Kindness Diaries (2017–2019): Season 1, Episode 13 - The Gift of Gratitude - full transcript

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[Leon Logothetis] From a
distance, the world probably
seems

like a big, bad scary place.

If you listen to the news
or even ask the person next to
you,

they will likely talk about war,
poverty, corruption, and hate.

And they are right,
from a distance.

But, I believe that up close,
there is enough good, enough
love,

and enough pure kindness
to make the world go round,

and that is what
inspired my journey.

A journey where random acts
of kindness are repaid

with unexpected and
life-changing gifts.

And, these are The
Kindness Diaries.



I got on the road early
that cold winter day

partly because I was so excited
to know I was officially on the
last leg

of my 25,000-mile journey
around the earth,

and partly because
I was determined

to have as much time
in the sun as possible.

The drive was a beautiful,
picturesque winter landscape of
snow-covered mountains

and dense wilderness,

and had I been in a proper car
with, say, perhaps a heater,

I probably would
have enjoyed it more.

But, after nearly a full day
of being exposed to the
elements,

even the bright afternoon sun
wasn'’t enough to keep me going

and I pulled over just
beyond the California border

because I simply needed a break.

-[Leon] Excuse me!
-[man] Yes, sir?



[Leon] I'’m completely lost.

Where you headed?

I'’m heading to Yreka.

Do you have any hot chocolate?

I can probably make you some.

[Leon] Please. I'’m
absolutely frozen.

This is going to be the best
hot chocolate I'’ve ever drunk.

[Leon] I learned my new friend
was a bit of a vintage motorbike
enthusiast as well.

So this is the 19...

...47, Harley
-Davidson Knucklehead.

And it still works?

Sure.

[Leon] Then he graciously
extended his hospitality even
further

when he offered to
put me up for the night.

Here'’s the couch. You got the
wood stove right over there.

If you get a little cold,
which you shouldn'’t,

just throw one of
them logs on there.

Okay. Thank you, man.

[Leon] As I settled in for what
would be my final night in a
stranger'’s house,

I couldn'’t help but think of the
faces of all the generous souls
that took me in

and shared their homes.

Some of the houses I
stayed in were big,

like Filippo'’s ancestral home
outside of Torino, Italy,

that had been in the family
for over 300 years.

[Leon] Are there any ghosts?

[Filippo] If there is any
ghosts, it is a benevolent one.

[Leon] OK, so it'’s
a friendly ghost.

[Leon] Some were quite small,

like Dheeru'’s one-room
apartment in New Delhi

that didn'’t even
have a bathroom...

[Leon] Where do you all sleep?

I sleep on this bed.

How many of you?

Four persons.

-Four people sleep in that bed?
-Yes.

[Leon] But still, he insisted
I stay in the family bed.

You sleep in my bed and I'’ll
sleep down there on the ground.

I can'’t accept that.
You guys have to sleep on your
bed.

I'’ll sleep on the floor.

[Dheeru] This is culture, Indian
culture. Guest is like a god.

[Leon] And in Cambodia, Auk,
a widow and now single mother

struggling with HIV, had only
a shack without even a door.

[In Khmer] The rain come from
this way and I cover my children
with that mattress.

Two of us, mother and
son, are very poor.

[Leon] Though in Pittsburgh,
one gentleman named Tony

didn'’t even have that.

Can I live in your
house tonight?

Unfortunately I don'’t have a
house. I'’m homeless right now.

[Leon] But he was willing to
share the few things he did have
with me.

[Tony] I got you a few
pair of underwear...

-Man, are you sure?
-I'm positive, I have extras.

This guy has nothing and
he'’s letting me stay with him

in his home.

[Leon] So many people making
room for a stranger in need.

The next morning, I awoke
excited for my very last drive
on Kindness 1.

Before I left Yreka, there was
a detour I wanted to take.

