Acts of Kindness

U Smart by Phoebe Ngozi Nadorp

My strong-willed cousin, Chi-Chi, is a grand 7 years of age. At a towering 100cm in height, she already has the confidence I desperately grasp at, and so seldom attain. Last Christmas, while all family members gathered around the TV–the most sanctified of Xmas activities–Chi-Chi proudly sauntered around us, flashing a deck of glittered envelopes in her grubby little hands. As she pranced through the tinsel-stained carpet, dodging an assortment of Celebration boxes filled with a myriad of snacks that never actually match the intended chocolate pictures on the box, she decided it was time to give everyone the extra-special gifts she had crafted all on her own. With the most amusement we could muster, nursing a food coma ripe from a week of binge eating, we entertained her farce. 

Each pot-bellied family member sluggishly ripped open their respective envelopes to find a handwritten (barely legible) note. Aunts, uncles, cousins, fake ‘cousins’, the whole lot, were all pleasantly surprised to find the 7-year-old’s adorable scrawlings: “You are so beautiful”… “You are the most gorgeous aunt”… “You are the coolest cousin in the world”….”You are the prettiest princess”. Now, eager to read my tailor-made, extra-special gift, I snatched out my note from its chocolate smudged envelope, only to read the words: “U smart ”. 

“U smart?” 

So, everyone else got beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, blah blah bleh… And I get a ‘U smart’… Right… I don’t know what shocked me more, the lack of the letter’s flattery or the fact that I was actually bothered by it. Humbled by my absolute void of humility, I took some time to reflect while shamelessly munching through my second box of ‘After Eights’. 

All my life’s achievements, my entire being in all its complexity, funneled down to two damning words: “U Smart”. Taking some time to lick my wounds, mulling it over, I actually grew to become quite fond of the simple phrase. It was compact, yet effective. It even had a nice ring to it. I guess, I am smart? Chi-Chi’s wit, albeit sharp at times, could have been on to something. Who needs beautiful, gorgeous, stunning… When “U smart”! In her underdeveloped, dopey eyes, I could look like an ogre for all I care. I’ll take a “U-smart” any day. 

Now as one of my most treasured possessions, I look at my cousin’s framed note each day before going out to take on the world. Her act of kindness taught me a very valuable lesson: sometimes, the most meaningful words are the ones we don’t expect, but the ones we truly need.

 

Chinese New Year in Camberwell by Bhaqti

“I’m sorry, let’s just try this one last thing? It might just work and I know if I don’t, I’ll keep asking myself ‘what if?’

I was walking back to one of my closest friends’ student housing, with her sister accompanying me on a Sainsbury’s trip. I belong to a little classroom of thirteen very close-knit people who love getting together to celebrate our festivals and foods and stories. 

1st February 2025. Chinese New Year celebration, dumplings party. 

I had planned to make a red and yellow dessert that needed to be served hot and in paper cups. We went to the nearest Sainsbury’s to get some paper cups for everyone. Disappointingly, they had none. One of the staff members pointed me to the nearest off-license which did not have any either. 

I hate when my plans don’t work out. I was trying to not let it affect my mood.

Scarlett and I talked in stories while brainstorming how to serve dessert. Then we passed by a café across Sainsbury’s. Technically, I thought, a café should have paper cups. 

So we walked in. I requested the barista who called the owner/manager instead. What pleased me was a pile of different sized white paper cups behind the counter. So I told the owner my story, constantly wondering whether it would work.

“How many do you need?”, he asked.

“Ummmmmm…twelve?”

“There. That’s thirteen.”

“Thank you so much! How much do I owe you?”

“Oh don’t worry about it! Just tell your friends to come by and let them know about this place”. (Café Mondo, Camberwell)

“I will,” I say, “thanks again!”

As I turn to leave, he asks, “what goes in them?”

“Oh just some saffron-cardamom milk I’ll make for dessert”

“Ooooh… just get me some of that!”

 

Acts of Kindness by Anna Zekthi

To support my studies, I work part-time at a pet shop. It’s a lovely place to be immersed in and to share the love of animals alongside their owners. We often get customers asking for help giving dreaded pills to dogs and cats, and this customer needed help with her cat. Her cat was very poorly and very badly needed to take the pills. I knew from experience that liver paste does just the trick and recommended it to her. Many weeks  later she came back in with a box of chocolates to thank me, saying that it worked amazingly and her cat is doing much better. You couldn’t take my smile away from me even if you tried! I was very happy to be of help.