Kindness of a stranger

This is a tale of kindness, generosity and human decency.

I was 14 years old my brother was 12, it was a month till Christmas, Mum had been working extra, so that she could buy us both the only thing we had wanted that year. we use to travel a lot to Cambridge to see other family over new year and she knew getting us these portable games consoles would keep us quiet and stop the bickering and 'are we there yet' conversations.

It was Saturday when she made the attempt into town, one month before Christmas, she headed into the Game shop and bought us both a Nintendo DS one in silver and one in black, she continued her shopping and headed into the Argos shop down the road, to buy some games for us. she put the new games consoles under the desk as she filled out the paper form to collect the order. she placed her hand under the desk to get the bags shed rested under, and they were gone. Every bag, from her purse to the brand new consoles she had just bought to make two little kids very happy Christmas day, the bags with candles, body wash all the other little things for the rest of the family. The tears began.

As she sobbed, she walked over the counter where the busy workers were getting ready for the Christmas rush, someone came straight over to the crying mother of two,

'is there something I can help with' the young shop worker asked, my mother looked at the through the sobbing and managed to ask to speak to a manager or someone in charge.

Out came the manager, a young slim woman around the same age as my mother, long blonde hair and a kindness to her we were yet to discover. 'would i be able to see the CCTV' my mother sobbed, the woman without question took my mum into a small office and sat her down, got her a glass of water and asked what had happened, my mum then explained shed gone shopping to get a few presents for my brother and i for Christmas. that shed placed the under the table while she filled out the form to get us the games we had asked for and then she went to get the bags they were gone, she wanted ot see if it was possible to see who had taken them.

the manager, then called the police and checked the CCTV, she could see the bags there and gone, but the frame by frame out of date CCTV they had didn't show any further details. The police took statements and gave my mother a reference number. but she knew deep down that there was not a lot the could do.

after a long conversation with the manager, she took my mothers contact information and said if she found anything she would let her know. And my mum headed home disappointed that she could no longer get the things shed wanted for her children.

about 2 weeks passed and my mum got a phone call from an unknown number, the trusting person she was she answered the phone. It was the manager, she said shed got some information for her and would like to meet with her, so my mum gave her our home address and later in the day was when i met the manager. She came to the front door i was sat in the living room, working on homework. she came in and took a seat on the sofa with a cup of tea, i noticed she had a large rucksack but thought nothing of it.

she told my mum she had good and bed news, the bad new was there had been no development on the person who had taken the bags. my mum looked sad and sent me up to my room.

The manager continued to ask my mum how she was and if she had heard anything, she hadn't, so the manager with a big smile on her face told her the good news. for 3 days all the staff went into work in there casual non uniform clothes. to do this they had to pay 50 pence into a pot. the money that she had collected they went towards two Nintendo's and 4 games which she pulled out of the rucksack. one in pink for me and one in blue for my brother. my mother once again cried this time with happiness, she was shocked at the managers kindness and she hugged her and thanked her for saving her Christmas.

I was told of the kindness the manager had done for us. I understood that Santa didn't exist at this point. this manager didn't know us or even have to do such a kind thing but she saw a woman who was hurting and made it better. this act of kindness will never be forgotten or taken for granted, this is why i try in my everyday life to make someone smile even if its a small compliment or buying a stranger a coffee on pay day. there should be more kindness and positivity in the world. Thanks you Manager you've made an impact on my life even ten years later. i will never forget what that woman did for a stranger and her two children.