Acts of kindness

My faith in humanity has been restored with one amazing act of kindness.

I came out of Albra’s this afternoon, where a group of us had been enjoying tea and sandwiches and melted chocolate and things to dip into the chocolate and so forth, to discover that someone had dinged my car. Not a horrible ding, but white paint/scratches and a small dent. My new car. The one that I haven’t even been able to register yet (long story. Not going into it. I do finally have all the paperwork and bits I need, but I’m doing it after I get home from Canada and NY.).

I wasn’t exceedingly upset; I figured there was nothing I could do. I assumed that the person had just taken off.

I was wrong. There was a note beneath my windshield wiper; a phone number, “please contact me,” and “SORRY.” I was stunned.

When I talked to him, the poor guy was so apologetic. Another car had been turning around in the cul-de-sac and he’d backed up to get out of its way, and he said he’d felt so horrible, especially when he saw the car was new. I told him I was so touched by his honesty, that most people would’ve just left. I almost felt a little bad taking his insurance info, and even apologized that his rates would go up.

Really, he could’ve left and I never would’ve have known who did it. But he was honest and kind and decent and honorable, and while it’s a little sad that I expected the opposite, I’m overwhelmed knowing that people like that still exist in this world.

(I do know that people like that exist—I’m blessed with amazing friends. I think the fact that this was a stranger is what truly touches me.)