Stranger reminds mum kindness really is all around

Reporter Zasha Whiteway-Wilkinson describes how a random act of kindness made her five-year-old son’s day (and, truth be told, her own...)

WHEN I popped into Sainsbury’s to pick up some food the last thing I expected was to almost be reduced to tears at the self-service checkout.

But this is exactly what happened after a touching encounter with a stranger at a Gloucestershire supermarket.

I took my little one, Isaac, five, into the shop near our house to pick up groceries and, having spent a considerable amount of money on making memories over the bank holiday weekend, the last thing I could do was spend more on non-essentials.

So when Isaac ran up to me asking in a gentle, small voice whether he could have the all-singing, all-dancing Paw Patrol: The Movie magazine, there was only ever going to be one answer.

Responding in the negative, briefly referencing our weekend away and being thin on the ground for a few weeks until pay day, he said: “OK, Mummy, I hope it’s still here when we get paid.”

As sad as it makes me to have to say no sometimes, I try to say yes when I can but as most parents know – you just can’t give unlimited things, both for the sake of your wallet and, frankly, life lessons.

This day though, it seemed the universe wanted to teach Isaac a lesson on human kindness as well as “money doesn’t grow on trees”.

Fast-forward to standing at the checkout scanning our pasta and mushrooms when suddenly I got a

tap on my shoulder. Turning around I saw a tall man with slightly greying hair thrust said magazine in my hands, saying: “I just wanted to buy this for you.” I was still looking at the magazine and said: “Are you sure?!” When I looked up, he was gone.

I’m not expecting a joyous reunion over the encounter or a world of praise, because the gentleman did not seem like he wanted anything like that, except to do something nice and help a family out.

It was a huge thing for myself

and Isaac, who hugged the magazine tightly when I told him and jumped up and down squealing.

In a world seemingly brimming with sadness and bad news, it’s small, genuine acts like this that remind us kindness does exist out there.

So if you’re reading this, mystery man from Sainsbury’s (you know who you are), thank you from the bottom of my heart for making mine and my little one’s day – and I hope that kindness comes back to you threefold sometime soon.

Isaac Whiteway-Wilkinson with his Paw Patrol magazine