Homeless man returns wedding ring given to him by accident, and receives over $100k in donations for his generosity. This is a pretty cool story. Good on the guy for giving the ring back, and it's nice to see the ring owners felt such gratitude that they set up the website. Focus: What random acts of kindness do you do to try and make other people's days better? Alt. Focus: Feel-good stories. Here's another: Mentally challenged boy plays a game of basketball and scores final point.
I was at this game and for some reason it got extremely dusty in the stadium and everyone's eyes started watering up. The fact that we kicked uga's ass was also a feel good story.
I'll preface this by saying that jaywalking is a lot more common in Australia than it is in the States. Unless you're in the city, the majority of adults don't wait for the walking sign to change to green (or white in your case), and just cross at the first available moment. I am no exception to this. However, if I ever see some children waiting at the lights, as directed by their parent(s), I make the conscious decision to stop and wait to cross the road. This occurs almost daily for me, as my walk to work has a school halfway through. These parents are obviously teaching their kids about road safety, and the last thing they need is some adult breaking the rules they're setting their kid right in front of them. It's never something I'll get thanked for, and it's also likely it's not even noticed at the time. But I'd like to think it makes a small difference.
About a year ago, I was out to eat with several coworkers in the middle of the lunch rush. There were nine of us and we all had separate checks. Our server was a really young girl - she couldn't have been any older than 19. I've eaten at fine dining establishments and some of the very best restaurants around Cincinnati (you laugh, but it is a supremely underrated restaurant city) and I have had professional waiters with more than 30 years of serving experience, and this girl clowned them. She was prompt, all of the orders came out correctly, she checked on us at the right times, had no problems juggling all the checks, and did it all with such a cheerful attitude. She was perfect, and I made it a point to tell her manager so. Sometimes the help goes under-appreciated, or not appreciated at all. These people deal with a lot of shit on the daily, and they have to serve the good and the bad. So if the floor guy at T-Mobile does a great job explaining the difference between all the phones when I go in for an upgrade, I'm going to tell him and his supervisor if I can.
Just two days ago I was walking out of the local super market with a case of beer in hand when I noticed a woman's wallet (billfold maybe? The long fucking thing that all women seem to have) laying in the parking lot. I grabbed it up and looked around, asking the nearest few people if they had dropped anything. I looked inside it trying to find some ID so I could maybe pick them out if they had walked further into the parking lot. When I looked inside, the wallet was full of cash and credit cards. I immediately closed it up and started walking right back into the store to return it. Just then this old black lady, dressed like she just got out of church, comes shuffling up to me because she noticed I had her wallet. I gave it back to her and she hugged me and praised Jesus, thanking me for finding her wallet. Felt like I earned my beer that night.
I don't beat to death all the bastards that deserve it. This is kind of like a daily gift of life to pricks who don't deserve it, and it gives me an immense feeling of benevolence & well being. In fairness I can't take all the credit for this generosity, the threat of jail also contributes to my magnanimity.
When I have change and I see a meter maid, I make a point to feed expired meters to buy people a few extra minutes to get back to their cars. But that might be more related to my hatred of meter maids than my altruistic nature.
Alt Alt Focus: This board. You are all random internet strangers and the past couple of days have been some of the worst of my life. I lost my sister and not quickly. I am thousands of miles away with no feasible way to get to my family quickly. That just is what it is but when I posted what was going on just so I could see it in black and white and accept it you Idiots rallied and it made me feel better. The depths of depravity and the heights of human kindness in one place. For that act of kindness I am very appreciative.
Focus: Not sure if it qualifies as random, but my birthday is 9/11. So on my birthday when I'm getting something to eat, either fast food or dine-in, I pay for any member of the service I see, either armed or civil. Alt-Focus: Jason McElwain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngzyhnkT_jY
It is not unusual that walking my dog in Old City on the weekend that I'll come across ID's laying around (seriously). This has happened at least 5 times in the past six months. I put it in an envelope and send it back to them - with no return address. I think it's nice when the probably open the envelope and think 'Thank God, I don't have to go back to the DMV!' If I receive good service in a restaurant, I go to the manager and let them know. God knows, you hear about the shit, might as well hear some good stuff too.
Sorry for the double post, but this is exceedingly timely: I literally just got back from breakfast, and who walks in? Babe Heffron (If you've seen Band of Brothers, you know who he is). I picked up his tab. I asked the waitress not to tell him it was me, or that the tab was picked up til after I left. She smiled and said 'that's fine, he's my cousin.' Heh.
FOCUS: I bought a serviceman's (Army) Chipotle dinner last week. The place was packed and I was behind him in line. As I'm placing my order, I tell the guy warming the burritos to tell the cashier that I will pay for his order. After learning that his meal had been paid for, he demanded the cashier to tell him who it was. I was hoping that she wouldn't tell him but she did anyway and told him that it was me. He walked up to me, shook my hand and thanked me. I said, "No, we all thank you," and that was that. The cashier told me that it was a "really nice and cool thing that you did." So I'm $6-7 lighter and I'll still never repay the debt to those that protect our country.
Team Hoyt, father/son triathlon "team". The dad has been pulling his cerebral palsy son around in triathlons for many years. <a class="postlink" href="http://www.teamhoyt.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.teamhoyt.com/</a>
Focus: I often hold doors open for people (especially women or older folks), usually snowblow driveways and sidewalks for older neighbors, and will help change your tire or jumpstart your car if I can. Also if you're in military uniform at a bar I'll probably buy you a beer. If I'm having a shitty day, spontaneously doing something kind helps lift my mood. Alt-Focus: Just last night a friend's younger sister (and Special Olympics althlete) got to meet her hero, Dwyane Wade. Sometimes those Facebook petitions are good for something!
Unrelatedly, I occasionally disguise myself in a military uniform and hang out in bars. Thanks for the free beers, suckers! Women love it, too.
I could be a massive asshole to everyone all of the time, but instead I am merely an asshole to some people, some of the time. I also spend petty amounts of my disposable income in a way that makes me feel better about myself, and allows me to brag about my behaviour later. But rest assured, I don't go out of my way to do so.