friendliest people stories
 

I am gearing up for my annual Christmas in New Orleans vacation, and I just remembered the nicest thing that someone has done for me on a vacation. Several years ago, my husband and I were in New Orleans and were out touring the French Quarter. The weather turned cold unexpectedly and we were caught out without jackets. We are not big drinkers, but had drank one or two beers, and it probably showed. Anyway, we wondered into this little quilt shop in the quarter and the owner there commented on my being out without a jacket. When I told her I did not bring one, she insisted I take hers. She said just bring it back later on that night or the next day. I tried to protest, but she would not back down. She let a perfect stranger walk out the door with her jacket on. Not that it was a mink coat, but still.....She did not know if I was going to get drunk and forget where I got the jacket. As it was, we just hung out until 10 pm and then got the jacket back to her. I will never forget that small act of kindness. Any other great stories??

This isn't wonderful but it was still something I will always remember. I took my boys many years ago fishing in the Poconos on a mountain vacation. It was a private lake stocked with fish by the people. He had a crummy fishing pole, and he caught the largest fish ever in the lake. It was gigantic. He had his picture taken. He was only 10 years old. I did not have a camera and a fellower vacationer took many pics. He took down our address and mailed them to us. I thought that was very nice.

On a cold, rainy, foggy January Sunday in New York City a few years ago, a group of friends and I were trying to find an open subway station after we left the Statue of Liberty Ferry. We were heading for the World Trade Center (the only landmark visible where I knew a stop existed and would be open). Out of the blue, a lady walked up to me and said, "you look lost." I explained our situation and she directed me to a subway station on near Wall Street. I thanked her for her kindness and perception that I was lost. No sooner did we move on about a 1/2 block when I turned around to see where she was and she was nowhere in sight. I like to think she was an angel sent to help us! Or, if not an angel, then a New Yorker who completely dispelled any feelings that New Yorkers are rude. From that one incident that day, I always defend New Yorkers when people say they are rude!

Bert's post reminded me of one of my daughter's trips to NYC.<BR><BR>She was in high school and traveled to NYC with her drama class. She carried with her a treasured blanket which she has had since she was an infant which gives her a sense of comfort away from home. It is very much the worse for wear, however, as she has loved it and laundered it many times.<BR><BR>She inadvertently left it among the bedclothes one morning and the housekeeping staff gathered it up along with the sheets. When she returned from a long day, she realized what had happened and immediately rang the front desk who contacted housekeeping. <BR><BR>This &quot;blanket&quot; was in shreds. She had loved it for more than 17 years and it was in no way recognizable as anything other than a rag. The next morning, there was a knock at the door, and one of the housekeeping staff was standing there with this little, raggedy blanket folded as best as it could be in her arms.<BR><BR>I will always defend New Yorkers just on the basis of this encounter. <BR><BR>

Two stories, both related to northern Iowa blizzards. <BR><BR>When I was a child my family was caught in a blizzard on the way home &quot;from grandma's house&quot;. My father lost control of the car and it became stuck in a ditch. The four of us hunkered down to weather out the storm in our car, but were luckily picked up by the snowplow driver when he came by. He took us to the only hotel in town, which was (of course) very full. A kind family of 6, which did have 2 rooms, gave up one of their rooms for us so we wouldn't have to sleep in the hotel lobby. <BR><BR>Then when I was in my 20's, I was caught in a blizzard in northern Iowa myself. I stayed in a hotel the actual night of the blizzard and hit the road heading south again the next morning, but unfortunately the blizzard had been an ice storm further south and I was soon driving on glare ice and lost control of MY car when the people in front of me put on their braks and I ended up in the ditch. Same brave and kind woman stopped to pick me up (brave because any tap of the brakes could have caused HER to lose control of her car.) <BR><BR>I will always be grateful to these people.<BR>

When my son and I were traveling early one a.m. in the Philadelphia Suburbs my car began to overheat. He was only 3 years old. We had to pull over. It was extremely desolated. Little or no traffic. A woman in the oldest beat up station wagon I have ever seen came by. Not only was it old but filled with junk. She asked if she could help. I was somewhat leery, but got in and she took us to a dealer close by who towed the car and fixed it that very day. We were on our way shortly. That was 16 years ago. My son is now 19. For some odd reason, I always remember that day and that old woman in the old car who seemed to appear from out of no where at a time of need.

I have another great NY story. I was driving on the Cross Bronx Expressway one morning on my way to work (it was approximately 6am). All of sudden I heard a huge &quot;boom&quot; sound - I hit a brick in the middle of the road and one of my tires immediately went flat. I slowly drove to the nearest exit on the Cross Bronx Expressway (Third Ave) and ended up at a gas station parking lot - the gas station was closed of course. This event happened way before the cell phone &quot;revolution&quot; and it was still kind of dark outside. At the time, I was in my 40's, wearing a dress, driving a new Volvo, and never changed a tire before. The area of town I was in was well known for its very high crime. I waited for awhile in the parking lot - waiting for a police officer to drive by or another &quot;professional&quot; looking person. Noone showed up - suddenly 2 &quot;unsavory hoodlum&quot; looking characters in an old, beat up car with blackened windows approached my car. I was very nervous. They asked if I needed help - I said &quot;no&quot; but they pointed towards my flat tire and said they would change the tire for me. I remained in the car the entire time and didn't roll my window down. They changed my tire within a few minutes and started walking back towards there car - they never bothered me for money. I quickly started my car and drove towards them - I rolled my window down slighly and gave each of them a $20 bill and said thank you. I Love New York.

