The kindness of strangers: a boy picked up my spilled shopping when I was too pregnant to reach the ground

5 hours ago 2

I was heavily pregnant with twins and doing the weekly grocery shop for our already-large family. Doing much of anything when you’re that big isn’t fun, especially as I was battling issues including constant, intermittent contractions. Bending over to load groceries into the boot was sure to set the contractions off, so I was already dreading getting everything into the car.

I wheeled my shopping trolley out to the car park, then got my keys out to open the car and put my handbag on the passenger seat. I’d turned around for a second but that was all it took for my trolley to start rolling away. Before I could react, it had shot away from me and tipped over, spilling its contents across the ground.

I immediately burst into tears, wondering how I was possibly going to pick everything up when I could scarcely bend over, while the people around me averted their eyes and kept walking.

Just as I was feeling totally hopeless, a boy of about 10 walked over and said: “Excuse me, would you like some help with your trolley?”

I nodded at him gratefully through my tears and together we managed to right the fallen trolley. We collected my groceries from the ground and he helped me load them into my car. I thanked him profusely and off he went, back to the supermarket to find his mum.

At a time when the adults that should have known better ignored me, this sweet child could see that I needed help and offered it. He not only gave me much-needed practical help but hope for the next generation.

My twins are 18 now, but all these years later I’m still grateful to that young man, who showed me that sometimes kindness comes in a small package.