Location: Dallas/FortWorth(DFW) Airport, USA
True story and nope i am not in pic
Incident as narrated by original writer
This happened with me when I was heading back to India with my team after an International Aero-Designing Competition.
We were carrying two large crates as can be seen in the picture below.
(This pic is from Kolkata airport)
In the returning flight, both of our crates were tagged as "exceeding baggage dimensional allowance" by Qatar Airways and a penalty of 130 US dollars was incurred on each box.
We, three, having a little more than 70 dollars in total were left forsaken in a foreign country. After all our efforts for persuading and negotiating with the supervisor at the airline check-in counter went in vain, a man, maybe in his late 30's, standing besides us, was listening to our conversation quite interestingly.
Stranger : kya problem hai?
(what's the problem?)
Me
uninterestingly)Humara luggage oversized hai, so, we need to pay 260 dollars extra.
(our luggage is oversized, so we need to pay 260dollars extra)
Stranger: koi masla nahi, tum log luggage check-in karao, I will pay for your boxes.
(Dont worry about it,I will pay for your boxes, please, continue with your check-in process)
We were amazed and puzzled at the same time, as to why a complete stranger, who does not even know our names would offer us help in a country like USA. Being choiceless, we decided to accept his help and asked him about his account number, so that, after returning to India, we can transfer the money back, to which he politely declined.
Me: Thank-you so much for your help, Sir. By the way, aap India me kahase hai?
(thank-you so much for your help, Sir. btw, where do you live in India)
Stranger: Karachi, Pakistan se hu.
(I am from Karachi, Pakistan)
This statement of his left all three of us dumbstruck. Having no idea how to respond over this interestingly surprising change, we took a selfie with this noble man as a mark of remembrance.