did. In the end I placed near the bottom in the Magic tournament, but I’m glad I was able to brighten that little girl’s day.)

(I am at a famous theme park in Australia, on holiday with my dad and stepmum. We split up shortly after arrival, and I make my way towards a Harry Potter shop. It’s small and rather full, but as a huge HP fan, I adore the decoration and end up staring at a replica of the Marauder’s Map, which is behind the glass case at the register. The attendant behind the counter eventually turns to me.)

Attendant: “Would you like to see it?”

Me: *still in fangirl awe mode* “Oh, could I?”

Attendant: *chuckling and removing it for me* “Of course!”

(I spend the next ten or so minutes pouring over the details of the map, and at this point the crowd dies down. We strike up conversation about the fandom and end up talking for a long time. Eventually, the daily parade comes by and the store empties. I stick around, help him straighten displays, and he takes me around the very small store to point out deco I had missed.)

Attendant: *leads me around* “We have the Nimbus 2000 model over there. We also have [Famous Giant Spider]’s children hanging from the ceiling. And oh, did you see we have bludger bats over here?” *he pauses and grins slyly at me* “Did you want to hold it?”

Me: “What? Are you serious? Could I really?!”

Attendant: *climbs up onto a ledge to take it down and passes it to me* “Of course! A few of do it every so often, anyway. It’s cool, huh?”

(I take time to look at it before giving it back to him. For the rest of the day I hang out at the shop in between lunch. I barely go on any rollercoasters or rides. At the end of the day, before I leave, he hands me a packet of stickers without charge.)

Attendant: “Here you go!”

(I was only 16 and at a very awkward stage of life, just coming out of suicidal thoughts, and this entire day helped so much. Till this day I regret not having taken my picture with the attendant or asking his name. I’m hoping to one day go back, although chances are he doesn’t work there any longer. Small things really do matter.)