Part of the reason why I'’ve
been braving this epic coldness

in my aim to get to Yreka
is because I'’ve been told

that they wanted to
secede from California.

In 1941, right before
the World War II,

they were getting ready to make
a vote on it, from what I
understand, to do this,

and they were going to call
it the State of Jefferson.

Northern California doesn'’t
get representation.

And things that pertain to us,

like hunting and fishing
and things like that up here,

people in Southern California
they don'’t understand, they
don't know.

-[Leon] Is that a gun?
-Yes, it is.

-Is it loaded?
-Yes, it is.

What good would it
be if it wasn'’t?

[Leon] The English,
we'’re so averse to guns.

We don'’t have a gun culture.

[man] Well, I think a lot of it
goes back to the 13 colonies and
everything else.

Because if you think about it,
if you don'’t have your guns and
everything else

and things happen, and you'’re
being overtaxed and pushed
around pretty good

like we were back then,
we can be taken over.

A gun will sit there all day
long and not do anything wrong.

It takes a person to
do something stupid.

[Leon] It was in that moment
I realized that the
revolutionary spirit

was definitely alive and well.

It made me even more fascinated

by this little town'’s attempt to
secede from the state of
California

and I wanted to meet a
few more secessionists

to hear what they had to say

[barber] Well, I see you'’re not
in too much need of our
services.

No I'’m not.

I'’m a little bit shocked that
there'’s a movement to create a
51st State.

And not just to create a 51st
State but to do it through a
secession process.

[barber] There is a number
of reasons for it.

What with water rights
and personal property rights

and stuff being
eroded all the time,

the movement is kind
of gaining ground.

[woman] We don'’t get our tax
money back for our roads.

A gold miner at that time took a
gold pan and on the back he put
two x'’s.

And he put "double crossed."

Leon, this is a stamp to put in
your passport for the State of
Jefferson.

A passport stamp from the
20th country on my journey.

[Leon] All politics aside, there
was something about Yreka'’s
desire

to break free from its chains
and live its own adventure

that I could
definitely relate to.

Over the next few
hours I drove south

towards the beautiful
Monterey Bay Peninsula

and pulled over
when I needed gas.

Once again, my little yellow
motorbike was being taken care
of

by a generous stranger.

And though he hadn'’t been the
most reliable mode of
transportation...

Ahh! I burnt myself!

-If you fix my bike, I can't pay
you. -This is not possible.

[engine puttering]

That'’s not a good sign.

Fixed it?!

I'’ve started a massive
Indian traffic jam!

[horns blaring]

[Leon] Oh man, it'’s leaking.

[Leon] Kindness 1 was definitely
the goodwill ambassador

I had hoped him to be.

Oh, my gosh.

-What's your name, man?
-Davey.

Davey!

Bit of leg for
you guys, alright?

[Leon] The smiles he inspired
alone were worth it.

In the end, what'’s a little
mechanical trouble between
friends

when that very same trouble is
what allows you to make so many
new ones?

[engine starts]

-[cheering]
-Yes!

How far away am I from L.A.?

Oh, several hours going south...

Several hours?
That'’s like music to my ears.

[Leon] And now that
I could once again feel

the glorious warm
California sun,

I decided to take the
opportunity to get out on the
water.

Paradise.

[Leon] As I had done at every
given chance during my
journey...

I think I found the only
vehicle in the world

that drives worse
than Kindness 1.

[Leon] with varying
degrees of success.

Oh! I really hope
there are no jelly fish here.

Aaaah!

[Leon] Luckily, this young man
allowed me to take out one of
his kayaks.

It was just one more
small act of kindness

added to a long
chain of gestures

that made the otherwise
unthinkable scale of my journey
possible.

Some people said that I was a
dreamer and that this was never
going to happen.

Well, you know what,
I am a dreamer. But it did
happen.

[Leon] But that dream
only became a reality,

because of all the friendly
people I met along the way

as I traveled across
America, Europe and Asia.

