Top Stories

People Share The Nicest Thing They've Ever Secretly Done For Someone

Yes. It was me.

Doing good deeds can be something contagious. And Lord do we need some beautiful contagion right about now. Pay it forward shouldn't just be an idea, it should be a way of life. Committing even the smallest act of kindness for someone, whether they are a loved one or a stranger, can change the course of so many lives. Being kind is a domino effect, a really great one. So pay for a coffee, hold a door... or just smile.

Redditor u/emceeizzy wanted everyone to fess up to the goodwill they've spread that they've also kept quiet about, by asking.... What's the nicest thing you've ever done for someone secretly?

Air for you....

cars shot GIFGiphy

While working hotel security I often put air in very low tires of guests vehicles in the parking lot.

Forsaken_Impress_910

That's such a nice thing to do! Nothing worse than coming out all set for your day and you have to deal with a low or flat tire!

Bee-Bopp

Those 3....

I saw a lady struggling with 3 children in a grocery store. She showed great love to the 3 even though they were giving her a hard time. I eavesdropped enough to learn that she couldn't afford half the stuff, if any, she was putting in her cart. She was so loving to those kids. Every word she said to them was soft and kind.

I knew the manager of the store very well. I went to them and told them about that lady. I then pointed her out discreetly. I gave the manager two hundred dollars and asked them to give it to the lady. I often wonder how things worked out for her in life.

vvg_artist

Paul Young

I have an unusual first name. Many years ago I got a signed photo from 1980s pop star Paul Young. I was having a clear out and so I googled someone with the same name as me. It wasn't easy but I found someone who was, fortunately, an academic at a university here in England. I posted the photo to him at his uni. Hope he liked it.

Terry-Thomas

Merry Christmas

merry christmas GIFGiphy

When I was a kid (probably 12 or 13), I gave up my Christmas presents for a friend. I grew up upper middle class, not rich, but we were comfortable. My best friend wasn't as fortunate as I was.

One year when my mom asked what I wanted for Christmas, I told her I didn't want anything and instead to give the money she would have spent to my friend's parents. She bought a Walmart gift card (or something similar) and left it in their mail box. To my knowledge, my friend never knew this happened and I would never bring it up. I'd be willing to guess his parents knew the money came from us, but not the circumstances surrounding it.

SugarRAM

I accidentally discovered.....

I had an acquaintance whose reddit account, I accidentally discovered. There she had a confession post of how lonely, friendless and depressed she was and how she used to cry to sleep. For the months following, I would try to talk her to sleep online so that she won't feel lonely or cry. Most of the time, I ended up sleeping first though lol. I introduced her to online gaming and used to play a lot with her. I tried to support her to be herself more and be more open. We are not friends anymore but I hope she is happy and doing better.

voidmalloc_emptiness

4 years straight...

Every day I used to walk past this old guys house walking home from high school. I read about old age and depression so I figured I'd be nice. I went and looked after his front yard (all overgrown) i planted flowers etc.

I would successfully do it for 4 years straight and one time he caught me and thanked me and told me about how his wife died and how he had no family etc.

Now in collage, the man died and I was lucky enough to go to his funeral. His lawyer told me that he left most of his estate to me. (Wasn't much but for me growing up poor it was everything)

It was a lesson to me about positive karma and to pay it forward. Answering any questions in the comments.

surmj05

"Oh my god, who left this here?" 

They stole 350€ and a phone from the dog shelter a few months ago, that all the money they had to feed the dogs for an entire month so they had to pay from their own pocket (which they couldn't because their job doesn't pay and so they has to skip meals because of it). So I bought a 250€ brand new Samsung Galaxy A30s, put it in a box with another 350€ in it, went there to do some voluntary work like I always do and left the box in their office and put a note on it saying "For the doggies at Akira", a few minutes later I heard a "Oh my god, who left this here?" And I was just saying "I don't know, it was there when I arrived"

Now the donations have to be supervised so I have to say this is a donation and sign a paper so I can't do secret donations anymore. I think that I've donated around 700€ there even tho I rarely earn money and I was planning to go on a little vacation, but the doggies are more important.

Jordiscu7

Being a Mover....

friends moving GIFGiphy

Not per se secretly, at least I didn't mean it to be a secret, but:

Was at a friend's birthday party. Friend lived on the fourth floor, no elevator. New neighbors were moving in right under his apartment on the third floor.

