Kindness Diaries (2017–2019): Season 1, Episode 5 - The Gift of Abundance - 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.



After leaving Italy, I made my
way through Slovenia and into
Croatia.

[Leon] I finally made it
past the old Iron Curtain.

I'’m in Zagreb, Croatia,
about to embark

on a little bit of
Eastern European travel.

[Leon] Even though
it was still a little early,

I decided to try to find
a place to stay for the night.

Is there any way that I can stay
in your house just for one
night?

Well, uh, no.

-Do you speak English?
-Yes, I do.

-You'’re American. Where are you
from? -No.

-I'’m from here.
-But you speak such good
English.

-I was raised that way.
-Really?

Is there any way, just for one
night, that I can crash in your
house?

Uh... ha, no, not really.



[Leon] And though she
couldn'’t help me herself,

she suggested I speak
with a friend of hers

that lived just south
of the city by a lake.

So, I took her
directions and was off.

[Leon] This road, from downtown
Zagreb, literally into the
middle of nowhere.

So, I hope that that girl'’s
friend is still here,

otherwise, I'’ve wasted
5 Euros' worth of gas.

-How are you, man?
-Fine, you?

What is this?

[man] It'’s called a wake park.

-[Leon] A wake park.
-[man] Yeah.

I'’m so happy that you picked up
the phone when Irma called you.

She suggested that you would
be able to put me up for the
night.

Unfortunately, I'’m not going
to be able to give you a bed.

But... but, ah, we'’re gonna let
you ride as much as you want.

[Leon] It may not have
been a room for the night,

but I tried to keep
it in perspective.

At least I'’m guaranteed
a free bath tonight.

Aaahhh!

[Leon] And I did it over
and over and over again.

Winston Churchill.

"Never, ever give up."

[Leon] Until I
finally got it right.

Whoaaaa!

[scattered applause]

-A very good job.
-I'm wet.

[Leon] Back in Zagreb,
I tried my best to find some
shelter.

Where did you learn
to speak English?

Everywhere, because
you watch music television.

-Rambo?
-Yeah.

-That'’s not very good English.
-[laughter]

There'’s a really good hostel.
It'’s called the Brit Hostel.

It'’s just over there.
It'’s very cheap. Very
affordable.

[Leon] Maybe an English hostel
was just what I needed.

Ah, I found it.

The Brit Hostel.

I know that you are English.

-You'’re English?
-No.

I need a place to stay tonight.

I don'’t-- by the way,
I don'’t have any money.

I'’m sorry, I can't help you.

[Leon] Fortunately,
my disappointment didn'’t last
long.

-You'’re Scottish?
-I am Scottish.

Alright!

[Leon] It turns out my new
friend, Frasier, was on a
similar quest.

Well, I'’m cycling
around the world.

-You'’re bicycling around the
world? -Bicycling around the
world.

But I have money at
least, but not much.

[Leon] But his adventure was
going to take a wee bit longer
than mine.

-How long are you doing this
for? -I have been on mine for
four years.

[Leon] As we sat and exchanged
our stories from the road,

we reinforced the greater
purpose of each other'’s
journeys.

The first night in Belgium,
eleven o'’clock at night,

a car pulls up next to me,
window comes down,

I'’m thinking I'm in a jam.

Um, and he just says,
"Are you okay? Is everything
okay?"

And I said, "Yeah, yeah."
Trying to sort of affirm myself.

And he says, "I'’ll give you a
towel, you can shower, stay in
my son's room."

And then he just goes,
"I'’ve got a date. I've gotta go.

Make yourself at home."

-He left you in his house?
-He left me in his house.

I think the most amazing
experience I had was when I was
in Pittsburgh.

I went up to this guy in a park
and I said to him,

you know, "Can I stay in
your house tonight?"

And he looked at me and he goes,
"I'’m really sorry, but I'm
homeless."

But he says to me,
"You know what, that'’s not a
problem.

If you want to come and stay
in my little section, you can.

I'’ll feed you. I'll
give you clothes."

Sometimes you find the people
that have the least give the
most.

As you said about the
Belgian. You knew.

There'’s just something, you just
knew that he wasn'’t going to
harm you.

I'’ve got a firm belief that you
kind of attract the right
people.

This is what I carry
around with me.

[Frasier] "Life begins at the
end of your comfort zone."

That'’s fantastic.

[Leon] In Frasier I had met
a real soulmate of sorts.