I'd really like to
give you a present.

I will happily pay
for your room tonight.

The Wall of Berlin fell down.
It will do the same here in
Kosovo.

We want to give something
from our heart, and it'’s free.

[cheering, whistles]

My parents are living with me
and you can have a nap or you
can even stay.

If I swim in the Ganges
right now, I will clear my soul?

-Yes. I hope.
-So do I.

Hari Hari Ganges.

[Leon] But the journey
wasn'’t always easy.

Does any one speak English?

If you give money,
then he will provide you food.

-Can I stay in your house
tonight? -Not possible.

-Just for one night?
-No.

Unfortunately I live
with my parents.

Do you speak English?

[woman shouting indistinctly]

I nearly got run
over by a rickshaw.

There'’s something wrong with the
paperwork and they won't give me
the bike.

I have nowhere to sleep.
I can'’t believe that it has come
to this.

I mean the map'’s useless,
I am completely lost.

S21 used to be a school.
I mean look at this.

Basically torture chambers
and here'’s old writing from a
teacher.

You know why Pol Pot kill him,
because he was a teacher.

A kid actually died
in my arms in 1992,

two grenades exploded.

[Leon] And there were definitely
times I wanted to give up.

I am physically and
emotionally shattered.

I'’m completely and
utterly drenched.

I can'’t do this guys.
I have partial frost bite.

You need to, you
need to help me here.

I'’m serious.

I just can'’t do this,
I'’m going to catch pneumonia.

I am mentally, physically
and emotionally exhausted.

[Leon] But I always tried
to find a way to laugh.

Even if just at myself.

-Have you ever seen a grown man
cry? -Yeah.

[snickering]

I'’m about to stick my hand up
a cow's bum. It doesn'’t like
this.

Who would?

-Seth, can you let Leon ride
your horse? -As long as he don'’t
violate it.

[chuckles]

Hi-ya!

Is he gone?

I think they would be weirded
out if an older man was sleeping
on our couch.

I'’m just going to go to the
pension office to get my
pension.

A glass of beer. Would you
accept it? We can give you
booze, man.

-Is it loaded?
-No. That's probably wise.

Can you put me up in
your house tonight?

[laughter]

Do not harm me.

-[cap fires]
-[applause]

I'’m dead and they're clapping.

-You don'’t speak English?
-Yes.

-You do?
-No, no.

-No?
-No, yes.

Thanks for everything, man.

And I'’m sorry that you
were born Scottish.

[Leon] After kayaking,
I was back on the road heading
south

and closing in on my last
couple of hundred miles till
home.

And that last drive
down the California coast

was one of the most
beautiful trips I had ever taken

and it gave me the perfect vista
to stop and reflect.

I'’ve travelled all
around the world,

and I get to come home,
and see beautiful scenery like
this.

Yet I must say that
on my trip around earth

I have seen some
fantastic sights.

[Leon] From mountains,
sunsets, temples...

During Byzantine times

only the emperors could
walk through these doors.

It'’s not Byzantine
times anymore.

[Leon] As the natural wonder
of the California coastline

gave way to the urban carpet
that is Los Angeles,

I pointed Kindness 1 back
to the spot where it all began.

The moment that will
be etched in time.

Kindness 1 and I have arrived
at the Hollywood sign.

Kindness 1 and I have
made it to the Hollywood sign!

I left this sign months ago and
here I am at the Hollywood sign.

Do you want to hear
an interesting story?

[whispering] Hello,
I just crossed Earth.

[Leon] And then there was
just one thing left to do.

King of the world!

[Leon] That wasn'’t it.

You see if this journey
was about anything,

it was about giving...
more accurately, giving back.

This was the reason
I started the journey,

so that I could find
these kind, deserving people

and give back to their lives
and for their needs.

People like Tony.

First of all, we want to
put you up in a house.

Okay.

We want to enroll you in
some kind of certificate program

where you can get a degree
and make your way again in life.

