emhawkerblog

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The kindness of strangers

By 20 Comments

I was out walking with the kids recently. (Compelling start to the story, I know. Bear with me.)

I was pushing Mitchell in the pram, and Ashleigh was walking. So, despite my lead sentence, I was not in fact walking, but dawdling. Stopping and starting as anything and everything that a toddler could possibly find fascinating was investigated. In detail.

We’d been to the supermarket, and I was carrying some shopping bags that hadn’t fit into the bottom of the pram. I was finding it difficult to steer the pram, hold the bags and keep a hold on Ashleigh’s hand at the same time.

We were walking behind an older man and his dog. He was carrying a number of plastic bags, half of them full. Wow, I thought. His dog can poop!

We were overtaken by another, younger guy walking his dog. They continued for a bit in front of us, until the dog veered onto the nature strip to leave a deposit. “Good dog.” And they continued on.

Dagnammit, I thought, making a note to avoid that section of grass for fear that Ashleigh would find the poo fascinating. Or not see it at all, until it was on the bottom of her shoe.

The older man had seen what had happened, and stopped. I thought he was going to say something, and I’ll admit I slowed to witness the fallout.

But he didn’t say anything. He simply waited for the younger guy to pass. Then he walked over to the fresh poo and picked it up in one of his bags. And looked at us and winked.

I was just standing there, staring, and he chuckled and walked over. I asked him why he had picked up after the other guy. He just shrugged and said, “Because of people like you.”

I jumped to offense at this statement – people like me? What did that mean? What did he know about me? – but before I could put my foot in my mouth, he nodded at the shopping, the pram and Ashleigh, and continued. “You’ve got your hands full already without having to watch out for dog poo.”

Oh.

“Wow. Thank you,” I managed.

He smiled, nodded once more, then set off again.

Some people like to help. Some people are nice just because they can be.

Some people make your day just by being themselves.


When were you last surprised – in a good way – by the actions of a stranger?

Comments

  2. I’m often surprised by the kindness of strangers when I am using public transport with Mr 4. Sure there are a lot of people who would step over you if you were lying on the ground but there are also those few who go out of their way to be nice.

    Reply

  6. Lovely story. What a great guy. I dont have any particular anecdote like this but I have often found that it is the more mature ladies and gentlemen who happily offer to lend a hand. When I was pregnant it was usually a grandfatherly type who’d offer me a seat and later on they’d help me with the pram. Perhaps its something about that generation or perhaps compassion comes with age and experience (in some cases at least).

    Reply

    • Yes, I’ve found that too. Although a lovely schoolgirl offered me her seat on the train when I was heavily pregnant and then bombarded me with questions, fascinated by the whole thing.

      Reply

    • They don’t! I just… I don’t know. I often wonder where my daughter gets her neat freakness from but really, I’m the answer!

      And yes, it would.

      Reply

    • Oh man. Whenever anyone I know is wondering if they should get a dog, I only ask them one question: Are you willing to pick up dog poo when you take your dog for a walk? If the answer is yes, go for it! If not, NO!!

      Reply

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