Acts of Kindness

[carefreeluke]

An act of kindness I'll never forget, without going into all the details to avoid it being a super long post.

I have had some kind of bad allergic reaction that has been going on since about the 10th which I found out just today the cause. It started and got worst as last week went on, then went through a period of not getting worse, not getting better, then from Tuesday to Thursday this week (two days of slowly improving for the better), until today after seeking medical help where I know the cause and have a plan of action for full recovery. What I have been experiencing is like skin irritation and the bad side of allergy symptoms which you can get from that, nothing serious but annoying nevertheless. 

This is last Thursday. So I was sitting in my school in Spain marking some exams, while one student was doing hers and one of my students a Spanish woman (in her sixties) walks in wondering if I had corrected her exam yet. I tell her no, and she notices my neck is a little red, almost like a rash. It isn't clearly visible and now I think of it I'm surprised she noticed and I explain to her I think it's a reaction of some sort. This was the day the rash or redness appeared, the days before I was just itching a lot. She's a nurse (her husband a doctor) and she pulls me outside and asks me some medical questions etc and says I should take antihistamines. She says she has some in her flat to help, ends up not being able to find them, so she goes to the pharmacy and buys me some and also some cream to help the itching. This was nice in itself. 

Next, from Thursday to Tuesday she messages me every day, to check up on me and we have some general chit chat about other things as well. She goes through all the possibilities of what it might be etc. I would have gone to the hospital or made arrangements to see a doctor last weekend, I have enough knowledge of how the process works here and I've seen doctors in Spain before and also been to the hospital on a couple of occasions. However, seeing as I had spoken with her and I had been given some things (things that I thought would improve the situation), in my mind, I was thinking let's see how the medication works and see if I improve. Anyway, it comes to Tuesday this week and she messages me with her usual checking in and I say it's more of the same. She offers accompanying me to the hospital / doctors, something which she offered last week as well. I reply saying I'll see how I feel later that night and before I know it and before I've even said yes, she's booked me in to see a dermatologist for Thursday (yesterday). As I had been growing more and more frustrated with my situation this was great news. So, she comes with me to see the dermatologist, I get the help I needed and hopefully will be on the mend over Christmas. This was all so nice of her.

However, this last detail is what it makes it even more incredible on her part. So before we even saw the dermatologist on many occasions and at various different points, I'm insisting to know how the process works and acting how she shouldn't be doing all this for me and above all the price of this appointment. She tells me the first few times, that she has it covered and not too worry. I didn't know exactly what that meant but anyway, I was very insistent that I can pay if need be but at the same time I wasn't exactly sure on what she meant by having it covered. One of the main thoughts I had was that given her and her husband's involvement in the medical industry, maybe they had some special access or knew someone or something along those lines. Every time I mentioned the money to her as well, she also sort of brushed over it very well and made it seem like she had some sort of arrangement in place. Anyway, we came out of the dermatologist's office and I'm still trying to process and think about what the dermatologist had just told us and before I know it she's gone and talked to the receptionist and paid the bill. Was something between 100-200 euros. Shocked, as we walk out the place and get in the lift,  I insist again that I can send her the money. She puts one of her hands up to signal stop, that's enough. With that typical bluntness and sternness that I believe only Spanish people have. There was no way I was giving this woman any money. And not only that we go to the pharmacy after and get some of the medication and cream I need. I literally get out my wallet to pay to suggest to the man I'm going to get this and she still ended up covering it for me.

One of the biggest acts of kindness I've ever received. And hence wondering if you lot have experienced or know of any other stories.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Wow what a nice lady.

[Stan]

She just wants a top grade mate. 

In all seriousness, that's brilliant. Very kind of her to not only recommend someome she knows to see, but to book the appointment and of course pay for it too. Fair play to her. I believe in karma so it sounds like she's wracked up some major good points there. 

Have you recovered fully? 

___________________________

In terms of acts of kindness, the one that I can think of that really stands out for this year is being able to go to the Championship play-off final in May. For free. I have an uncle who we take to Leicester games every now and then if we have a spare ticket. Just like anyone else, he's insistent on paying (face value) for the ticket. Which is fair enough I'd say even though he's family and is happy to reimburse etc.

We've taken him to games for years. Either at Filbert Street, King Power or Wembley. His son supports Fulham so when they got to the final, they were able to purchase more than just the one ticket and asked in our family WhatsApp group if anyone else fancied going. It was Bank Holiday Monday, I had nothing to do so I thought yeah why not?! Would be a good experience and a good game and I have a bit of a soft spot for Fulham as it is. On the day he asked, I messaged him separately asking how much it'd be? My cousin (currently in LA at the time) said he'll ask his dad and let me know). I didn't hear anything for a few days so then messaged my uncle separately just to find out and if he wanted cash or pay before. He said we'll sort it on the day (I think it was about £60) so I took cash out ready to pay. 

On the day of the game, when arranging travel etc I text him saying I've got cash so will pay him later. He responded only to the travel bits and not the money part. We get to the game and I asked when shall I pay him, he said we'll sort it after the game. So the game finishes, we're celebrating Fulham's win with a few drinks etc, then get to the station where we need to go separate ways. 

I get my wallet out to pay cash and he says 'don't worry about it, you and your family have offered and taken me to enough Leicester games so don't worry about this'. As happy as I was in the moment of Fulham winning (and also slightly drunk cos of all the alcohol throughout the day), I also felt really bad cos it's not something he had to do! He refused to take any kind of money. 

It really does pay to be kind! May not mean something to anyone else but it was very much appreciated having that paid for. 

[Toinho]

37 replies to Armpit Shagging and sucking toes, and 2 replies to acts of kindness. You stay classy TF365!

[Bluewolf]

Very nice of her... Can't say I have ever had anything like that happen to me.. 

[nudge+]

Haven't ever really experienced any random acts of kindness from complete strangers, the only similar situation to it was when I was waiting for a bus back home from work late at night and some drunk prick started harassing me, and another man at the bus station intervened and offered to bash his head in if he wouldn't leave me alone. He then actually waited with me until my bus arrived, too. It goes without saying that I was VERY grateful for that.

[CaaC (John)+]

8 minutes ago, nudge said:

drunk prick started harassing me, and another man at the bus station intervened and offered to bash his head

Or you meant he said, "Want me to kick the fucking shite out of him honey?"  

[nudge+]

7 minutes ago, CaaC - John said:

Or you meant he said, "Want me to kick the fucking shite out of him honey?"  

A true gentleman 

 

[...Dan]

I was sitting by the harbour having a beer in the summer (there was a harbour festival on, so a lot of people about) and there was a young spanish woman and her little daughter sat near me. Then after about 20 minutes I noticed a creepy looking man hanging around them...he said to her "so what are you doing tonight?" and she gave him a very short answer and that's where the conversation ended. A while later she and her daughter stood up and left...followed by the man a few seconds later. After a minute of diliberation I decided I woudn't be able to live with myself if I ignored my bad feeling about him and then read about a rape the next day...so I got up and went to find them. After about five minutes I found them. I did my best impression of a spy and watched them for a few minutes...she was walking really slowly with her daughter and he kept walking ahead and then waiting for them. When he was far enough ahead I went for it and went up to her and asked if she knows him. Fortunately, she was like "yeah, I came here with him" that left me a little embarrassed, but obviously her safety is a lot more important than my embarrassment. I explained that I thought he was following her, and after her initial confusion she thanked me for looking out for her.

If that was a date, it was the most awkward date in history