Alone in a taxi at 3 a.m., I felt uneasy as the driver kept making eye contact. At my building, I hurried to my 8th-floor flat, only to hear footsteps behind me. Panicked, I sprinted, but the driver grabbed my wrist, saying, “You dropped this.” He held my wallet, which I’d left in the cab. Embarrassed, I thanked him, and he left. A sticky note inside read, “Be safe. The world is full of both kinds.” Moved, I contacted the taxi company to thank him, learning his name was Idris. We met for coffee, and I discovered he was an Algerian ex-teacher driving nights to support
his sister’s education. I invited him to guest-teach at my community art center in London. The teens loved him, and he became a mentor. But when his visa expired, he was detained. I rallied support, gathering testimonials from students. After weeks, he was released on probation and later offered a teaching assistant role. We grew close, choosing to be the kind that returns, not takes, proving small acts—like returning a wallet—can change everything.