I smoke, but I won't do it inside a non-smoker's home (that's just rude), so every time I wanted to smoke, I had to go down the stairs and smoke outside the front door, which was fine.

Every time I walked back up, I took a bag or a small piece of furniture of the new neighbor's stuff with me and placed it beside their door.

KatKaleen

Add More....

When I was in high school I have some friends who cannot afford to textbooks. Their parents were farmers and they do not do well. So I gave my saved money to my homeroom teacher to buy them books and never speak about this. If I directly give books to them they may feel bad. Having get books from your teacher or from your classmates makes difference I believe. My teacher add more money to my money and buy-give them in other students in need I do not know.

Voiceless_Traveler

Good Luck Mate....

Morgan Freeman Good Luck GIFGiphy

Not really secretly, but spur of the moment. Few years ago I had swung by the grocery store to pick up a couple things after a long day, it was nearing 10pm the store was fixing to close.

So, there was only one checker open, and an older gentleman with a cart full of groceries ahead of me. After what felt like an eternity, his credit cards were being declined. And i overheard him tell the check he didn't have enough cash on him to pay for everything, so just before they were going to sort his groceries I spoke up to add it to my tab and ill pay. He was dumbfounded and nearly in tears. We shook hands and exchanged names. Never saw him again, i hope he landed on his feet.

copenhagen_bandit

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

REDDIT

The Most Unprofessional Thing A Doctor Has Ever Said To A Patient

Reddit user Monsah asked: 'What is the most unprofessional thing a doctor has said to you?'

surgeons looking down at patient

National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

"I shall do by my patients as I would be done by; shall obtain consultation whenever I or they desire; shall include them to the extent they wish in all important decisions; and shall minimize suffering whenever a cure cannot be obtained, understanding that a dignified death is an important goal in everyone's life."

~ English translation of the modern abridged Hippocratic Oath

It is the hope of those seeking medical help that the medical professionals providing it will be just that—professional.

But no profession is immune to bad days, bad attitudes or bad apples.

Keep reading...Show less
shallow focus of a woman's sad eyes
Photo by Louis Galvez on Unsplash

When it comes to making a point, the stronger language you use, the better.

Sometimes, this is true of insults too. If you use strong language, the insult may hurt more. This language may include curse words. A lot of times, cursing while insulting someone is a surefire way to make sure the insult lands the way it was intended.

However, this is not always true.

Redditors know it's completely possible to deliver savage insults without using curse words, and are eager to share their favorites.

It all started when Redditor ILikeExistingLol asked:

"What's an absolutely devastating insult without any cuss words?"

Bad Breath

""First of all, brush your teeth...""

– iSniffMyPooper

"I literally just brushed my teeth because of this comment. I was gonna put it off for a little later, but I couldn't after reading that."

– ClumsyGhostObserver

"A coworker who never showers, washes his clothes, or brushes his teeth was trying to intimidate me once and I told him the scariest thing about him was his breath. He hasn’t spoken to me since."

– Floptopus

"“Well, at least you have more teeth than IQ points.”"

– Average_Aloe

"About the same in his case, really."

– Floptopus

Yikes! That Face!

""I never forget a face. But in your case, I'll be glad to make an exception.""

"– Groucho Marx"

– chumloadio

""You have the face for a career in radio.""

– badmother

""...and a voice for print.""

– Byanl

If Only We Never Met

"I miss the feeling of not knowing you."

– Swivel_D

"I think Shakespeare once said something along the lines of "I wish we were better strangers.""

– Non_Music_Prodigy

Crime Against Humanity

"Have you ever considered that perhaps your low self-esteem is just good common sense?"

– pantsoncrooked

"I'd say shots fired but damn that's a nuclear warhead."

– RBpositive

Winston Churchill

"“He’s a humble man with much to be humble about.”"

"-Winston Churchill"

– Triton289

"Another Winston favorite: “Madam, I may be drunk, but you are ugly. Tomorrow, I will be sober.”"

– hdroadking

"Some lady: “If you were my husband, I’d poison your drink.”"

"Churchill: “If you were my wife, I’d drink it.”"

"May be slightly different wording."

– No-comment-at-all

"Lady Astor! She was an interesting person."

– Rare_Parsnip905

Wrong!

""I could agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.""

– shaidyn

""You're entitled to your opinion. It's wrong, but you're entitled to it.""

– a_in_hd

Tough Love

"A teacher called my son success-avoidant 3 years ago and he still thinks about that every day. But it did motivate him to get an A in that class, and all his other classes too!"

