surprising acts of kindness

My sister and M have a mutual friend. I'll call her Jan.

A couple of months ago Jan is skiing in Colorado. Feeling great.  A few weeks after coming home, she doesn't feel well, goes to the ER, and gets diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. It's devastating news. Totally unexpected.

But this isn't about the battle Jan is now fighting. It's about two people she barely knows, and the humanity and kindness they extend to her, just because.

Jan has been a customer of Saks (in Boston) for many years, and has worked with the same salesperson for most of that time. Jan decides to return a recently purchased dress and pair of shoes after getting her diagnosis. The desire for more clothing has been supplanted with more important desires. So Jan mails the clothing back to her salesperson at Saks, with a note explaining the reason for the return.

A few weeks later Jan gets a package in the mail. She opens it to find the clothing she had returned. My first thought, when M is telling me the story, is, "Oh, no, I can't believe the salesperson would return the items because it was over 30 days." But no, that's not the story M is telling.

The salesperson includes a note with the clothing, telling Jan how sorry she is to hear the news ... and then goes on to say that she would like Jan to keep the items, as she knows Jan loved them enough to purchase them. "And don't worry, you won't be charged. I will credit your account in the full amount."

And then yesterday, M is with Jan at the Apple store and they are getting watches. They are being helped by a big strapping guy who looks like an NFL running back. In the course of the purchase, it comes up that because of Jan's recent diagnosis, she now has to keep track of her heartbeat, and that's one of the reasons for getting the Apple watch. 

But Jan would love one of the very-cool mesh bands that costs about $200. M decides to surprise her and give it to her as a gift. When the salesperson is ringing up M, she says, "And don't forget to charge Jan's mesh band on my purchase." He looks at her and says, "Nope. I'm including the band for her as a gift." This, from a complete stranger!

Though I risk sounding sappy, these stories really do reinforce my belief that people are generally kind and compassionate.