The kindness of strangers, a knock at my door…

I recently returned from a whirlwind trip to the Netherlands, driving a panel van from Oxford to Maastricht helping a family friend collect furniture that had been in storage for some years.

The trip was long: driving and ferry crossings of 10 hours each way, with the added bonus of an unexpected delay caused by Friday evening traffic on the E40 motorway near Brussels. But all went according to plan and we returned home safely, furniture on board.

However, 24 hours later when I returned the hired van, I realised with sinking dread that my wallet was missing. It contained all the items you’d expect which obviously meant a lot of personal information was who knows where. Stress, aggravation and the worry of identity fraud came into very sharp focus.

Frantic, I retraced my steps, calling the hotel, the ferry company, and van rental office. Despite my efforts, I was unable to track down my wallet and resigned myself to the cold, hard fact that my wallet was well and truly lost. Deeply unsettled by the situation, I set about cancelling all my cards including my driving licence and ordered replacements.

I certainly wasn’t expecting the knock at my door some 48 hours later. The man who’d rented the van directly after me had dropped his pen down the side of the driver’s seat. In a serendipitous twist, he’d discovered my wallet wedged behind the seat and the bulkhead.

I welcomed him warmly into my home, we shared a glass of wine and some good conversation and early Christmas greetings. It turned out he was a builder and had rented the van as his was off the road. He’d taken a 20-mile detour on his way home on a dark and windy night to return my wallet to me in person, wanting to make sure I received it safely. This very generous act renewed my faith in human kindness and left a lasting impression, for which I am immensely grateful.

By way of a thank you I asked if he supported a charity, and I have today made a donation to the cause he shared with me. During times when all there seems is hate and greed, it’s good to be reminded that here are millions of kind, honest people in the world.