Random acts of kindness...

[Ruth_Baldock]

As inspired by two threads on the Mumsnet Classic's board; have you ever encountered a random act of kindess? Share with the class, please.

Mine:

1) My waters broke in John Lewis, Bluewater, 15th December 2009. I was mortified and flapping about and my husband had gone a particuarly fetching shade of puce. Out of nowhere, a senior manager appeared and calmly whisked us away to a quiet office, where she got me some water and a sandwich ('to keep your strength up!') whilst I calmed down. No contractions had started, so I was mostly damp and embaressed. My husband went to bring the car around to the customer collections bit, we'd parked absolutely miles away in a car park in another bit of Bluewater. She stayed and chatted to me, and I told her my first ever job was at a Waitrose in North London, then John Lewis in Brent Cross. As she said goodbye after escorting me to the car, she told me to call her/email her (gave me her work details) and let her know when the baby was born! After a long and awful inductio and crash c-section, I e-mailed her once I got back from Kings. You know how it is in the early days, when you're deranged and tell all and sundry all the nitty gritty details about your birth story. Well, I did that. She replied saying congratulations, and asked for my address to send us a card. The next day, the doorbell goes and it's a John Lewis delivery man, with a massive bunch of flowers, big box of chocs and some lovely baby outfits for the baby, and a voucher for me 'to buy myself something lovely'. She also sent a card and she'd written something lovely inside it, saying she had 4 c-sections with each of her children. It was such a wonderful thing to do. Elaine from JL Bluewater, the voucher went on some Chanel perfume! Thankyou for your kindess.

2) My second baby was 4mo old and going through teething/a wonder week. I hadn't slept for more than 50 minutes in one go for about 6 weeks. My friend texted me and asked if I was around in the day at all because she wanted to drop something off for me. She came over and bought me loads of meals (risotto and the like, all bloody lovely) to keep me (and my toddler, by default) fed for about a week. I was barely able to function, and definitely wasn't eating properly. Aforementioned friend also came over and bought Awesome Pastries with her and enterained my children when I was trying to sort out a massive balls up with IPS over my then nine week old's passport.

You know who you are but I don't think you know how much it meant to me, I am often on the recieveing end of well meaning platitudes (normally from my family) but rarely does anyone actually do anything to physically help. So thankyou, I don't know how I would have coped over the past year without you.

3) Woman at Starbucks, Muswell Hill, who always only charged me for my coffee and not my brownie in the morning for TWO YEARS.

[The Nappy Lady]

When my first daughter was still very little (2-3 months I think)& it was the middle of a heat wave, August 2004 I was struggling around Sainsburys DKH trying to push a half full trolley, shop & breast feed (WHY...good question!).

Anyway, a lovely Sainsburys lady came to my rescue, insisted on pushing the trolley and holding my list whilst walking around with me and letting me tell her what needed putting in the trolley! She escorted me through checkout and to the car whilst reassuring me that I was doing an amazing job and back when she had her children they always played up as soon as she tried to get anything done too.

Lovely lady, who I wish I could name but cannot (didn't even know my own name back then!)...thank you I have never forgotten your kindness.

[tiddles]

How lovely!! I remember my toddler having a complete meltdown in sainsburys (many years ago) and i was desperately trying to keep calm and take control despite feeling totally out of my depth and on the verge of tears. At the checkout, by which time said child had calmed down, a lovely american lady came up to me and said "I saw you back there, and you know you are doing such a great job - you were so calm and just look at him now, well done". That lady has NO idea how that made my day (well week actually). There's a very good chance she was saying it to every deranged looking woman with a child in tow, but I still mentally thank her for that random act of kindness.

[bluesuperted]

Great thread, lovely stories.

Not sure it's quite the same, but it definitely sticks out in my mind as a random stranger who made a difference to me...

I was living in San Francisco the day of the London bombings, I was gutted and worried to see it unfold from so far away and had a shocker of a day at work, was super busy but really unhappy all day, felt like my colleagues, while lovely, did not understand and were just getting on with their lives, while I was crossing all my friends names off a terrifying list as I heard from them one by one. So my lovely husband (then boyfriend) came to meet me at 5pm. As he walked towards me on a pretty empty street, I outstretched my arms as in 'I need a hug'... He did the same. We met in the middle and hugged... Meanwhile a guy drove past and wound down his window... he shouted to us 'My wife and I used to do that, we used to do that, you just made my day'... little did he know the day we'd had and that he'd made two sad Brits abroad feel a little better about the world.

