This is a letter of thanks and appreciation to an unknown gentleman for his kind act to four ladies at Brown's Country Kitchen in Portersville in July.

After we had eaten our dinner and were going to have dessert, the waitress graciously informed us that our dinner had been paid for -- and that we each had an additional $5 to order dessert. We all were totally astounded when she told us that the gentleman at the table next to us had taken care of our tab.

Why? Because "we" reminded him of his grandma, who had just recently passed away. He was a complete stranger. The waitress didn't know him; he wasn't a "regular" at the restaurant.

I hope that he will see this letter and know how much we thank him and appreciate his kind gesture. Needless to say, this has never happened to us before and we will never forget his generosity.

We all concluded that the best way to repay this kind act is to repeat it as soon as possible, and that is exactly what we will do. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! from all four of us.

-- MABEL SPEICHER, Whitehall

On Aug. 19, I was running a few errands in Squirrel Hill, and when I returned to my car I realized that I did not have my car keys. I retraced my steps but I couldn't find them. I had to get a ride home to get my only spare key and return to Squirrel Hill to get my car.

After about one week, I received a call from The Healthy Black Family Project, located in the Kingsley House in East Liberty, saying that my keys had been found. The people who found my keys called Kingsley because I had their ID swipe card on my key chain. This kind couple then sent the keys to The Healthy Black Family Office.

I am very grateful for the couple that took the time to get the keys to a place where I could be identified. I am also grateful for the office staff that looked up the ID number and got in touch with me.

Once again, I want to thank the guardian angels of my keys.

-- S. STRONG, Point Breeze

On Thursday, Sept. 4, I spent some time at the Waterfront mall in Homestead and at a favorite card shop called the 39er where there are a lot of great cards for 39 cents. (My friend Mort has dubbed me "the Queen of Cards.")

After chatting with the owner of the shop, Ed Ruck, I left to go on my way to GetGo to get some gasoline -- only to discover that I did not have my purse with me!

It was at that moment I realized that, before getting into the car, I had taken off a sweater and placed my purse on the roof of my car while I put my sweater in the car. I remembered that as I drove off, I did hear a thump -- but at the time, I figured it was my purse falling from the back seat to the floor of the car. Well, now I knew that "thump" was outside the car -- my purse had "flown the coupe!"

I decided to retrace my steps and headed back to the card shop. I did not expect to find my purse, but I was hoping that in some way I could get some help.

And that's just what happened.

At the card shop, Ed was deeply concerned with my plight and called 911. The dispatchers got in touch with the Homestead Police, where Officer Frank Snyder took the call.

Meanwhile, some other Waterfront customers had located my purse in the parking lot and they called 911, which then contacted the Homestead Police. Two Waterfront security guards -- Bryan Taylor and Shaun Helman -- heard the call on their radio and obtained the purse. They, along with two Homestead officers, Jeff Luptak and Sgt. Joe Derry, reunited me with my purse.

I do not have the name of the people who called security, but they truly did the right thing. I do want to thank all the wonderful officers who helped me. Everything in my purse was in perfect order and all of you made it a very happy day for me

-- THELMA (TEMMIE) GOLTZ, Oakland