17 people share the coolest thing they've ever done for a total stranger.

Helping a stranger out for no reason other than giving back to the vicious and enchanting cycle of karma can be a highly rewarding endeavor...

So, when a Reddit user asked, 'What's the coolest thing you've done for a total stranger?' people were ready to brag about their favorite good deed. Remember: buying a drink for the person behind you in the Starbucks line to 'pay it forward' usually only stresses the barista out more than it makes someone's day, but it's the thought that counts, right?

1.

I used to go to a drive through coffee shop on my way to work every morning. While I was waiting to order I saw a dude in the car behind me with a his kid and they looked like they were talking and the dad sadly shook his head and the kid sadly drooped his head, he was probably like 9 or 10. I'm thinking the dad doesn't have enough to get his kid a little hot chocolate or something.

So I order and get to the window and tell them I want to pay for the guys stuff behind me and add a hot chocolate to their order. Come to find out all that's on the order is a small hot chocolate, so the dude was just there to get his kid something knowing he couldn't get anything and the kid was sad about it. (this is all assumption by the way) So anyways, I tell them to add a large black coffee and upsize the hot chocolate, so they do and I just drive off.

The next day when I got my coffee the guy who works there reaches out the window like he wants to shake my hand and I look at him weirdly and he tells me how the guy teared up when they gave him the coffee and hot chocolate and that it was paid for so he just gave them the money he had and said to pay for the person behind him if it would cover it.

The coffee shop guy said it went on for 22 cars before the poor girl didn't have enough cash to pay for the like, 4, large drinks the person behind her had ordered. He said it was the coolest display of humanity he'd seen in awhile and wanted to shake my hand, so I did and he gave me my coffee free that day - LysdexiaSC

2.

I made a bouquet of (about fifteen) roses for my (then) girlfriend for Valentines' day (I grow roses). I was sitting on the bus across from this girl that was about three years younger than me. I sat down, put the vase of roses on the seat next to me and prepared to send me girlfriend a text message.

Then I heard her. Bawling her eyes out. The girl across from me had seen the flowers and (I'm guessing) had broken up with her boyfriend a few days prior, and just started crying. When my stop came, I gathered four roses from my bouquet and said 'Look, these were for my girlfriend, but you look like you could use a few.

Happy Valentines Day!' and handed her four roses. The anonymous girl grinned from ear to ear and let out a sheepish 'Thank you...'. I smiled back, turn 'round and got off the bus. - mordicaii

3.

I saw a child crying and not consciously trying to be nice I handed him a little wooden turtle I had just bought. I wasn't even thinking when I did this and he immediately stopped crying and looked up to me. I smiled and patted his head. It felt strange but very warm. - myfirstpancake

4.

I was traveling home and stopped in a gas station. When I went to pay there was a very young couple in front of me talking and I couldn't help but overhear them discussing the fact that they had $20 between them, which they were not sure would get them home and they didnt have enough money to buy anything else. I thought to myself that they had a long trip in front of them (gas was less than a $1 a gallon at the time).

When they got to the clerk, I reached over and handed the clerk my credit card and told him to fill their car with gas. The couple turned and looked at me and then she started to cry. I told them to go get some sandwiches and drinks and that I would pay for them also.

They thanked me, a lot, too much and I just said that if they ever got the chance and were able to, to do the same for someone else, just like someone had done for me fifteen years earlier and really saved my bacon and allowed me to get home at Christmas time. I hope they have done that. - Sturdy_Muffin

5.

A couple years ago I had a Mustang, and one of the things that I did was replace my factory headlights with new ones off eBay. I was a student at the time and had noticed another Mustang, same color and all, frequently parked in the deck near me. One day I saw that someone had broken out his headlight, so I went home, grabbed my original one, bagged it up and left it at his car door. The next day he/she put it on. Feels good man. - ncsubowen

6.

It was pouring down rain one afternoon and I was in Arby's Drive Thru. The Speaker box was broken for taking orders, so they had one employee to stand by it and relay your order to the kitchen via walkie talkie. The poor guy didn't even have an umbrella, so when I drove up I gave him mine. And unsuspectingly when I went to the window to pay for my food, they didn't charge me. Good Karma begets Good Karma. - zombielunch

7.

I was in DC buying a metro ticket to get back to my friend's house and saw a Mother and 2 children trying to figure out the kiosk. They seemed confused with the calculating the stops and American money and I asked if she needed help. Turns out they were Australian and I helped them get their metro passes and the right change. Small and took like 2 minutes, but saved her a headache and missing a train - Confettiwords

8.

Two summers ago, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy. Since it was a college program, I had a bunch of friends there as well. The night before we left, we all had to clean out our apartments. While cleaning out our refrigerators and pantries, we realized we had purchased more food than we could possibly eat (typical Americans).