[zeban]

Awww I LOVE this thread, these stories are making me cry! so sweet.

[slimsurf]

I'll add mine

A+E week one with new baby - my wife is tired we are worried - forgotten on the list etc ypical a+e nightmare then a senior A+E nurse I spoke to found s a room heard my wife was hungry and nursing and suddenly we had a side room sandwiches and drinks - they had two major patients in and we still had to wait but I'll never forget that care. On occasion the NHS is wonderful.

[buggie]

Here's mine, one Saturday, Bugglet (then about 11mths) in baby carrier me power walking (running late to get to Bea's bab bop) down Whatley Road & trip on tree root & go flying...On touching Bugglet's head I find blood & apart from being stunned/unable to get up I'm not really aware of the state of my knees & hands (esp knees). woman appears helping me up despite her baby being in the car across the road & having seen this am taken in by a lovely pair of ladies who live opposite where I fall despite having other house guests/being about to go out. They help me clean up Bugglet (who had v minor graze to head) and let me try & clean my knees up (brushing off their suggestions I go to A&E!).

While looking slightly confused I didn't want/like tea, they were amazing & let me get sorted before driving back to hubbie (who I'd tried to call but hadn't heard as he'd been in the bath!) I wish I'd noted their address/names so I could've properly thanked them with a card/flowers.

Weirdly the first lady that helped me turned out to be a neighbour (we'd recently moved) so did get to thank her.

Think it's unlikely the other ladies will read this, but if they are out there - Thank you xx

[Fuschia]

Kings a and e too when I was in at 36w pregnant, with asthmatic toddler

Kind nurse John fetched me a drink, and carried bag and car seat out to the taxi at 3am when we were sent hOme

[midivydale]

What a great thread!

1) all my fourmites when i had a terrible time with baby ivydale and his reflux. Strawbs, belle, saffron, susyp, hellosailor,bee74, yellow sardine and the rest of you! The cyberwarmth and encouragement fro

You all when i needed it the most i will alway be remembered.

2) a lovely lady named tracey also a forumite but whise forum name i cant find. She came to my House with her baby to offer a hand when i hadnt slept for an age. I didnt know people like that excisted.

3) my neighbour and confident sofia who brought a round carrot cake, food and endless coffee from homemade in the early days of motherhood.

4) forumites and friends lochie and countjc who having been through the motherhood journey before helped, guided and reassured through every pregnancy and new mother drama.

This thread is making me all weapy :)

[Helen GV]

People who have helped me on buses! ESP a driver not long ago who let me on a rammed bus with three prams already because there hadn't been one for ages and it was raining. And all the other passengers that day who just smiled and didn't give me any evil looks.

The other day a lady on a bus with a small baby rushed forward to tell the driver she would fold her pram just so another lady could get on. Really nice people in the world, and it helps to remember it ;0)

[midivydale]

Marcel and his wife at the drycleaners on lordship lane next to edt. When my partner was interviewing in the city (in between jobs during recession) marcel dry cleaned his shirt for free. Wonderful man and we always always go to him now with our drycleaning and alterations. He has a wonderful view on life and has taught me so much from sharing his view on the world. A great man with a great mind

[Hesmall1]

Last week we were on holiday in Edinburgh. My husband, our 15-month old daughter and I are standing in the rain waiting for the bus into the city centre. Bus finally arrives, doors open and clear as day is a big sign that says "Exact Change Only." We are holding a ten pound note and have no coins. I say to the driver we have no change and that I suppose I'm going to have to walk to a shop or restaurant to find it. He stops the bus, asks the passengers if anyone has change for a tenner and fortunately, a couple on board does. "Get on board, its raining and you have a baby," they all say. Bless the driver and all the passengers digging in their purses and pockets to break a 10 pound note. Didn't expect that!

[susyp]

-3 months after I finished chemo - when I was proudly sporting my new-v.short-barely-there-but-at-least-coming-back hair - a lady came up to me and asked if I had just had chemo and then told me she was a year on from on it and how much better she felt. It was a very brave thing to do and it massively helped me, I still think about her often. I want to try and do the same but am never quite sure if someone has short hair because of chemo or not, i guess it;s like the are they pregnant or not thing!

susypx