Recently in the mail I received some coupons from Subway. Being recently retired and on a budget, I kept the coupons for a 6-inch sub for $2.99 as that felt like a good deal. The next Monday, I decided to stop there for lunch. It was busy and the crew behind the counter was efficiently making people’s lunches, and I was going through my purse, looking for my coupons. Not there. I saw what a sandwich would cost without the coupon, and, while searching through my purse, found enough change to make up the difference and went ahead and ordered my 6-inch sub.

I was mad at myself for losing those coupons, and probably, with my budget, should not have ordered the sandwich. When I got to the cashier, she looked at the woman who had just left and said, “And you want to buy this woman’s sandwich”?

I turned to look at her, someone I didn’t recognize, and she just smiled and said “yes,” that she felt that she has been very lucky in her life, and that buying a stranger a sandwich was a small way of paying forward.

I burst into tears. I think/hope I said thank you, but was completely overcome. The kindness of one stranger to another, and randomly being the recipient of that kindness, is overwhelming. I hope that the woman sees this, as I want to say a “sob-free” thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will look for opportunities to make a similar gesture. I know from experience it can make somebody’s day.

— Patti Daughtry