Stories of Kindness from Around the World

A rather poor-looking woman approached me as I left a store.

Asked me if she could use her phone to call a shelter. Told me that her husband had abused her, that she and her children live in their car and need to get to a shelter or find gas money to go to the next city. It was starting to snow.
I let her use my phone. Nobody answered her call. Then she asked if I'd drive her a few blocks to her car.
I let her in my car (at this point I could feel the "sucker" stamp appearing on my forehead) I usually keep "goody bags" in my glove compartment just for events like these, but I had none with me last night.
She asked me for money for gas. I had none on me. She suggested an ATM (so conveniently right at the next gas station). I considered telling her off.
Then I looked at her. Glasses held together with tape, most of her teeth missing. Hands blue from the cold, holding them in front of my car's heater shaft. A raggedy jacket and shoes.
And I thought - oh what the heck, this will be my pre-thanksgiving good deed.
So I got some money out of the ATM for her. Drove her to where she wanted, and she thanked me and left.
Of course then my fear-based worry took over. I had told her approximately where I was going. I held my purse close as I went from my car to the building. Made sure nobody was around as I walked. I half expected my car or the stuff in it to be gone when I got back out.

But none of that happened. She had just gone to wherever she was going. So whether she was in fact in need or a panhandler, it really doesn't matter.