Have you ever been hugged by a complete stranger? Someone you’ve never laid eyes on before?
Well, I did barely lay eyes on his person as he hoisted himself from behind the steering wheel of his car and stood to his feet, and sort of laid eyes on him as he passed by the window in front of me. I didn’t know him from Adam – but he wasn’t an Eve, that much I could see.
Really my eyes weren’t focussed on him at all, but were fixed on something dark that had fallen to the ground as he stood up. Something that looked suspiciously like…
Oh, dear. I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me start again.
I was sitting at a table in a small corner of a bookstore, this corner they have set up as a coffee bar. I’d finished my coffee and was idly gazing out the window beside me when I saw this grey car drive up and park facing the store right in front of where I sat.
As I said, I saw this man get out of this car and stride purposefully toward the store next door. I saw something dark hit the icy asphalt when he stood up, so I jumped up and went out to see, because I thought it may be something quite important – like a wallet.
It was a wallet. I stuffed it into my pocket and hurried into the Dollar Store next door, looking for someone about his size, brownish jacket. I scanned the aisles and saw a good match but I wasn’t certain, so I approached him and asked, “Do you drive a grey car? Did you just park next door?”
“Yes,” he replied, looking puzzled.
“Did you lose something?”
He gave me a blank look, then slapped his back pockets. “My wallet!”
I pulled it out of my pocket and handed it to him. He moaned once and thanked me for it, then, in front of everyone in the store, he threw his arm around me and gave me a hug. Me, a complete stranger, someone he’d never laid eyes on before.
Can you imagine?! 😉
First published Aug 18, 2013
I CAN imagine! He appreciated you.
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One of those times when things work out just right. If I hadn’t seen the wallet fall, if someone else had found it lying there and had no idea who it belonged to, it would have taken a lot longer to be returned — unless it was still lying there when he went to pay and realized…
Thanks for leaving your comment. 🙂
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Yes, actually, I can. Did the same thing myself when someone returned my husband’s lost wallet 🙂
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I imagine you would. There’s a lot of valuable stuff in a wallet these days. 🙂
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I have done the same on the return of wallets, bags, dogs and occasionally, a missing child!
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What better way to say you’re really grateful? 🙂
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I would absolutely do the same if I valued something I lost that was found and given back to me. Encounters with strangers like that make my day. They don’t know who you are, your likes or dislikes, your perfections or imperfections and they give you a hug that sticks with you. Beautifully written as well.
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Thank you for your comment. In this day and age I fear too many people go “hug-less” for months at a time. 🙂
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Very true. Human touch is a very vital component for growth. Even a handshake can make someone’s life better.
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Awww … what a relief for him. I’m a hugger. Yes, I can imagine a gratitude hug.
Yet now, with all of the #metoo things going on. I’m a bit apprehensive. So Sad … !!!
I enjoyed this very much.
Isadora 😎
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Hugs are great things. None of us get too many, so use any good reason. 🙂
A dear old friend of mine often quoted her father, who was born in the 1870s. He was inclined to say upon hearing some new trend, “There’s no moderation in the human race.” While I don’t think harassment of any kind is okay, it does seem we’re getting a sudden media-blazing over-reaction to the problem. Studying history we see that, generally, this sort of thing results in some backlash.
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More hugs like this would make the world a more pleasant place!
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So true. Even more expressions like “Thank you. I appreciate what you’ve done.” 🙂
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Precisely!
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