A Funny Thing at the Post Office

Yesterday I went to the post office to mail some Christmas cards. The total was a bit more than I had anticipated, and it turned out I was short by about 500 yen. As I was attempting to use my pathetic Japanese to explain I would pop back home and get some more money, the man standing next to me pulled out a thousand yen note and gave it to the counter person. He smiled, speaking to me in Japanese, of course. It seems that he works at the Yakuba (village offices), and was telling me he was loaning me the money. I'm sure I met his offer with a looked of stunned amazement and confusion. Even without understanding his Japanese totally, I could tell that he was telling the lady at the counter to just give me the change and I could just pay him later. Today, I will go to the Yakuba at the end of my work day, and I sure hope I can recognize him! I was just floored by the kindness and trust people have here.