Not wanting to waste all this good food, we all bagged up our leftovers and took them to the homeless crowd that often gathered outside the Santo Spirito church. It felt great to give them probably a weeks worth of food. A few tears were shed as they kept saying 'grazie mille' (thanks a thousand). - Him_he_hershey

9.

When I worked at Kohl's I gave discounts if I f*cking felt like it. One super dead night, a little girl and her mom walk up to the register. The little girl is buying one of those 'onesies' and has $20 bucks in her hand. The onesie is a little over $20 so I gave her some bullsh*t discount that brought it down to $18. The mom was very grateful and the little girl's smile as she walked out holding her bag was priceless. F*ck you, Kohl's. - pata_rajada

10.

I was at a bar with a friend one night when I noticed one of the particularly drunk girls leaving. One of the shady guys who'd been sitting by himself the whole night watching the women got up and followed her out. I told my friend what I noticed so we walked outside to make sure nothing was up.

The guy asked her if she needed a ride home, so before she could reply we walked over to them and my friend asked if either one of them had a cigarette he could bum. The girl handed him a cigarette and so we stayed there a bit to chat with her. The creepy dude glared at us a bit, but finally gave up and went back inside. We called her a cab. Glad to know we very likely prevented something. - [deleted]

11.

Never anything dramatic or lifesaving, except that I give blood. I was walking home once, and stopped off in a park. Bluebells were out, and I went round gathering up all the ones that had been snapped off (I dont pick ones that are still growing) to bring home for the kitchen. On the road, there was a woman, red eyed, head down, looking totally forlorn. She made eye contact with me and I held out the bunch of bluebells to her. She took them and I smiled and walked away. I glanced back and she was watching me, with a huge grin on her face. - beebopshawobadop

12.

I held an old lady's hand as she went down the metro escalator. She just approached me, explained how she had slipped and fallen recently and could use a hand. I guess it helped that she reminded me of my grandmother. - dickage

13.

When I was in college, I came down my stairs and saw a dog with no leash or owner in sight. I sat down in the stairs and put my hand out. The dog came right over and was very nice. So I thought the owner may live near, and his dog got out. so I went upstairs and got a makeshift leash, and got the dog some lunch meat and a bowl of water, and noticed he had a mud covered tag.

It was friday at 4:55 and the city office was closing. since i knew it belonged i took the dog in for the weekend, till I could call monday. I bought some food, a leash and a toy for the dog. I called monday and found the owner, and he was missing his dog for 3 weeks. He cried, I cried. He tried to give me 100 bucks and said that's all he could afford, but I gave it back. The dog was very sweet, well behaved, never barked. - MrZachAtak

14.

I was flying Southwest back from a family trip. If you haven't flown SW before, there are no assigned seats. Basically you line up by a number on your ticket prior to boarding and pick whatever seat you want once onboard.

When I got on the plane, I saw a man waving to me out of the corner of my eye. He was a larger gentleman who was sitting in the aisle seat of his row with a man sitting in the window seat. The middle was empty.

When the line moved up and I had reached his row, he asked if I would please sit in the middle seat. I was confused by this, but he quickly explained that he only flies SW and once onboard, he looks for the smallest person possible to sit next to him in the hopes that it won't be uncomfortable for anyone. (I'm not exactly 'small,' but I'm a girl and somewhat petite.)

I figured what the hell and sat down. We sat comfortably the whole flight with him placing his hands on his stomach so as not to intrude on my space (even though I told him I was fine.) We talked and joked the whole time and it was one of the best flights I've ever had. - linds360

15.

Found a kid crying in a locked bathroom, lights turned off. Turned out he was being bullied, so I bought him a candy bar. - PseudoFake

16.

One day driving home I was waiting at the intersection for the light that goes straight into the apartment complex. It's rush hour and I'm watching the passing traffic and I notice a car moving super slow with the indicator on for the next turn.

People are honking and then I notice there's a guy pushing his pick up truck, that had broken down, from the driver's side window. Immediately I put my car into park and fly out to go help him.

(I'm a slender girl and at the time I was 16 and wearing flats and a floral skirt and I had literally jumped out of a big black SUV) I ran over and started to push from the passenger side window. Suddenly, the people from the cars behind mine jumped out and some big guys from the nearby taco bell ran out to come and help too. And all he time I couldn't help but wonder if anyone else would have done anything if I hadn't. It still makes me so happy thinking about that good deed - lyfeinredd93

17.

I was waiting in line to pay at the vet, and the guy in front of me was $25 short. He said he would be able to pay on Friday (I think it was Tuesday). The receptionist said it was their policy that they were not supposed to let the pet go without full payment.

This meant he would have to be charged extra for them keeping the pet overnight and the pet would have to be away from home for 3 more days. He went into one of the exam rooms to talk to the vet about his cat. I told the receptionist to put the rest of his bill on mine.

Two days later I got two cards, one from the Vet thanking me for being kind to fellow customers, and the other from the guy who was short on cash. I felt amazing for the rest of the week, best $25 I've ever spent. - Yondee