Chris Maclean: acts of kindness

Last year I was in a queue of parked traffic and noticed the car in front had a broken brake light. I got out of the car and spoke to the driver who thanked me. I returned to my car and sat down with a warm, smug, satisfied glow of self-righteousness. Only to get a tap on my window from the driver behind me who told me my brake light didn't work.

Sometimes genuine acts of kindness and consideration reap rewards quite unexpected.

It is frustrating in a business environment dealing with anonymous callers, call-centres and premium rate lines. I often have to pay extra for some of the basic services.

When I have to buy change I pay a percentage charge. If I don't use it and pay it back in I have to pay again.

So acts of kindness or generosity, even when there is no clear benefit to the giver, are a refreshing and welcome experience.

It is curious in this trade how generous and helpful many licensees are; something I tend to think we overlook.

I know, with absolute certainty, that should I approach any licensee with a request for change, gas cylinders, bottles of spirits or anything else they would do their utmost to assist me if it were in their power.

Two weeks ago, at an outside bar in the middle of nowhere, I ran out of mixed gas. I had brought the wrong type along. Faced with thousands of customers and no means of serving lager I was facing a disaster. I leapt into the car and visited the nearest pub. They checked their cellar but had no gas in moveable bottles. But they tried. I went to the next pub and there they had a spare cylinder. They lent it to me and disaster was averted.

But the extraordinary thing was that at no point were ID or security deposits required. No questions or judgements. Simply a recognition that I had a problem and they would and could help solve it.

I hope that spirit of trust and helpfulness continues. In a world so beset with cynicism it's nice to know there are friends out there.