(My boyfriend and I are on our way to Cologne, where a group of YouTubers we are huge fans of have an event. Our train ride is supposed to last two hours – leaving us with two hours to get to the event – but already is one and a half hours late due to damages to the rails. An hour away from Cologne, we have to switch trains, where we have to stand. It’s hot, with sticky air, no air conditioning, and I have a history of heat strokes. After half an hour of standing, my boyfriend gets a seat, so I sit on his lap.)

Me: *after my hearing gets muted, a sign of fainting for me* “I’m feeling sick.”

Boyfriend: “Drink something, here.”

Me: *after drinking something, staring ahead* “I’m going to faint.”

(I don’t really remember what happened next, but my boyfriend said I slumped down against his chest. He called for help. People in the whole compartment started getting busy – fetching me more water, getting magazines to fan fresh air in my direction, bubblegum for sugar, and a bag in case I throw up, putting me in the right position, and so on. A few people stayed with us the whole time, making sure I’m fine! But that’s not it. We finally get to the event, it’s awesome, and afterwards it’s time for getting autographs. We stand in line for three hours – in the hot air I mentioned before. We had to leave our drinks before getting to the event, due to the location’s rules, so no one had anything to drink, only empty bottles. Suddenly, a guy starts calling out.)

Guy: “Empty bottles, anyone? We have a sink here!”

(People start handing around bottles of water, milk containers filled with water, everything they could find. Some people even stood on chairs and fanned air for everyone. Then, finally, it’s my turn for autographs.)

YouTuber: “Do you want a selfie or picture?”

Me: “I’d love to, but my phone’s empty. Long train ride, delays, the usual story.”

Random Person: *from the crowd behind me* “I’ll take the picture for you and then I’ll upload it for you!”

Me: “Thank you so much!”

YouTuber: “We have the BEST community! So nice and helpful!”

(And she did! The group consisted of five people, so the conversation repeated with every one of them. And each time, someone – even a YouTuber himself – offered to take a picture for me! It was a horrible day of travelling, fainting, and missing connections, but the people made it so much better!)

(I am doing some grocery shopping at a local store. I notice a couple with a young son moving through the aisles at about the same pace as I am. They are letting him walk on his own, so I am trying to make sure there was plenty of space before passing them. After I finish my shopping, I move to the end of an aisle to start for the registers, and right when the nose of my buggy passes into the open area, the little boy comes running through at full speed and crashes face first into the side of the cart.)

Me: “Oh, no!”

(I am looking around for his mom or dad. I’ve been a babysitter for a long time, and don’t want to pick him up without his parents’ permission.)

Parents: *rounding the corner and seeing their son on the floor* “What happened?”

Me: “I’m SO sorry! I came out of the aisle right when he was coming by. I hope he’s not hurt.”

(I brace myself for a lot of yelling.)

Dad: “Oh, he’s fine!” *picks his son up and looks him over* “Nope, not a scratch.”

Me: *surprised* “Well, I still want to apologize.”

Mom: “Please, don’t worry about it. We told him not to run in the store.”

(They dried their son’s tears, told him calmly that this was why they told him not to run in the store, and waved goodbye. It was so refreshing to see parents actually PARENTING!)

(I am on my way home after having been in China for a month. By the point I get back to the United States I have been traveling for about 20 hours with layovers and flight changes and have over ten more hours to go. I am exhausted, missing my husband, and very hungry. The only American money I have on me is a travel card which I belatedly realize had expired the day before. A woman, waiting for the same flight, sits next to me and we pick up a friendly conversation in which I mention my foolish mistake.)

Woman: *takes out a prepaid disposable card* “Here, there is only about seven dollars left on this but I don’t need it.”

Me: “Oh, no. Really, I’ll be fine. They are serving food on the airplane and it is really my own fault.”

Woman: “Take it, please. I’m not going to use it and you have a lot further to go than I do.”

(That woman’s kindness got me through a delayed flight, issues with check-in on the mainland, and a sprint to my gate. To that amazing person, thank you. It may have been a small gesture, but it got me through.)

(I have been on campus since five am working out before my classes start. My schedule, being what it is, has me in class from eight am to five pm without enough time to go home in between. I am at a campus shop 30 minutes before my first class and just about to purchase my food. When I reach for my wallet however, it is not there… or anywhere.)

Me: *to Cashier* “I’m sorry, I seem to have left my wallet at home. Just void my transaction and I’ll put everything back.”

Cashier: “Are you sure? We can just put it on hold for you while you run back.”

Me: “I live about 30 minutes away walking and I have a class soon. Thanks, though.”

(There has been a very patient gentleman waiting behind me who has been observing this whole interaction. He is in his late teens.)

Gentleman: *to the cashier* “How much does she owe?”

Cashier: “About $12.”

Gentleman: *to me* “Ma’am, if you don’t mind, I’ll pay for you.”

Me: “Oh, that’s really not necessary. I can just call my husband and he can bring me something in a few hours.”

Gentleman: “I insist.”

Me: “May I have your contact information so I can pay you back?”

Gentleman: “No, ma’am. I would be insulted if you did. Just pay it forward, please.”

(My husband, thankfully, was able to run my wallet to me about six hours later. I am happy to say that thanks to that gentleman not only was I able to get through a day of grueling classes and work, but someone else got their meal paid for a few days later!)

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(My child is both a tiny geek like their parents and non-binary gender meaning they feel somewhere between male and female. We’re visiting our local comic book shop.)

Child: *to clerk* “Excuse me, I’m a boy and a girl and I wanted to know if there are any superheroes like me.”

Clerk: “Not that I know of, but why don’t you write your own?”

Child: “If I do will you put it in your shop?”

Clerk: “I would be honoured.”

(My child spent the rest of the day beaming and thinking about the superheroes they would create and their powers. Thank you, shop clerk, for simply accepting my child for who they are and encouraging them.)

This story is part of the Pride roundup!

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