The kindness of strangers: I thought my wages would be docked but the customer I’d overpaid returned

On Christmas Eve 1977, I, a new credit union teller, handed out champagne but ended up $20 short due to an accidental overpayment. After realizing the till was short by half a week’s pay, distress turned to a stranger knocking at my door, offering to return the missing check without fault, which saved me money and left a profound impact on how I viewed life's kindness.