Sometimes, in someone's hour of need, you can be the good Samaritan that they desperately require. That's exactly what one young man did when he noticed a stranger's card had declined at the tills of a supermarket.
He wanted to help – especially because he noticed she was on her own and had "two young kids". However, what happened next left him mortified.
"When it was her turn to pay, her card declined. The cashier tried it twice, but it still declined, and when she asked the woman if she had cash instead, the woman said that she didn't. She was about to leave her things, but as it was only one loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter, I offered to pay for them," he shared on Reddit.
After he extended his kindness, he immediately regretted it. He added: "She thanked me and then asked if she could grab something else really quickly, and I found myself nodding because I was caught off guard. When she returned, "she came back with a carton of eggs, women's sanitary towels, milk and some toilet paper".
The kind chap felt the woman had taken advantage of his generosity, adding: "By this point, my brain just couldn't compute, and I just smiled and proceeded to pay for everything,"
The woman expressed her gratitude once more, and then they went their "separate ways". But it left a sour taste in his mouth.
He concluded his post by writing: "I am still trying to process what happened. It's not like she got luxuries, those were literally basic necessities, and if I were well off, I definitely wouldn't have batted an eye, but I am just a poor college freshman who was just trying to do something nice with the little that I have".
In the comments section, many commended the man's generosity. They suggested his kindness may have been crucial in helping the woman get by for another week.
One commenter remarked: "You did a nice thing and also learned about boundaries, probably for less than a therapist would charge you. Win-win!".
"You're a good person, but also remember that if you help a drowning person they can drown you too. When conducting a rescue, ensure to take steps to protect yourself.
"Put on your oxygen mask first before you help someone else, then help everyone you can. Also, she is clearly one notch away from being homeless if she can't afford pads with bread and peanut butter. You probably saved her life for a week."
Another added their perspective: "You do get one million karma points for your bank. Sorry, it won't pay your bills, but I promise it will pay dividends down the road. You're a good person".
A third commenter weighed in: "It wasn't a bottle of wine and fillet steak. She added some key essentials. Yes, it took advantage and the original poster needs to set boundaries, but, I believe you made a huge difference in this woman's week. Thank you for your kindness".
Meanwhile, a fourth wrote: "I would have been confused and done the same. At least you know for next time. I think she genuinely didn't pick up the other things she needed because she knew her card was getting close to being declined."
Story Saved
You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