I don'’t know what
to say right now.

Appreciate it.

This is like monumental.

To go to school again?

Yeah.

Thank you.

[Leon] And Dheeru.

Me and the crew want to
buy you a new rickshaw.

I do not understand.

We are going to buy
you a new rickshaw.

I don'’t know how
I can thank you.

I'’m very happy, very happy.

I am just looking for if I'm
asleep or wake up, I don'’t know!

[Leon] And Auk. Who is
more deserving than Auk?

This story is heartbreaking,

and we have decided
to give something back.

We want to build Auk
and Mai a new house.

-Really?
-Really.

Very, very soon, Auk and Mai
will not have to live in these
conditions.

[in English] Thank you.

[in Khmer] Want to say thank God
for building a house near.

Stop living like this.

Thank you.

Thank you.

[Leon] And really,
it was my honor to do so.

Giving sight to the
poor for free...

it'’s, it's, it'’s beyond words.

We will fund 100 surgeries.

Thank you very much
for your kindness.

To come here, not to visit our
country, but also help our
people.

Giving is better than receiving.

Maybe more important
than my job here, yeah.

[Leon] But before I could
cross the planet,

before I could receive my
first meal, or my first warm
bed,

and before I could give
my first surprise gift...

I had to experience my
first gesture of kindness.

And that gesture
was a tank of gas,

the tank of gas that
started all of this,

and that tank of gas came
from a man named Dwight,

who I met on the
streets of Hollywood.

[Dwight] Altruism'’s
a basic thing.

Keep doing what you'’re doing,
man. Seriously, you guys keep
doing this.

I hope some other people
pull something like this off.

[Leon] So I tracked him down
and asked him to join me,

but he was unaware
of the reason why.

[Leon] This is my most favorite
spot in the whole of L.A.,
Dwight.

I come here when
I need to feel rejuvenated.

[Leon] Tell me about yourself.

Me, I'’m a student here in L.A.
right now. Just finishing up
school, that'’s about it.

I'’m just a working student.

What was really cool is that,
when I first bumped into you,

I didn'’t know what to expect.

I was just thinking, "This guy
needs some gas," so I gave it to
him.

I didn'’t think nothing of it,
but it was pretty cool to find
out

it started something
like this, so...

You know, some people have
kindness in their hearts and
some people don'’t.

But you strike me as someone
that has so much inside here, so
much goodness.

I can feel it in your energy.

It'’s pretty tough these
days to stay like that,

to be so kind to others.

-What you know, my friend...
-Mm-hmm.

...is that I travelled around
the world relying on the
kindness of strangers.

-That'’s what I told you.
-Yeah.

But, there was something
I didn'’t tell you.

Your act of kindness that day,
months and months and months
ago,

is going to be repaid.

What we'’re going to do

is we'’re gonna pay for you to go
on a round-the-world journey.

Fully paid.

Your hotels paid for.

Your spending money paid for.

And, your flights paid for.

Wow! [sighs]

[Dwight] Man, like I said,
nothing good ever happens to me.

[Leon] So, along with
that worldwide trip,

we'’re gonna give you $1,000
to change someone'’s life.

[Dwight, sighing] Lord almighty.
I can'’t believe this is
happening.

[Leon] So, that'’s my tale.

It'’s a tale of adventure.

And, sometimes it
is a tale of woe.

But, mostly, it is a
tale about all of us.

Because, what I
went out looking for

is the same thing we all search
for every day in our lives.

And, it goes beyond travel.

It goes beyond gifts.

It goes beyond any
one person'’s story.

It'’s a story and
an adventure for all of us.

Life is what we make it.

Good or bad.

Easy or Tough.

There are many things in life
that are beyond our control,

but it is the things we can
control that will ultimately
define us.

So, choose adventure.

Choose your dream.

But, most of all,

every day, make the
decision to choose,

and when you do...

choose kindness.