What a strange day this has been. I am not one to boast about my acts of human kindness because I hope I do them every day without thinking about it. Today, I helped a blind man find the train toilet, took him to the lost and found department at Bristol Temple Meads and then carried on chatting with him until he caught his connecting train. Thomas is a cyber security expert from Austria – OH MY GOD: AN ECONOMIC MIGRANT! – and he was great to talk to. Then I helped a very lost and very small muslim girl to find St Mary Redcliffe School where her best mate was waiting for her. Finally, I helped a disabled woman on a scooter cross the road by Bristol Parkway. All good things happen in threes.
I say all this not just to confirm what you already know – that I am an all round good guy! – because when you look for good things, you see them. The train staff at Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway were awesome, too, helping people on and off trains and generally being calm, considerate and highly professional.
Then I walked through the Broadmead Shopping Centre. Sadly, the streets are full of rough sleepers, many of whom do not look at all well. Strangers were stopping to talk to them, buying them warm drinks and food, giving them a few bob (I always recommend giving warm drinks and food because money is not always used in the correct way). The odd ambulance weaved through the chaotic roadworks in Bristol, with vehicles immediately pulling over to let them through. Police officers cheerfully gave directions to tourists, a stall holder at one of the pop up takeaways at the end of Corn Street chased after a woman who had forgotten her change. The more I think about it, the more good things I saw.
When I got back, I went to my local GP surgery to collect my usual industrial sized repeat prescription, having inadvertently left things to the last minute (you’re supposed to give them 48 hours notice) and they had got it ready for me. My profuse apologies were casually dismissed. It was no problem.
I say this because of the horrible week we have had, a week in which a crazed islamic fascist committed murder on our streets. One person did some horrible things, but today I witnessed endless acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. How much would Fatboy Adrian Elms have hated it? Not only is life carrying on as before, I’m becoming more aware of people doing good things. Here’s a final one.
The reason my new Austrian friend went to the lost and found department at Temple Meads was because a friend of his had left a suitcase on a train. He had reported it to the railways and it had been handed in. Thomas collected it for him, smiling at the nature of the British people” “This would not have happened in any other country,” he said. I have no idea whether this is true, but I am very proud that someone did hand it in and it will now be safely returned to its owner.
Most people are good people and do good things, often without even thinking about it. For every sick loser like Adrian Elms, there are millions of winners in the game of life. After a week like this one, good wins again.
