I took my longtime college crush on a first date to the most expensive restaurant in town, hoping to impress her, but when I found a hair in my $26 drink, the waiter secretly told me he had seen her place it there while I was in the restroom. I said nothing, and when I later drove her home, she hugged me goodbye and slipped $300 into my pocket. Feeling humiliated, I called her, only to learn she had overheard me telling my sister that I was skipping meals to afford my mother’s hospital bills; she had planted the hair hoping the restaurant would comp our meal, and when that failed, she gave me the money instead, insisting it wasn’t charity but help from someone who cared. We never dated, but that awkward, reckless act of compassion became one of the most unforgettable kindnesses I’ve ever received, and she remains one of the first people I call when life gets difficult.READ MORE BELOW