Martel Maxwell: You don’t need to look far to find some kindness

Treat People With Kindness.

It doesn’t immediately strike you as a song title for a pop star come sex symbol.

A Disney tune maybe, but not a young man with legions of followers, who has graced the cover of Vogue.

And yet, former One Direction singer Harry Styles’ new single is exactly that – and it’s brilliant.

Almost as good as the video, dancing with Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, which I’ve just watched and found myself in a Harry Styles vortex for half an hour. (Is he vegan? No, he’s pescatarian. What does he smell like? He likes an aftershave with notes of tobacco.)

I digress.

There I was, pulling out of Starbucks on the Kingsway.

I pulled over to the “‘waiting” parking space because my cheese and ham panini was going to take a few minutes, when a man stopped his car, rolled down his window and asked: “Did you feel a bump?”

He’d been behind me in the drive-thru queue and slammed on his brakes so hard when he looked up to see I was right in front of him, he wasn’t sure if he’d hit my car.

I hadn’t felt anything but he suggested we look at my bumper for any marks.

There were none and all I could think of was the lyrics from the Kindness song.

I clearly hadn’t felt anything – otherwise, I wouldn’t have been listening to Harry Styles without a care in the world –but he wanted to do the right thing.

I thanked him and he beamed.

Next, neighbouring Asda, where I like to wander round the aisles with takeaway coffee in hand and pretend it’s kind of a day out, browsing for sponge Barney Bears and discounted Frubes.

On this note, I find it by a long way to be the best supermarket for kids’ packed lunches – for variety and value.

But again, I digress.

At the check-out, the lady serving was having a conversation with the man being served before me.

He was saying she looked fantastic and he wished he had the guts to try something similar.

I looked up – he was perhaps around 60, with grey hair.

She (her name badge told me Lisa) had dyed one half of her short hair bright pink, the other blue.

‘Kindness on tap’

She really did look fantastic and had a world-class laugh you might have heard in the Ferry.

When it was my turn, I had the most wonderful chat with Lisa. It felt like a real connection – not just talking about the weather, but engaging in a meaningful, honest conversation which made me feel better – and I hope her, too.

And that’s it really. A snapshot of someone’s day in Dundee, doing routine stuff.

But while pubs, cinemas, cafes and most other things remain off-limits, you don’t always have to look far to find kindness is on tap.