When I was in my early twenties and a fast food manager we had a brief period of time where our store was closed for construction and we helped at other locations to get our hours.

I have just finished letting the work crew in the building and is maybe a few blocks down the road to go to the second location to work when I see a small white fluffy dog wandering along the very busy road I am driving on.

I manage to get the dog in my car and call the number on the collar but I have to leave a message as no one answered.

The dog came with me to work and as it is late and not hot at all I leave him in my car with some water and a small beef patty to eat.

Nearly four hours later I finally receive a call from the family. He had managed to slip out just as they had left for dinner and a movie.

They came to pick him up and asked for my address so they could thank me. I really didn’t expect anything of it but I was so touched when a week later I found that not only had they sent me a very kind thank you note but they had also included $100, something that made my bills that month a little easier to pay.

(I have come out as a lesbian at age 20, and married a short three years later, when same-sex marriage is legal in my state, but not federally. Through all of this, my best friend from childhood has supported me; I am close with her family as well, but didn’t tell them, since they’re first-generation immigrants and very religious. I am talking with my friend about my honeymoon; my wife and I had a courthouse wedding just after legalization and so there was no ceremony.)

Me: “So anyway, we’ll be near you for the honeymoon trip, if you want to meet us for a quick lunch or something!”

Friend: “I’d love to, but you know I’m still living with my parents and they don’t want me to drive that far and go to [Major City] alone all day. You know how they are. But my mom is semi-retired and she would be happy to go with me!”

Me: “Okay, but meet us by yourself, okay? I mean, your mom doesn’t know about me and I don’t want it to be weird!”

Friend: “Haha. No, it won’t be weird. I told my family you were gay ages ago!”

Me: “…and?”

Friend: “No big deal at all! My family seems to think that, um, you’re still a good person, and at least you’re getting married instead of clubbing or hooking up! Now, let’s check our schedules!”

(Meeting my friend didn’t end up working out, but when my wife and I got home, there was a huge package by our door. Curious, I open it and read the note.)

Note: “[Friend] told me how your wife loves to cook, and you don’t have much house stuff since you’re young. So I hope you enjoy these. [Friend] and I wanted to go in on a nice gift! These are better for you than that nonstick cookware!”

(It was signed by my friend’s mother. I think I worried for no reason!)

This story is part of the misunderstood-lesbians-themed roundup!

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(I work for a company that produces a word processing software, which I am supporting.)

Me: “Thank you for calling technical support. Can I have your case number?”

(The customer provides the information. Just by the voice, I know the customer is an older lady. Usually, this means a 45+ minutes call, just because of the technology challenges.)

Me: “Could you right-click on the start button?”

Customer: “Okay, I have programs, documents, settings—”

Me: “That’s left-clicking. Could you please right-click on the start button?”

Customer: “Okay, but I still get programs, documents, settings.”

Me: “Could you describe to me, visually and step by step, what you are doing?”

Customer: “I’m putting the mouse cursor over the right part of the word ‘start’, and I click.”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry; I was not clear. Is it possible for you to click using the right mouse button?”

Customer: “What do you mean?”

Me: “Okay, please pick up your mouse by the wire, and hold it up in the air.”

Customer: “I feel stupid.”

Me: “No, ma’am, you’re not. We’re all starting from different points. I’m a geek, so it’s normal if I’m a bit ahead of the curve, as far as this stuff goes. I just need to make sure that we’re on a level field, here.”

Customer: “Okay, it’s in the air.”

Me: “Great! Between your wire and your palm-resting are—”

Customer: “What do you mean?”

Me: “Okay, put it flat again, and put your hand on your mouse, as if to use it.”

Customer: “Oh, I get it, the place where my palm is resting.”

Me: “Exactly. Pick it up again. Between the wire and the palm-resting area, there is an area that is divided vertically. How many sections are there?”

Customer: “Two”

Me: “Great! Ma’am, I would like to formally introduce you to your left mouse button and your right mouse button. So when I ask you to right-click—”

Customer: “You want me to use the right mouse button!”

Me: “You’re a smart one!”

(It turns out that the older lady is 96 years old. She was doing her shuffleboard association’s newsletter, and her software had become thoroughly corrupted and needed to be reinstalled. We spend over an hour and a half. This lady had seen the advent of movies, TV, color TV, had seen the Model T, saw the first planes, radio and all. When I will be 96 years old, I just hope I am as technologically savvy as she is!)

*This post originally appeared on Not Always Right.

I am currently studying for a year in a foreign country where I can speak a little of the language, but not at all fluently. It is a Friday afternoon, and as I am Sabbath-observant, I must arrive at my destination before dark.

I am currently at the central bus station, frantically trying to locate the platform for my intercity bus. I have no idea where to find it, and even cross the street, but cannot find the appropriate number.

A younger man with a bicycle asks if I am okay. I shakily explain my predicament to him; and he attempts to tell me where to take the bus. My language skills are not great and he can tell that I don’t understand, and simply tells me to follow him.

He shows me to use a particular tunnel to cross another street to get to my platform. Then he rides his bicycle past me as I run. When I get to the bus, I see that he has his front bicycle wheel on the bus, holding it for me.

Please note that this was not his bus. He took time out of his day and probably went in the wrong direction to help me.

So, thank you, amazing stranger, for taking the time to show a confused, frightened girl where to catch her bus, and then for holding it for her. I honestly think that it was the nicest, most selfless, thing anyone has ever done for me.

I am currently studying for a year in a foreign country where I can speak a little of the language, but not at all fluently. It is a Friday afternoon, and as I am Sabbath-observant, I must arrive at my destination before dark.

I am currently at the central bus station, frantically trying to locate the platform for my intercity bus. I have no idea where to find it, and even cross the street, but cannot find the appropriate number.

A younger man with a bicycle asks if I am okay. I shakily explain my predicament to him; and he attempts to tell me where to take the bus. My language skills are not great and he can tell that I don’t understand, and simply tells me to follow him.

He shows me to use a particular tunnel to cross another street to get to my platform. Then he rides his bicycle past me as I run. When I get to the bus, I see that he has his front bicycle wheel on the bus, holding it for me.

Please note that this was not his bus. He took time out of his day and probably went in the wrong direction to help me.

So, thank you, amazing stranger, for taking the time to show a confused, frightened girl where to catch her bus, and then for holding it for her. I honestly think that it was the nicest, most selfless, thing anyone has ever done for me.