Stranger covers pensioner's bill

A Rotorua pensioner is humbled by the actions of a complete stranger who paid for his groceries when he found he was a bit short at the checkout.

Tony Grabrovaz went to Countdown on Fenton St recently to pick up a few items he needed, such as flyspray, bread, milk and a couple of packets of plain biscuits for he and wife Carol's two poodles, Charlot and Jolie.

"Money was a bit tight," he said.

Mr Grabrovaz knew he had only about $15 in the account to tide he and his wife over until their next pension was due. However, when he got to the checkout, the bill was more than he had in the bank.

As he stepped to the side to sort what to leave behind the next customer in the queue gave the shop assistant $20 to pay his bill without him knowing.

"I was deciding what to put back and the lady said the man behind me had paid my bill," he said. "I couldn't believe it. What a marvellous thing to do. I've never had anyone do anything like this for me before. It was just remarkable ... You always hear of the bad things people do but this was such a generous thing to do. I even got to keep the change."

The 76-year-old, who has lived in Australia most of his life and lived in Europe, Africa and the United States, moved to Rotorua last August with his wife.

He told The Daily Post he had never experienced such an act of kindness anywhere in the world.

"It was such a nice thing to do ... I didn't even get a chance to say thank you," he said.

"People are so much nicer here. Nowhere else in the world has anyone done anything like this for me."

If you know who paid Mr Grabrovaz's bill please contact reporter Cherie Taylor call (07) 348 6199 ext 57051 or email cherie.taylor@dailypost.co.nz