I accidentally left my receipt at the self-checkout machine. A woman hurried over, waving it gently in my direction. “You dropped this,” she said with a kind smile. I thanked her, tucked it into my bag, and headed home, thinking nothing more of it.
Later that evening, as I unpacked my groceries, something unusual caught my eye. On the back of the receipt, written in quick, slanted handwriting, were the words: “Check your back seat.” My heart gave a jolt. For a brief moment, my thoughts spiraled — had I dropped something important, or was it some kind of warning? Curiosity won over fear.
I stepped outside and opened my car door, the cool air brushing against my face. There, tucked into the corner of the back seat, was my wallet — the one I had been searching for earlier that morning. A wave of relief and gratitude rushed through me. The woman must have seen it when I was loading my groceries but couldn’t get my attention in time, so she left the note instead.
That small gesture stayed with me long after. In a world where so many people rush past one another, she chose to notice and to help. It reminded me that kindness doesn’t always come in grand acts — sometimes, it arrives quietly, written on the back of a crumpled receipt, restoring a little faith in humanity when you least expect it.