I had to move out of the flat I’d been renting when it was put up for sale. I’d only lived there a year, but it had become my little haven—quiet, sunlit, and comforting. On my last day, I cleaned every corner, scrubbed the tiles until they shone, and left a small bouquet of daisies on the table. It felt right to leave something beautiful behind.
The next morning, my landlady called. I expected complaints, maybe something I’d missed. Instead, her voice was warm.
“I just wanted to say thank you,” she said. “I’ve never seen a tenant leave a place so spotless. The new buyers thought it looked brand new.”
I laughed, a bit embarrassed.
“That’s just how I was raised,” I replied.
“Leave things better than you found them.”
There was a pause. Then she asked, “You always this thoughtful?”
I told her I liked taking care of things—it’s sometimes easier than taking care of myself. She chuckled, but her next words surprised me.
“How come someone like you is still alone? You sound like the kind of person people dream of finding.”
Before I could respond, she added, “I have a friend. He’s kind, single, and careful with people. Would you let me introduce you?”
For the first time that day, I smiled.
Sometimes, kindness comes back in unexpected ways.
