Uhh I'm late and this story isn't funny at all but here it goes


She never spoke and was hard to communicate but a sweet girl. Didn't understand most things, got overwhelmed and overstimulated quickly. Our teacher assigned another student to take care of her at all times, this student was also a little child so had no idea how to manage her friend. We would often hear her scream from (now I understand) overstimulation.

I transferred to that school at 5th grade, and on my first, very nervous day, she came to me, held my hand, kissed it and put it on her forehead. It's a sign of respect to elders in my country to kiss a hand like this. I was very confused as I wasn't her senior. After getting to know her a bit more I realized she was trying to comfort me in her own way. I had more sympathy and more importantly more respect for her after that, something I felt she severely needed.

Looking back, I knew even then her situation was sad and she needed better care for sure. But kids around her never taunted or bullied her, not even the worst kid in class. When we went to day trips as a class we always raised money for her to attend as it was known her family was poor. Parents & teachers raised money for her clothing, basic needs etc. When she cried out of frustration, anyone would console her, not just a teacher. She was like a little sister to all of us. I had to be transferred again because my family moved again, but I'll never forget her or the people around her. They were all just little kids, but showed more compassion and empathy than most adults I see now. She changed the way I perceive people with mental disability at a very early age.

I met my wife back in college. I was her English tutor. At the time, I was dating a woman with a very manipulative personality. I was not used to having a girlfriend, wasn't confident and she insulted/ humiliated me when she couldn't get what she wanted or was in a bad mood.


So my student, let's call her A and my girlfriend (at the time) let's call her K, ended up meeting in the middle of a tutoring session. K was mad that I was with another woman, even though I was being PAID to tutor her. She interrupted us, saying she was gonna be helping and 'keeping an eye on us.'


She didn't help. Instead, K made rude comments and jokes at A's hard time pronouncing L and R sounds. (Pretty understandable, given those sounds aren't too common in Japanese.) A couldn't understand, but she could tell she was being insulted. The look on her face was pretty hurtful. Then and there I grew a pair.


After a brief and rather embarrassing argument, where I told K that she was being disrespectful and she should just f**k off until I'm done, she stormed off. I apologized profusely to A, saying today's fee was free, and I'd understand if she wanted to find another tutor. Instead, she completely flipped the script.


She said that after all the help I'd given her, she could tell that I was a kind guy. That and her English skills were getting much better with my help. It was just strange to her that somebody like me was with someone as mean as K.
"You're here working and your girlfriend didn't even bring you any food! That is weird in Japan!"


Needless to say that caused me to rethink my life. But what sold it was our next session. This woman made a whole bento lunch, by hand, to our lesson. We're talking rice balls, cut weiners, eggs, the whole 9 yards. It was delicious. I was floored. And I thought, if this was how she'd treat her tutor, how would she treat her man!? A went from student to diamond in my eyes.


And so I broke up with K. Over the following months, A and I got closer. We kept in contact after she went back to Japan. One long distance relationship and 7 years later I live in Japan now. We're married with two boys and a girl on the way. All because of a little kindness.

Edit: thank you all for the love and upvotes!