– OhSassafrass

"Damn, a harsh truth can be very motivating."

– InverstNoob

What I Like About You

"“Do you know what I like about you?”"

"When they say “what?”, you reply, “See? You can’t think of anything either.”"

– Axeman517

"These are always the most devastating ones, when you set them up to expect a compliment."

– TruCelt

"It's risky though. If they actually give an answer, like some cocky "that i'm hot?" or whatever, then you'll have to think fast."

– Ketcunt

""No, that's definitely not it. I'll keep thinking, I'm sure something will come to me.""

– OnionMiasma

Rumor Has It

""I had to see for myself, but people are absolutely right about you.""

"No cussing, no meanness, but they'll get paranoid about who's talking about them and their reputation."

– NinjatheClick

Intelligence Called Out

"Your grades say marry rich, but your face says study harder."

– rrashad21

"Please donate your brain to science, at least that way someone will actually use it."

– MembraneintheInzane

Oooh!

"You are impossible to underestimate."

"You never fail to meet my expectations."

– Zyhre

Hilarious

"You couldn't guess which way an elevator is going if you had three guesses."

– Edward_the_Dog

"I love this insult because you have a moment of silence afterward as the insultee pieces it together."

– -Envixity

I love that one; it's brilliant. I'm using this as soon as I get an opportunity!

office full of desks and workers

Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash

I once worked in a cubicle farm doing finance and accounting. A new employee disappeared just a few hours after the day started.

Eventually they were found.

On the floor.

Under their desk.

Sleeping.

They were promptly fired once they woke up. I wonder how their version of the story goes.

While that was a ridiculous way to be fired, for these folks, the employers were the ones with questionable judgment.

Keep reading...Show less

Anyone who has gone on a few dates knows a few things that they like and don't like to see in a relationship, and they definitely know what some of their dealbreakers are.

But there are some dealbreakers that, when looked at from the outside, are totally petty in nature.

Redditor bigdawgcat asked:

"What is the pettiest reason why you wouldn't date somebody?"

Food Allergies

"I have a friend who stopped dating someone because he found out they were lactose intolerant."

"His example of why was, what if I taste a really great dessert, and I want to share the experience with her, and she can’t even taste it."

- Horknut1

"I know someone who is allergic to alliums (garlic, onions, etc.). I could never date this person as there is no meal I could make which doesn't include them in some amount."

- Fixes_Computers

"Same with peanut allergies. I love peanut butter too much to start a relationship with someone who couldn't be in the same room with it, not when there are plenty of other wonderful people who can. If the allergy suddenly developed long into the relationship, that would be a different case."

- cottagecheeseobesity

The Ups and Downs of Physical Fitness

"A college friend of mine was dating a girl who was amazing, smart, and funny, and she had put on a few extra pounds recently, which bothered him (don’t shoot the messenger)."

"We were driving at night down a big hill on a hot summer night and saw a young woman running up the hill toward us, really sweating, face purple, and looking pretty haggard, huffing and puffing."

"He made a comment like, 'Holy s**t, this girl is struggling.' We got closer and realized it was her."

"Long awkward pause. 'Well, I’m going to have to break up with her,' he said."

"Fast forward six months, and we ran into her at a pub, and she was in absolutely perfect shape."

"When he tried to make a move, she told him aloud, in front of a table full of her friends, 'That she wasn’t interested in him, and that he had dumped her for getting fat.' Top five funniest takedowns I’ve ever seen."

"Fast forward 10 years, he’s been divorced twice and has had a long list of s**tty relationships. The end."

- Much_Progress_4745

Conspiracy Theory Investment

"If they’re into conspiracy theories. I dated a guy who was and it consumed his life. It’s all he talked about."

"I couldn’t even watch a movie with him because he would talk through the whole thing about how it relates to certain conspiracy theories…"

"I also could never enjoy my food. We would make a big dinner on Friday nights to start the weekend, we both had a long day at work... we’d sit down to finally eat and he’d pull out his phone and put on conspiracy videos, and he’d make me watch them sooo loudly while I ate. And he’d talk through all of them too."

"I could never tell him that I wasn’t interested or I just wanted to eat because he’d get mad. It ruined my whole meal... I think most people like to eat in peace.. also he’d spend hundreds of items he needed in case we ever got attacked by 'skin walkers'... Never again."

- Low-Sky-4812

Eating Noises

"They slurp when they drink or smack when they eat."

