Secret Santas?

[Ghost]

http://news.yahoo.com/anonymous-dono...221000605.html

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The young father stood in line at the Kmart layaway counter, wearing dirty clothes and worn-out boots. With him were three small children.


He asked to pay something on his bill because he knew he wouldn't be able to afford it all before Christmas. Then a mysterious woman stepped up to the counter.


"She told him, 'No, I'm paying for it,'" recalled Edna Deppe, assistant manager at the store in Indianapolis. "He just stood there and looked at her and then looked at me and asked if it was a joke. I told him it wasn't, and that she was going to pay for him. And he just busted out in tears."
At Kmart stores across the country, Santa seems to be getting some help: Anonymous donors are paying off strangers' layaway accounts, buying the Christmas gifts other families couldn't afford, especially toys and children's clothes set aside by impoverished parents.

[madvlad]

That's awesome, good to know there are people with a helpful heart out there.

[bulldog]

Actually happened to me once at Wal-Mart. Lady in front of me told the cashiers to put my stuff on her card. I was so shocked and told her I could pay for it, but she said no "Merry Christmas". One of the nicest things any stranger ever did for me.

I had no kids, dressed normal, so not sure. I guess it was right around the time my ex-wife left me so maybe I looked really sad and she saw that.

[grim]

My buddy I was in the navy with was telling me yesterday that he saw a kid who asked his mom If he could have a hat when they were at the store and she said no we can't afford it right now. He grabbed the hat and got in line behind them and the lady actually had to refuse some items she had intended to buy because she did not have enough money. He bought the hat and the things she could not buy, caught them in the parking lot and gave them to them. nice guy!

[Dr. Joe Siphek]

maybe I looked really sad and she saw that.

sorry nate, but you always look sad it's probably b/c she saw you were mexican and figured you were poor.

Oh yeah, great story...if i was rich, i'd probably do that too

[mtnairlover]

You don't have to be rich to put a smile on a person's face. Or to let someone know that there are people in the world who care.

Glad I read this thread. I've been feeling pretty pissy with my fellow person lately because of all the negative stuff coming out of people's mouths. Good to know the world really hasn't changed...only my perspective. I'm glad I got it straightened out.

Gives me an idea too...hmmm...might have to troll a lay-away counter or two to get my smile on. And no, I ain't rich, but I can afford a coupla extra bucks.

[bulldog]

sorry nate, but you always look sad it's probably b/c she saw you were mexican and figured you were poor.

Oh yeah, great story...if i was rich, i'd probably do that too

Ok, sadder than usual....hardest period of my life

[modette99]

It is a good feeling helping people out. My best has been a guy that was looking all over his truck for money when I was at a gas station once in Michigan. I watched him for a bit, then he asked me and you could tell he was embarrassed asking for a little gas to get to his job interview. I swiped my card and I began to fill his tank, I decided what the hell I can spare the cash and fill him up....he started to say "stop, stop stop" your going over. I said, "I know but I want you to have gas to get to that interview, and get home and not be stuck". I said just remember this and do it for someone else sometime.

Probably the most grateful I had ever seen anyone.

The store thing would be hard for me to do, I don't typically shop at those places. But if I overheard a conversation and I felt yeah these people need help for their child, why not. You don't have to be rich like mtnairlover mentioned, just need to be able to spare $100 maybe not even that (depends what is on layaway).

Good story....

[WolFeYeZ]

Yea, this is something really hard to do when you don't have much money yourself but I had some lucky circumstances come up a couple weeks ago that let me help two homeless guys that sit outside my office in London. For lunch my company ordered a bunch of pizza for everyone and they insisted since I was in college that I take the leftovers home. On the way out the guys asked for money as usual but they took me up on the offer for dinner instead. So I got to have a nice dinner of cold pizza with Phil and Smith that night, who turn out to be pretty cool guys. One had a college degree in some sort of engineering and the other used to do street performances. It really was a good experience for all 3 of us.

Ive seen that gas one before modette and its pretty important not to get suck far from home with no gas. *high fives*

[mdub]

goodness gracious bunch of frking softies....JK...I have seen alot sad things in this world i try to help out when i can.

[Ghost]

One of my best friends volunteers at a homeless shelter, and she's always commented that the majority of their donations come from low-to-middle class people, in other words, those closest to being poor themselves, and those with the least to spare.

Stories like these, and the ones you guys have done are definitely heartwarming, but the disconnect is on the social level--why we as individuals will occasionally do something like this, but yet as a society we can't be bothered (on the whole) to really take action and fix all of this...

But, I don't mean to derail the good tidings, or quash the good deeds.

Maybe none of us can fix the world, but perhaps if we do our Little Good Deeds it'll somehow make a difference--or, if nothing else, you can feel good about what you did.