Both my cards declined tonight when I went to pay for a few groceries - I’d forgotten about a new direct debit I’d set up that was taking money out today to pay a bill.

I looked for cash in my wallet but I didn’t have enough so I asked the cashier to put a few things back.

A man behind me in the queue told the cashier to keep scanning and he would pay for everything. I tried to protest as I wasn’t buying necessities - just some extra snacks for my son to take to athletics tomorrow (my kids get extra snacks on rare occasions like excursions) but he said about four times that he wanted to pay for the items.

It was so lovely, and even more special that despite having different religions, genders, ages, beliefs, there was no barrier to empathy.

Thank you young man - I always read these stories, and try to help others when I can, and this time was the first that this had been done for me.

No doubt I will pay it forward.