- just-say-it-

"Soup should be seen and not heard."

- Playful-Profession-2

Same Names, Same Problems

"I will never date or f**k another Anthony ever again. I’ve dated or had a relationship with three different Anthonys at three different ages and they all turned out badly."

- SylphofBlood

"I had a friend years back that had three bad boyfriends, one after the other, each more of a D-bag than the last. Each one was named Rob."

"When talking to her one night, having a few beers, she complained that she always attracts d**kheads and then she asked what she should do. So having had a drink or six, I just blurted out, 'Maybe don't date anymore Robs.'"

"Anyway, the next guy she dated was Steve... they got married."

- vejbok

Love for Animals

"My cat said hello to her and she didn't say hi back."

- StephenHawkings_Legs

"I had a one-night stand kick my cat off of the bed. First, never ever have I kicked a cat. But I did kick that guy out of my house and my life. Instantly. GET THE F**K OUT. NOW."

- e11spark

"Not petty. If someone ignored my dog greeting them, I would be put off, too."

- A-Yandere-Succubus

Unexpected Sleeping Arrangements

"He slept in those tiny no-show socks. Let me be clear, he didn't wear them any other time than when he went to bed."

"There were some other, more real, red flags, but when I saw him whip them out and put them on the second time we slept together, I legitimately thought to myself: 'Actually, I don't think I can fix this one.'"

- Potential-Plastic-66

Matching Clothes

"He wore the same shirt on both of our dates.

Get this, years later, I get into the elevator at work and he's there. IN THE SAME SHIRT."

"I wanted so badly to demand to know if he has multiples or just one! Or find out which department he was in and stalk him. Unfortunately, I had given in my two weeks and didn't work in that building often."

- SunflowerSeed33

Different Interests

"If a woman has a horse in her dating profile, you will never be more important than that horse."

"(It may be petty, but it's backed up by personal experience)."

- No-Hat-689

"Horse girls do really love their horses, so I believe you. And I can't blame you."

- dumpster_cherries

"Worst of all, if you break up with the girl you won't be able to see the horse again! Imagine how heartbreaking that would be."

- one-eye-fox

Social Media Schemes

If they have emojis like their signs, or money signs, or airplanes, or some s**t like that in their bio. Just seems like some scammer or Ponzi scheme s**t."

- UrinePulp

Weakness?

"Wasn't me, but a female friend broke up with a guy because 'his allergies were a sign of weakness.'"

"Yeah, I responded the same way you did."

- Street-Comb1000

"My brother believes this about my allergies. He thinks I 'shoulda grown out of it by now.' Infuriating."

- I_Stan_Kyrgyzstan

Finals Week Troubles

​"Because her eye was twitching while we were talking to each other. I was a dumb freshman in college. This girl was super attractive and smart, and we got along great."

"For some unfathomable reason, this made me want to not talk to her again."

"Later it dawned on me that it was during finals and she was heavily caffeinated and that can be a side effect. She dodged a bullet because I was a complete dingleberry, lol (laughing out loud)."

- Atlas88-

Deal-breaking Voices

"I briefly dated a young woman who was insanely out of my league. People stared when we went out."

"Anyway, her voice was like Minnie Mouse, and I just couldn't take it. I still feel bad about that one."

- Pickleliver

Dental Preferences

​"Not me, but I had a friend who wouldn’t date this guy because he had one crooked tooth. He was the nicest guy truly a wonderful person. Like if I hadn’t been in a serious relationship I would’ve dated this guy."

"Fast forward, he meets a wonderful woman, and they get married, and my friend was all weird about it."

"I asked why and she said, 'Well, I thought he liked me enough to get his twisted tooth fixed.'"

"It was the silliest thing I’ve ever heard."

- Foxy_locksy1704

Preferred Facial Features

"I knew and almost dated a girl who talked out the side of her mouth. I’m not sure if that’s the best way to describe it, but that’s all I thought about when she spoke."

"Like, the front of her lips barely moved, and it was like a weird little smirk kinda thing when she spoke. I couldn’t get past it."

- newadventures96

"Weird ick: people with big/wide mouths. Why can I see all of your teeth and the back of your throat while you’re talking? You don’t need to open it that much just because you can."

- burritoboles

When one Redditor wanted to hear others' "petty" reasons for not wanting to date someone, their fellow Redditors really delivered. While some of these could simply be a matter of taste, like finding some facial features attractive where others do not, some of these, like allergies, are pretty, pretty petty.