"I will always remember that gesture": Derbyshire man seeks mystery good Samaritan who paid for M&S Christmas shopping
A Chesterfield retail worker is appealing to Derbyshire Times readers to help him return the kindness of a mystery woman who generously paid for his Christmas shopping at M&S when he found he had left his wallet at home.
Vic Ruck, 65, popped into the Ravensdale Retail Park store on Sunday, December 21, to pick up a few last minute gifts and groceries, only to discover at the checkout that he had wasted his 15-minute walk from home.
He said: “I was at the self-service tills, scanned everything through then put my hand in my back pocket and realised I’d forgotten to bring my wallet with me.
“It wasn’t a dire emergency, I could have done without or gone home to get my wallet. I don’t think I swore but I might have done. As I was explaining to the checkout supervisor, the woman at the next till said, ‘I can pay for that.’
“I think she thought it was just a pint of milk, she couldn’t see the rest of my shopping, so when I told her that she said, ‘Never mind, it’s Christmas.’”
He added: “I really should have refused this overwhelming act of kindness, but I simply didn’t and in a stroke of a bank card someone had committed an astonishing act of altruism.”
Altogether the bill came to about £30 and the good Samaritan was gone in a flash, while Vic was so dumbfounded by the gesture that he did not insist on paying her back.
He said: “It would have left a noticeable hole in even the most affluent person’s bank account. I left the store and walked home in a state of incredible gratitude to this unknown person and with the heart-warming knowledge that there are still people out there who are capable of such high minded deeds. I went home just amazed someone would do that.
“I very foolishly and unthinkingly suggested that I, a total stranger, could be given her contact details in order to pass it back – then immediately realised that might be inappropriate to ask of a woman I’d just met. How easy it is to open one’s mouth and let words pour out before the brain can think about it.
“However, after many second thoughts, I have developed the sense that I should try, at least, to get the money back to this anonymous hero. At the time, I said that I would ‘pass it on’ if or when I came across someone in a similar situation. However, nearly two weeks later, this just does not seem good enough.”
The whole incident passed so quickly that Vic has little information to direct his search, only a guess that the woman was in her mid-30s, with dark hair and shopping in store around 2pm on that day.
He said: “I would like to use the Derbyshire Times and its readers to help me reach out to this kind person. Does any one know who this person is? Is she actually reading this?
“Alternatively, if people can think of a suitable charity to pass on the relevant amount of money, I would be very grateful. I’ve got 30-odd quid in my bank that shouldn’t be there.”
He added: “I am already so extremely grateful to this very kind individual and would like to take this opportunity to say thank you so very much once again. I will always remember that gesture.”
Anyone who might be able to identify the mystery shopper can get in touch with Vic via [email protected].