I know this is a US forum, but the topic is friendliest people. I am not sure how to define the subject. But I want to nominate two guys riding on a Paris Metro train last September 7 about 11 PM. We were at the Metro station in Gare de Lyon preparing to board a train on the Meteor Route, a train that is totally automatic -- no humans around anywhere.<BR><BR>As I was trying to board the car, the doors suddenly shut with no warning and clamped me in a vice grip. My arms were so tightly squeezed by the doors that I was trapped.<BR><BR>My wife was not strong enough to force the doors open alone. Two young Brits sprang to her aid and the combined strength of all 3 of them got the door open enough for me to pull my arms free.<BR>I am not sure if the term saviors or friends applies. What ever, they were guardian angels to me.<BR>Fortunately, except for minor bruises, I was unhurt.<BR><BR>

December, 1953. Two sailors stopped at a Baptist church in a small Virginia town for evening services on the way back to Norfolk. The Pastor invited the sailors to the parsonage for cake and coffee. Then some of the parishoners invited the sailors back Christmas caroling the next Wednesday. To their surprise, the sailors showed up and a wonderful friendship followed with several of the families from the church. I was one of the sailors and will never forget the warm welcome we received.

New York City. Manhattan.<BR>Was in NYC in 2000, and a friend and I were strolling the streets shopping in NY, when low and behold a gentleman walked up to me and told me I had &quot;money hanging out of my purse&quot;, I quickly put it back in and zipped it. I was very thankful there are nice/friendy wonderful people out there!! THANK YOU NYC!NY rocks!

A few years ago I was in Puerto Vallarta,Mexico for a week long vacation. My friend and I decided to go shopping. Somewhere on the way I lost my wallet. When I was purchasing some items, I realized it was gone. I was so worried, because it contained a credit card, cash, travellers cheques. Within a few minutes, a young local man came running up and said that he saw my wallet drop out of my purse and he had followed me until I reached a store. Nothing was missing and I gave him $20 for being so kind.

When I was a kid back in the early 70s, my family of 7 was on the way to Grandma's for Xmas. It was very late on Christmas Eve and our alternator went out. If you've ever had this happen, you know that your headlights dim and if you stop you are completely dead. We got off the highway in Canton OH and just that happened. Our car was towed to a garage and we cabbed it to a hotel. The next day my sister and I (the only 2 who didn't get the flu that day) walked to where the car was and collected 7 suitcases - yes - a 7 and a 13 year old carrying a total of 7 suitcases. It was about 10 blocks that we had to carry them. We were actually having a grand old time because we'd heave the load and walk several steps and drop them again laughing all the way. Pretty soon a woman and her 2 adult daughters came along in a Lincoln and offered us a ride. Now this was the 70s and we were carrying an impossible load so we took the ride. Of course, she thought we were running away from home ON CHRISTMAS DAY and kept asking, &quot;Are you sure you don't need any money?&quot; I was a very nice gesture and we were very greatful for the ride. The whole episode seemed like a sitcom script. To this day, all you have to say is Canton OH to any of my family and we all laugh!

NYC, May 2002. We were in NYC to celebrate my husband's 40th Birthday. It had been an unusually cold, rainy raw day. We had been sightseeing all day, we had not packed for the weather, and were wet and cold. One thing led to another and we got into a huge fight, we even missed our dinner reservation at the restaurant were we had planned for months to have the special BD dinner. <BR><BR>We ended up just going to the restaurant next to our hotel (NY Palace) don't even remember the name of it. Well, we were not speaking and I guess we just looked very miserable. Out of the blue, a complete stranger walked over to my husband and handed him a $65.00 gift certificate for the restaurant we were in. This man just put his hand on my husband's shoulder, stated that his party did not show, shook his hand and handed him the certificate. <BR><BR>The cert. was good for at least a dozen different restaurants and did not expire for months, so he certainly could have kept it for himself. Well it changed our moods instantly! <BR><BR>My husband was convinced that somehow this was a gift/sign from his recently deceased father, who was the same age as the amount of the gift certificate when he died! <BR><BR>The restaurant was very crowded, so I don't know why out of all the people there, he chose to give the cert. to us (perhaps we just looked so pitiful) but his kindness made all the difference that night and my husband enjoyed his 40th. I do love New York!

It is great to read all these nice traveling stories. Restores my faith in mankind. Sometimes it really is the small things that count, like the picture the man sent xxx from his (her?) fishing trip in the Poconos.

I was flying out of Charlotte airport after visiting my husband when they announced a gate change. I went to the new gate, sat down and thought of all the things that could delay the flight when an elderly Black couple came and sat near me. The woman asked if I had lost my pocketbook. I started to say no, looked down and low and behold I had come to the new gate with my carryon but left my purse on the floor near my seat. They did not pick it up ( even those this was pre- Sept 11th) but listened to all those announcements not to touch other people's bags . But they had told the desk agents - I made a mad dash to the desk and thank God my purse was there... saving me lots of aggrevation... my key, my money etc.