The Kindness Of Strangers: It's a Small World After All

I was struck by an article in The Guardian last week about lost wallets.

The article reported on a recent study in which a company dropped 20 wallets containing £10 in cash, a photograph, tickets, receipts, stamps and several business cards in shopping centers, on public transport, in museums, cafes and on the street in five British cities: London, Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow. Only two in ten of the wallets were returned to their owners and only around half of those (55 percent) contained the original sum of money.

The study caught my eye because I was recently one of those lucky 20 percent. I didn't exactly lose my wallet, but I did lose an envelope containing 15 pounds (roughly $23). And here's the kicker: the envelope didn't have my name and address on it.

All it had was a hand scribbled note that I'd written to a woman -- we'll call her Kelly -- from whom I was buying a (British) Dustbuster before she moved back to America the next day. The note read something along the lines of "To Kelly from Delia. Thanks and Good luck!," with the cash stuffed inside.

While walking to her house to pick up the Dustbuster, I'd apparently dropped the envelope on the ground along a busy London street. Because I couldn't find the envelope when I got to her house, I assumed that I'd lost it for good and went to a bank machine to get some cash. But the next day, a stranger contacted me (and Kelly) by email to say that she'd found the envelope and because she knew that Kelly was moving (and vaguely knew that Kelly knew someone called Delia) she figured that it was us.

Can you believe it? I mean, what are the chances that this woman would a. See the envelope on that particular street, which is quite commercial and heavily trafficked b. Bother to read my chicken-scratch and c. Return it on a hunch? Bear in mind that I'd never met her before and barely knew Kelly either.

She is obviously a very nice person, to whom I am most grateful. (If you're into this sort of thing you must listen to the This American Life episode entitled The Kindness of Strangers.)

I love this story because it illustrates the humanity in all of us. (OK, in two out of five of us.) But it's also a great small world story. Sometimes I really do believe the whole Six Degrees of Separation thing (even if I'm not connected to Kevin Bacon. Sniff.) A friend of mine just posted on Facebook that her son is about to go off to college and it turns out he'll be living right down the hall from his best friend in Kindergarten (whom he hasn't seen in 13 years.) Again, what are the odds?

OK, so now it's your turn to dish. What's your best kindness of strangers and/or small world story?

C'mon folks. It's a light news week. Let er' rip...

 

Follow Delia Lloyd on Twitter: www.twitter.com/realdelia

Comments

[supportamerica]

12:47 PM on 09/04/2010

Ok here is my small world story. I grew up in upper New York State. My husband of 33 years grew up in Texas. We both graduated in 1969. We both went on to college, he in Michigan, I in New York. I went on to get married and have two children which fortunately ended in divorce (why I say fortunately will be revealed).

We both moved back to my hometown (by then his parents were living there). We met quite by accident one night at a local establishment where my brother's Blue grass band was playing. During the break my brother introduced us.

We stated dating and here is the kicker. His whole family was from my hometown, my Father and his Aunt dated in High school and came very close to getting married, but he met my Mother and married her instead.

We were married for 33 years and I just lost him in August. Call this what you want but I feel God put us together and he was the love of my life and I feel my soul mate. That is why I said fortunately my previous marriage ended in divorce, if that had not happened then I wouldn't have had this wonderful man in my life and my children wouldn't have had this wonderful, loving Father in theirs.

[Delia Lloyd]

05:16 PM on 09/04/2010

Thanks! Love this story and so sorry for your loss.

[megwolff]

08:56 AM on 09/05/2010

Nice story, thank you!

[violettefemme]

08:53 PM on 09/03/2010

I'd like to love this story, but I'm left absolutely clueless as to how a stranger knew both your email addresses, etc? I found no resolution in the magic you are trying to portray here....could you clear this up for those of us who just don't get it?

Thanks.

[Delia Lloyd]

05:18 PM on 09/04/2010

sorry-to be more precise: she emailed her friend, suspecting it was "us" and her friend cc'd me on the reply.

[megwolff]

06:17 PM on 09/03/2010

Hi Delia,
Loved your small world story. Very heart-warming.
Hmmm ... do I have a small world story?, if I think of one, I'll post it. My friend Patty loves to call me with her small world stories.
Thank YOU for a great story.

[Delia Lloyd]

05:18 PM on 09/04/2010

thanks! glad you enjoyed it!

[WhatEverHappenedToGarp]

06:33 PM on 09/05/2010

I have been working on a book about rodeo for years. My best friend dog, Tippy, went everywhere I went. All over the southwest and north to Montana. We were together for 15 years, 2 months and 12 days. Then he died. I quit traveling for a couple of years. A rodeo producer called me to tell me about a rodeo west of Albuquerque and I decided to go. I took my other dog, Henrietta Blue Tongue.

I was standing in the arena waiting for saddle bronc to start and all at once it hit me that this was the first rodeo I had been that Tippy wasn't waiting for me in the truck. I burst out bawling and dropped to my knees. The rodeo producer saw me and yelled to not open the chute gate. Two cowboys came to me and helped me up and took me to the fence.

That is one of the most loving things that has ever happened to me. And the best part is that it was totally out of the blue.