The article highlights instances of unexpected kindness in Toronto, challenging the city's negative reputation. It includes a specific story about Stephanie Malek, who faced difficulties while trying to transport a large cat tree on her bicycle from King and Dufferin to Roncesvalles and Queen. A woman she had just met offered to give her a ride home with her minivan, helping her load the bike and cat tree, and even assisting with carrying them upstairs.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Big cities have a reputation problem.
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cities → have → problem
Yes, there are things not to love about Toronto — gridlock, TTC service interruptions, small apartments that cost big money and the fact that everyone chooses black outerwear for winter.
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everyone → be → winter
But there are perks — thousands of restaurants; endless options for entertainment; that feeling that you’re living at the centre of things; Sankofa Square in August; Little India at Diwali; Christmas shopping under sparkling lights and fat snowflakes; Lunar New Year celebrations that rescue us from the depths of January or February and sometimes both.
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that → be → January
On Thanksgiving weekend, I like to mark the occasion by reflecting on what I’m grateful for.
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I → like → what
Let us know in the comments section
On Thanksgiving weekend, I like to mark the occasion by reflecting on what I’m grateful for.
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I → let → what
Let us know in the comments section
And then there’s the unexpected kindness of strangers in a big city.
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us → let → city
For every nitwit leaning on their car horn over a situation that cannot be solved by a car horn, for every fit 30-year-old, sitting in the subway, trying not to catch the eye of someone frail, there are people who will rush to your side in an accident, quietly pay when you come up short at the cash, or deliver the kind word you didn’t know you needed.
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you → lean → word
These are stories about the small kindness of strangers in a big city, who did a good thing and slipped back into the crowd, usually unnamed, as told by the people they helped, collected and edited by the Star.
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they → do → Star
Stephanie Malek: ‘Gravely misjudged’ the cat tree situation
I was just moving into my first apartment by myself after a breakup.
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I → misjudge → breakup
And I had three cats at the time.
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I → have → time
So I was like, I’m living in a smaller apartment, I have to find ways of giving them space to get to relax in there.
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I → live → space
So I decided to buy a cat tree.
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I → decide → tree
I was living at Roncesvalles and Queen at the time.
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I → live → time
The closest pet store I could find was at King and Dufferin (about 2.5 kilometres’ distance).
uncertain
I → find → King
So I rode my bike over to King and Dufferin to the pet store and bought myself a cat tree.
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I → ride → tree
I thought I could probably balance it over the handlebars and the seat.
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I → think → seat
As you can probably guess, it did not go well.
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it → guess → ?
I was wobbling and it kept falling off.
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it → wobble → ?
I was just thinking there’s no way on earth I’m getting this home.
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I → think → earth
Like, I’ve gravely misjudged this situation.
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I → misjudge → situation
Then a woman who had been in the pet store at the same time as me pulled up, with her kid, in her minivan.
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who → pull → minivan
“Looks like you’re having a really tough time,” she said.
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she → look → time
“I have room in my van, I could throw your bike in and the cat tree and give you a ride home.”
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I → have → ride
I said there is no way I can accept that, that’s way too generous.
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that → say → that
The stranger persisted.
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stranger → persist → ?
She helped me load my cat tree, my bicycle and helped me get everything upstairs because my bike and cat tree had to go upstairs.
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bike → help → everything
I hope your cats enjoy the cat tree,” and then went off into the day.”
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cats → hope → day
Years later, ‘I can still see that gentleman’
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I → see → gentleman
This happened about 20 years ago.
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This → happen → ?
I had just picked her up from school and we were going somewhere else, and I wanted her to have something to eat.
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her → pick → something
So we stopped by Tim Hortons.
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we → stop → Hortons
I ordered 10 Timbits.
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I → order → Timbits
And what I didn’t realize is that they only accepted cash at that time.
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they → realize → time
So I said OK, just cancel the order.
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I → say → order
And there was this gentleman at the other counter who overheard this and told the lady at the counter: “Just add it to my bill.”
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who → be → bill
“Oh,” I said, “no, no, it’s not necessary.”
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it → say → ?
And he said: “No, that’s fine.”
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that → say → ?
I thanked him, of course.
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I → thank → course
But you know, I can still see that gentleman in front of my eyes without closing my eyes.
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I → know → eyes
And that kind of kindness, you know?
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you → know → kindness
…and 71 more, not listed.
The Aporia
