The kindness of a stranger. By MT.

A couple of years ago, I had been really ill for a few weeks with a kidney infection. As I felt on the mend, I thought I'd walk to the supermarket and get some healthy food in to help me complete my recovery. It was a mistake - I still felt awful and, having done my shopping realised I was going to struggle to make it back. I hopped on the bus and got off round the corner from my house, feeling really faint and dizzy in the hot day. And then the bags started breaking. Shopping was falling out everywhere, it was a total nightmare and I thought about just sitting down on the pavement and having a cry.

Just then, a young guy pulled up next to me in his car and asked if I wanted a ride home. I accepted and explained that I only lived round the corner - about 20 seconds later we were there! I invited him for a coffee or asked if I could buy him a drink, but he said he had to shoot off. I was just so touched by the kindness and compassion of it.

When I told my friends they couldn't believe I'd just got into a car with a total stranger, and, in a way, I shouldn't have. But it's sad that the world has got to a point where we have to be so cynical about these things.