Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Many years ago, when I was in high school and working weekends to pay for the extras that my folks couldn't really afford (like a school ring, class trip, etc.), I lost my wallet. 

My old car required putting gas in the back (remember that?).  I had prepaid and then put my wallet on the bumper, and drove off.  I hadn't even had time to miss it when our phone rang and a man asked me if I had lost my wallet.  I checked my purse and to my horror, I had.  He asked me to tell him how much $$ was in it, and I told him.  He then told me where to pickup my wallet. 

As I pulled into his driveway, I noticed his handicapped van and the ramp going up to the house.  I was thinking that there is no way this man easily got out of his van and got my wallet off the street.  He had to pull over, get in his wheelchair, lower the lift, and then pick it up.  I was just  amazed.  I felt humble. 

I knocked on the door and he told me to come in.  I thanked him like 10 times for finding my wallet.  I was stuck, though.  While I didn't want to insult him by offering money, I really felt like offering something.  So I asked him if there was anything I could do to repay his kindness, and he said "Just pass it on".   I said I would be certain to do that.  I was raised to be honest in any account and I would have done so, without promising this fellow I would, but I wanted to repay his kindness, so I wholeheartedly promised I would.  

Well, one does not find many wallets and so it was about 10 yrs later that I found one.  I almost stepped on it!   It took me me several days to track down the young man to whom the wallet belonged.  He lived in another state, about 60 miles away from where I found the wallet.  I hated going through his wallet, but I finally located him through a pay stub he had in it.   When he called me back, we agreed to meet, so I could return his wallet. 

He was actually surprised his $ was still in the wallet and he tried to hand me a $20.00.  I told him "Thanks, but just pass it on" ...