I’m in line at the dollar store, a basket full of about a dozen items. I’ve had a long day and just want to get home. There’s only one checkout lane open, and the customer in front of me asks for a few balloons that they sell and inflate there. I’m thinking, great, it’s going to take forever for the checkout person to do them. However, the customer checking out notices the line behind her and says to the checkout person to take care of me first.

I thank her, but the checkout person goes into awesome mode, simultaneously blowing up the woman’s balloons and checking out my items.

As she tells me the total, $10.12, I groan, as I’ve only got a couple of $1s and $20s and a couple of pennies. I hand her the $20, apologizing that I don’t have exact change.

Around here, the dollar stores request smaller bills, as they get inundated with $20s and can’t make proper change sometimes.

I then tell her I only had a couple of pennies, when I thought I’d had more change, and apologize again.

Then, to my surprise, the person behind me places 12 cents on the counter. And a few seconds later, the woman in front of me who was waiting for her balloons to be inflated handed me a dime.

I was weirdly flustered because I’d never been in a situation where strangers are just handing me money.

To make it fair, I went ahead and took the woman’s dime and gave the 12 cents back to the man behind me, and thanked them both profusely.

(I’ve always had a hard time controlling my emotions, and taking my roommate’s emotional abuse has NOT helped. On this particular day maybe two months in, I am curled up outside our building, failing – as per usual – to stop crying. I hear a voice.)

Stranger: “Go say hi.”

(I look up to see a Chihuahua puppy clamber into my lap and lick my face. A man stands nearby, smiling at me as I stroke his dog’s ears.  My roommate moved out a month later.)

(I have to stop for gas after a long, exhausting week, and I feel I’m about to lose it. I’ve got 60+ miles before I get home. I walk into the gas station to put money on my pump, as my gas tank is on empty. I get through the door, the cold air hits my face, and I lose it. I sob hysterically. I hold up a wall for a second or two when a young man with a trainee badge approaches me.)

Trainee: “Is there anything I can do to help?”

(My story pours out.)

Me: “I was robbed earlier; I am failing a class, and am in an abusive relationship and trying to get out.”

Trainee: “I get off in five minutes. Let me finish what I’m doing, then let’s sit and talk.”

(We sat together in the little cafe almost all evening. I cried and talked, he listened and comforted. I got home, and had strength to leave the relationship. I recovered most of my losses, and moved on with my life. I quit my demanding job, and went back to school full time. I’ve never been happier.)

(I am in New York for business from another country. I am walking through central NYC, back to my hotel late at night. I walk past a doorway which has a very large man towering over and yelling at a cowering young woman. Nobody else is around, and being a small guy and a foreigner and in a strange country I just walk past. After a block I decide that I can’t live with myself if I don’t do something, so I turn around and walk back. There’s still not another person in sight. I am terrified. I pull out my mobile and pre-dial 911 but do not hit send, I just leave it in my hand in my pocket. I completely ignore the guy, walk up into the doorway beside him, and address the woman.)

Me: “Ma’am, are you okay?”

Man: “She is fine.”

Me: “Thank you, sir, but I would very much like to hear from the lady herself.”

(The man steps forward and begins to tower over me, but then steps back, glowering at me furiously, hands clenched at his side.)

Lady: “I am okay.”

(I asked her if I could call a taxi or walk her somewhere more public. She once again said she was fine, and I felt as though there was nothing more I could do and that I had pushed the situation beyond what was safe for me. I backed away, and found that there was a crowd of people behind me. I had no idea where they all came from, but we all stood there watching while the lady collected herself and the man calmed down. Someone in the crowd asked if he hit her, and I replied that I had only seen him yelling. The situation looked defused, and we all went our separate ways. I have been back to NYC many times since then and found the people of New York to be cold on the surface, but when it really mattered they rally around. Thank you to all those who stood behind a small guy trying to do the right thing.)

(Today is Thanksgiving. Some stores close for Thanksgiving, like the convenience store down the road, but our store is open from 7 am – 10 pm. The phone rings and I answer it.)

Me: “[Store], this is [My Name]; how can I help you?”

Customer: “Hi, I was just calling to ask what time y’all are open until today?”

Me: “We are open until our normal time, 10 pm.”

Customer: “Wow, really?!”

Me: “Yes, ma’am!”

Customer: “Well, this is [Customer]; I live across the road from your store, and I was just wondering how many of you are working today?”

Me: “Well…” *hesitating, not sure how EXACTLY to answer as this question is a little out of left field*

Customer: “I am asking because I’d like to fix y’all a plate of Thanksgiving dinner to thank you for working today.”

Me: “Oh! Well, thank you, that’s very kind of you, but you don’t have to do that! That isn’t necessary, though the thought is appreciated.”

Customer: “You sure? I really don’t mind, since you have to work! What time do you get off?”

Me: “My cashier and I both get off at three, and that’s when the next shift will come in.”

Customer: “Oh, you get off at three? That stinks. Well, thank you for working today, and have a happy Thanksgiving!”

(I was so shocked and happy the rest of my shift. That someone would want to do that for us to thank us for working today, and show how appreciative they are for us working, was just more than I could have expected!)