The coat I’m wearing in this photo is a high quality wool coat made in Britain - but I got it for free!
In 1994 when i was a poor student in Edinburgh (actually poor, not pretending to be!) I went into a second hand charity shop in Morningside Road (‘Save the Children’ charity, i think it was, may still be there), and tried this coat on. It fit me just right.
There was a Scottish man there in the shop, of about 60 years of age, who I did not know and never saw again, who looked at me trying on the coat and said:
‘That look’s as if it wiz made free ye, son. Perfect fit’
‘Aye, its nice' says I 'But its 8 quid and I don’t have that.'
‘Oh that’s a shame... Ok, I’ll buy it for ye’ says he, reaching into his jacket for his wallet.
‘Really? Oh thanks!’ says I, in surprised delight.
‘Nae bother, son. Here ye go’ and hands over the £8 to the sales lady.
…and 24 years later I’ve still got the coat, here in Japan. I wore it today and took this photo now.
How's that for natural kindness we humans can show each other?