Stories of Kindness from Around the World

   My friend Alison has a two year old daughter. One day she decided to take her daughter to the local park, but when she got there she discovered it was already occupied by a group of teenagers all dressed in Goth style. Alison felt a little on edge and she kept her little one closer to her than she might otherwise have.

   The boys, in their big boots, chains and black t-shirts started acting up, trying to impress the girls.    

   One lad, the youngest of the bunch, slipped and fell off the roundabout, badly gashing his arm. Alison started up to help, but immediately the boy put on a tough act for his mates. He laughed, even though his face had turned ashen.

   A girl, a couple of years older than the boy, sauntered over. She was vamping it up big style and gorgeous in a dramatic sort of way.

   Alison waited to see if she was going to mock the boy. Instead she said, in a low voice, "That looks sore. Do you want your mum to have a look at it?"

   The boy, obviously did want his mum, but he kept looking at his friends as well. Alison understood. He couldn't be seen to be hurting. It wouldn't be cool. And wanting your mum in that crowd was as uncool as it got!

   The Goth girl obviously knew this and decided to do something about it.  She slipped her arm through his (his uninjured one) and waved to her pals. "He's walking me home. All right?"

   The stunned boy looked back at his pals who were all cheering him on, obviously sick with envy. 

   It's important to be cool when you're a teenager. When you grow older you realise its more important to care. Alison reckons that Goth girl managed to mix the two thing, she cared - in a very cool way!