15 Strangers Who Made Ordinary Days Impossible To Forget

Some encounters stay in your mind long after they happen — whether they made you smile, cry, or question humanity a little. Sometimes, it’s a kind word from a stranger that lifts your day; other times, it’s an awkward or hurtful moment you’ll never forget. These stories prove that even the briefest interactions can leave a mark that lasts for years.

• When I was in college, I used to take the same bus every morning. One day, an elderly man sat next to me and noticed the textbook I was reading — something about philosophy. He smiled and said, “Ah, you’re looking for answers.” I laughed and said, “Aren’t we all?” He nodded and replied, “The secret is not in finding answers, but in asking better questions.” Then he got off at the next stop. I never saw him again, but that sentence changed the way I see life.

• I was working to pay my way through university when a woman approached me at my job (I had a job gathering carts for a supermarket). I was pushing a line of carts into the store when the woman and her son walked up to me. She then pointed at me and said, “This is why we stay in school.” To this day, I still get angry because of that obscene comment. © StoneTrain / Reddit

• Had a lady come up to me at the mall and tell me, “Your skin looks horrible, you should really go to a dermatologist.” The worst part was that it made me feel even worse because, although I had gone before, I couldn’t afford the medication. © SuperRainbowUnicorn / Reddit

• I was 18 or 19, with a tiny hip tattoo that could be seen just peeking over the waist of my jeans. I was at the mall with a girlfriend when an older man came up to me, looked me in the eye, and said, “You’re very beautiful.”
  Flabbergasted and not expecting that, I stuttered, “T-thanks?” Immediately, he stared at the tattoo and said, “It’s a shame you ruined your body like that,” then stormed away. I was so shocked I didn’t react and didn’t realize how rude his comment was until later. © puritycontrol / Reddit

• I was waiting at the airport when a little boy ran up to me, handed me a drawing of a dinosaur, and said, “He protects nice people.” His mom rushed over, apologizing, but I told her it was fine and thanked him. The flight was delayed for hours, and that silly little drawing stayed on my lap the whole time. I still keep it in my travel wallet.

• I was about 8 years old and going on a trip with my family. While going through airport security, some guy emptying his pockets accidentally dumped a ton of coins everywhere. I started to pick them up, and as I was about to hand them to him, he snagged them from my open palm and scolded me for taking things that weren’t mine. © Myoung581 / Reddit

• Two years ago, my boyfriend and I hit a rough patch that ended in us breaking up for six months. Right before we broke up, I received a text message from a phone number I didn’t know. The text read, “Just so you know, (boyfriend) is done with you. He’s tired of being with you and thinks you look like a man. Just leave him alone!”
  I immediately forwarded the text to my boyfriend, who called me asking what all that was about. We broke up shortly after, but not for the reasons the anonymous texter said. I still think about what that person said, and sometimes I get so down I cry. © med20 / Reddit

• When I was 5, my mom took me to Walmart one evening. She bought me a balloon, and on the way out, the wind ripped the balloon from my hand. I started crying, as any 5-year-old would, and a lady who was coming into the store to shop said, “Awwww, sweetie. It’s okay, let’s go get you a new balloon.”
  This kind woman, my mom, and I walked through the store and got a new balloon. She took me right to the checkout and made sure the balloon was secure. This was in 1995, and I still remember that interaction nearly 30 years later. © SpookiBat / Reddit

• One night, my daughter and I were sitting across from an old man who was sitting alone at a restaurant. I noticed him a few times listening to us talk.
  He got up to leave, stopped at our table, and said, “Hello there, I’ve been watching you two, and I just felt like I needed to tell you something. Cherish these moments because they are gone way too fast. I’ve lost just about everyone in my life—my wife and daughter included—and for now, I live to see moments like this. Your daughter is beautiful, and just please cherish every second.”
  This man walked away, and I instantly started crying because I already knew how fast time was going. I always tell myself to cherish these little moments with my daughter... I’ll never forget that old man. © thelilmandan / Reddit

• I was on the London Underground many years ago on a train that was just pulling away. In a fleeting moment, I made eye contact with a guy on the platform, and he started smiling and running alongside the train, comedy-style, waving to me until the end of the platform. It still makes me smile thinking about it now. © Unknown author / Reddit

• One evening, my car broke down on a quiet road. I was nervous — it was getting dark, and my phone battery was dying. A man on a bike stopped, offered to help, and spent half an hour fixing my flat tire. When I thanked him and tried to pay him, he said, “Just help someone else one day. That’s payment enough.” He cycled away before I could even ask his name.

• I was having lunch alone at a café, feeling low after losing my job. A woman at the next table noticed my tear-streaked face and sent over a slice of chocolate cake with a note that said, “You’re not done yet. Better chapters are coming.” I never saw her again, but that little note is still pinned to my fridge. She was right — things did get better.

• Years ago, I was standing in line at a bakery on Valentine’s Day. I’d had a truly awful day at work, was tired, and just wanted the day to end.
  An elderly woman in a blue coat was in line ahead of me, wearing a pink camellia in a buttonhole. I complimented the camellia and told her they always reminded me of my grandmother, who grew them in pink, white, and red. We chatted a bit until it was her turn to order.
  As she was leaving, she slipped the camellia into my hand and said, “Happy Valentine’s Day from your grandmother. She would be so proud of you.” I held it together long enough to pick up my order, but definitely cried once I got to my car.
  I still think about the woman in the blue coat from time to time. Her simple act of kindness has remained with me for over a decade. © aelizabeth27 / Reddit

• I was a kid, and a gentleman at the next table in a restaurant could speak six languages or so. He gave examples of a few. I was so impressed and, since then, wanted to learn languages. I now speak six fluently, plus a couple more at a basic level, so it had a real positive impact. © Turicus / Reddit

• When I was about 10, my dad took me to the park, and I fell off the swings. A stranger who was jogging stopped, checked my knee, and said, “You’ll have a scar, but scars are just proof you were brave.” That moment stuck with me. I’m 30 now, and every time I see that tiny scar, I think of the runner who turned my tears into pride.

Some encounters are unforgettable — but not always for the right reasons. And sometimes, it’s not strangers who surprise us, but the situations themselves — like these vacations that started perfectly and turned into total chaos.