Stories of goodwill

[Eireann]

I've posted many times to vent or to ask advice, and all of you have been wonderfully kind.

Now, I'd like to share a story with you because it feels so good. I'd love to hear your stories in a similar vein.

Yesterday evening, when passing a building, I happened to see a wallet sitting on the window ledge. Outside. Knowing that it shouldn't be there, I opened it and saw no cash, but many cards.

Well. Pickpockets are everywhere, so I put the wallet in my bag, intending to take it to the police later.

When later came, I looked in the wallet and saw that the owner was French. This explained it - the pickpocket must have heard her talking, targeted her, took the wallet, and discarded it after removing all the cash. I was then hesitant to take it to the police, because they aren't noted for their skills in foreign languages. I decided to take it home, find a way to contact her, and let her know that I had the wallet.

I had to search pretty thoroughly, but I finally found a business card. I also discovered that the wallet contained her driver's license, her identity card, and her adult daughter's identity card - not easy items to replace. I sent an email in French, telling her that I'd found her wallet, and giving her my phone number.

She called within five minutes. She thanked me over and over and over again. We agreed to meet this morning so I could hand over the wallet.

When I did, she gave me a HUGE hug, patting me on the back. She and her daughter told me that they'd already been to the French Embassy, because they needed travel documents. They're leaving today! I told them that if I hadn't been able to contact her, I would have taken the wallet to the embassy, where I felt it would be returned more quickly than if the police had it (though they had reported the theft to the police).

So, yes, the thief had taken the cash - a considerable amount - but had left all the credit cards, and, of course, the identification and travel documents.

It just felt SO good to return the wallet. The lady was crying, she was so happy.

What sorts of situations have you found yourselves in, when you were able to do something that was so easy for you, yet meant so much to the other person/people?

[MoonCat]

Well, one time years ago I found a wallet on the sidewalk downtown. It had a little bit of cash, and a driver learner's permit. I looked up the name in the phone book (this was a while ago!) and there were only two such names in the book. Turned out the first one was the kid's family, and his mother was over the moon that we'd found the wallet. We got their address and my brother drove me over.

The kid was very happy about it and said he wished he could repay us (probably about 17 I think). I said just pass it on - do somebody a good deed sometime.

There was also the time my CW and I found about 200+ bucks on the sidewalk near work. She didn't want to take it to the police because she was afraid they'd keep it, so we split it in half and each donated half the money to local charities. I forget what she chose, but mine was the local women's shelter. And I know my friend well. She definitely did not keep her half.

[Kittish]

Not in the same sort of vein, but I made fidget cube toys for the entire pre-K class my at my nephew's school (5 hour print time per toy- 30 kids in the class). One little girl had a brother in second grade, who happened to overhear my planning with the teacher and asked very politely if he could have one, too. I asked his favorite color, and did indeed make him one, too (he got his a day ahead of his sister, along with the warning not to let her see it until after school the next day).

The teacher let me know that the kids just loved the toys. She handed them out on the last day before winter break, and the kids spent pretty much the rest of the day playing with their cubes.

[Ironclad Alibi]

In the late 1970s I found a checkbook in the restroom at work. Not knowing the name on the checks, I mailed it to the address on the checks.

After all these years I still remember the unusual surname on the checks, Cashdollar.