It’s easy to feel like kindness is fading, but then someone surprises you in the most unexpected way, and you realise it’s alive and well, just quietly doing its thing in a little shop in Fish Hoek.
Western Cape, South Africa (23 April 2025) – An anonymous Good Things Guy reader shared a story with so much kindness yet, so simple and beautiful, it might just shift the way you see the world around you.
On a regular Saturday, they popped into the Gatti factory shop on Main Road in Fish Hoek… just a quick stop for some cooldrinks.
But what happened next turned an ordinary errand into something unforgettable.
After choosing their drinks, they made their way to the counter to pay.
The cashier, a kind-faced gentleman, greeted them but instead of just ringing up the sale, he pulled out his phone and asked gently, “Is this you?”
On the screen was a photo of them standing at the same counter, taken weeks before. A bit confused, they nodded yes. That’s when the cashier reached under the till and handed them a R100 note.
Still trying to make sense of it all, the cashier played a video. It was CCTV footage from the 23rd of February – 55 days ago – showing the exact moment a R100 note slipped unnoticed from their bag as they walked away from the counter. The cashier had seen it, picked it up, and held onto it ever since, quietly hoping they’d come back.
No fuss. No fanfare. Just quiet integrity, patiently waiting.
It’s moments like these that remind us honesty isn’t lost. That there are still people who choose to do the right thing, even when no one is watching. This wasn’t just about a forgotten note, it was about trust, care and the kind of small gesture that speaks volumes.
The reader ended their message with just three words: “Absolutely incredible!”
And honestly… it really, truly is.
Maybe that’s what we all need a little more of: unexpected kindness, unspoken integrity and stories that leave us smiling long after they’ve ended.
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