When I was around 24, everything in my life seemed to come crashing down at once. Through a long series of unfortunate events that included losing my job, I ended up homeless with no-one really around that I could turn to.

Whilst trying to get a new job, I spent a lot of time sleeping rough around on the streets as I knew I didn’t have enough saved up to afford a hotel every night for the foreseeable future.

It was a Monday, around the time kids would be heading into school, and I was in my usual place. A group of teenage girls walked past, barely even glancing at me whilst laughing and mucking about on their phones. I didn’t think much of it and went back to filling out the job applications I had collected.

However, a few moments later something was dropped in front of me. I looked up just in time to see one of the girls from earlier scamper off back to her friends. Looking back at what she had left, I found a plastic bag containing what could only have been her own lunch. I was stunned, and tried to call after her to say thank you, but the group had already left.

That was the only act of kindness someone showed me during my brief period of living on the streets.

Three years on, I’m in a much better place, but I can’t help but think back on the girl who did more to help a stranger than any adult cared to do. It may have been a small gesture, but it meant the world to me. Whoever she was, I hope she’s having a great life now. She deserves it.

(My fiancé and I are in the car with my fiancé in the driver’s seat. We are heading down a long road that has at least two traffic light crossings very close together. As we are approaching the first set of lights, they turn red, but the car is not slowing down. Slightly panicked, I alert my fiancé.)

Me: *voice rising in pitch* “You’re going to run a red light, [Fiancé]!”

(He slams on the brakes and comes to a sharp halt just before the crossing, staring ahead.)

Fiancé: “That could’ve been bad.”

(I notice that on the other side of the crossing, waiting for the light to turn green, is a police car.)

Me: “I can’t believe you almost ran a red light in front of a cop! Did you not see that it was red?”

Fiancé: *sheepishly* “All I saw was green. I saw the cop car… just not the red light.”

Me: “Are you colourblind?”

(My fiancé eventually explains that he was looking ahead at the second crossing, which was green, and completely forgot about the crossing he was approaching. He was very glad I stopped him from running a red light in full view of a police car. This will make for a great story to bring up next time he criticises my driving skills.)

(I’m working on the checkout. The shop is quiet and I’m just tidying a bit behind the counter when a customer walks up to the self-serve machine. After scanning a few items, the customer starts gesticulating wildly and muttering under his breath.)

Me: “Can I help?”

Customer: “Why is it asking me about a bag? I don’t care about bags!”

Me: “Well, some customers use them, so it needs to ask so it can charge for them. If you’re not using one, so just hit zero and then enter.”

Customer: “Where do I do that?”

(I lean across to look at the screen and he’s still on the screen for scanning shopping.)

Me: “You need to press ‘finish and pay’ first.”

Customer: “I’ve literally tried that four times already.”

Me: “Well, let’s try it again and see if it works now.”

(It does. I walk him through the bag prompt again and go back to my till.)

Customer: “It’s just so impersonal! I hate the machines.”

(He keeps ranting as he walks towards the door, where he stops to complain to the security guard.)

Customer: “It’s just so impersonal! I’m never shopping here again!”

(He finally leaves.)

Me: “Next time, maybe, just walk up to my till?”

(The company I work for is doing a promotion where you can get an antivirus software– which retails at £60 — half-price if you buy a new product they are promoting for only £10. Common sense suggests doing this as it means essentially getting both items for £30 less than the anti virus alone. I am at the checkout.)

Me: “Good afternoon.”

Customer #1: “Just this, please.”

Me: “Actually, if it helps, you get this half-price if you buy—”

Customer #1: “I’m not interested.”

Me: “But if I can just explain it actually—”

Customer #1: “I said… not… interested.”

Me: *very quickly* “I can give you £20 off and a free item with it.”

Customer #1: “Look. I’ve said no. Just f****** ring it up.”

Me: “So, to clarify you want to pay the full £60 and not get the cheaper price with the free gift?”

Customer #1: “YES! NOW JUST PROCESS IT THROUGH. THAT’S THE ONE I WANT AND I’M VERY BUSY! NOW JUST DO YOUR JOB!”

(I put through the software as the customer insists, and she storms off. The next customer comes up holding the same product.)

Customer #2: “Sorry, I may have misheard, but can I get this for £40 with a free item?”

Me: “Yes, absolutely.”

Customer #2: “And she didn’t want that?”

Me: “Apparently not.”

Customer #2: “Wow… Some people are idiots… I’ll take the £40 deal, please!”

(I work in a leisure centre where jobs include cleaning, customer care, and lifeguarding. This is a small centre, so there are only four employees and the manager on site. On this particular day, there are only male staff. I’m taking my turn lifeguarding. From my chair I can’t see the front desk, where the rest of the employees are. I have a radio to communicate problems. I have been in the chair for nearly an hour, it’s hot, and there’s no sign of anyone coming to switch with me. I pick up the radio.)

Me: “Hey, does anyone fancy taking a turn on pool?”

(Silence.)

Me: “It’s nice and warm out here.”

Coworker #1: “[My Name], are you trying to use the radio? We can’t hear you.”

Me: “Could someone come and take me off, please?”

Coworker #1: “We’re just hearing static mate; try speaking up.”

Me: “Can. Someone. Please. Switch. With. Me.”

Coworker #2: “We really can’t hear you mate; try speaking up.”

Me: “Try coming out and talking to me, then.”

Coworker #3: “What are you trying to say to us?”

Me: “Maybe you could get off your fat a** and try and solve the problem with a little initiative.”

Coworker #1: “What?”

Me: “Never mind. Forget it.”

Coworker #3: “Come again?”

Me: “Never. Mind.”

(This goes on for about five minutes. Eventually, [Coworker #2] comes out to switch with me. He has a massive grin on his face.)

Me: *snapping* “What?!”

Coworker #2: “We could hear you the whole time.”

(I instantly felt very stupid, and went back to the front desk without saying anything else to him. When I got there, everyone laughed, including the manager, and I vowed to kill them all — which was fine since I know for a fact I’m on the manager’s workplace massacre list — before getting on with my job. I know I sound pretty dumb for falling for that, but in my defence, it was very hot, and I’m quite gullible as it is.)