Just spent a very long time
just trying to make money.

It just wasn'’t
really working out.

I think part of the problem is
that if you'’re not passionate
about something,

there'’s only so much
you can give to it.

[Leon] And then, my road warrior
brother did the unexpected.

I'’ll pay for your room.
I'’ll happily pay for your room
tonight.

-Really?
-Yes, of course.

-Wow, give me a hug.
-[Frasier chuckles]

-So it'’s a hundred?
-Yes.

Thank you.

[Leon] So, there I was, in the
middle of Croatia with a place
to sleep

thanks to this kind Scotsman.

So, as an Englishman,
I thanked him the only way I
knew how.

Thanks for everything, man.

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

[chuckles]

[Leon] The next day, I traveled
further into Eastern Europe

and made it to Sarajevo,

where signs of beauty and
distress stand side by side

as living reminders of the
city'’s roller coaster history,

and its magnificent
highs and horrific lows.

And while the city still carries
the scars of its most recent
conflicts,

there are also reminders of its
most significant moment in world
history.

I am standing in the exact spot
that an assassin, in 1914,

gunned down the heir
of the Austrian throne

and started World War I.

Right here, at the Latin Bridge,
100 years ago.

I am literally
standing in history.

This town also hosted
the 1984 Olympics,

and then, in the early '90s,
things went terribly wrong,

and this city was
under siege for three years.

But there are bullet
holes everywhere.

I'’m about to walk into the
main center and see it for
myself.

[Leon] So, in a moment of poetic
symmetry, in a city that has so
often needed love,

this Englishman was trying to
get some in the form of food,
shelter, and gas.

I was wondering whether or not
I could stay with you?

There'’s totally no way
you can stay with me.

I mean, I have a friend,
he'’s back here, around the
corner.

[Leon] I decided
it was worth a try.

Your friend, Belina, told me
to come in and see you.

I literally just
met her just now.

[Leon] Although he wasn'’t sure
if he could put me up for the
night,

Adnan did offer to give me
a free tour of the city,

and I couldn'’t pass that up.

[Leon] What is that?

For this area, for the old--
for this part, for this street,

you can see here the
names of people who died.

But not all of them
even are Muslims.

You can see Nikola as well,
Zoran, for instance.

Nikola is a Serbian name.
Zoran is a Croat.

[Leon] It'’s hard to believe for
me that 20 years ago this city
was under siege.

It seems so peaceful.

Everyone seems to
get on so well.

As we were walking around today,
I saw that there was, you know,

a lot of Muslims, a lot of
Catholics, a lot of orthodox,

and everyone seemed
really to be able to get on.

[Adnan] We are now
in the location, basically,

which is for us Sarajevans
the most important.

First of all, this saved
the city, the town.

It'’s called the Tunnel of Life

because this tunnel, ah,
since July 30th, 1993,

was used every day by
3,000 people in a way to get
supplies.

From this mountain, from the
valley of the mountain, for the
people,

for the city there, which was
without electricity and phone
connections,

fuel supplies, and
food, water, medicine.

And so these 800 meters
under the airport,

because the airport was
controlled by UN, were basically
the only possible way.

This is a list of the people
that died during the siege of
Sarajevo?

[Adnan] Yes.

[Leon] The highlight of the tour

was a remarkable testament
to both human will and
ingenuity.

I can'’t believe that I'm in the
tunnel that saved the city of
Sarajevo.

And you can see all of these,
the train tracks or some kind of
track

to bring in weapons and food.

[Leon] After showing
me the tunnel,

Adnan introduced me to Edis
whose family had made it all
possible.

The fact that we gave
the house and land,

you know, to help
300,000 people to survive,

for me is a really
special thing.

Life in the city was terrible.

You know...

Living in a city where

approximately 329 shells
exploded every day,

you know, where death was
everywhere around you,

and you could see dead people
on the street every day, almost.

It's very difficult for me to
explain how it was possible

that people lived like that
four years under siege,

under that shelling
and they'’re threatened.

Practically,
you can never understand that,

and I wish you that you
never understand it.

[Leon] Edis was more
than a witness to history.

He was a survivor of it,

and he has dedicated his life
to making sure that no one
forgets

the things that happened here
not all that long ago.

A kid actually died on...
in my arms, you know?

1992.

The grenade exploded.

One of them was killed,
one of them was wounded.

The father was wounded also.

We were taking that kid,
you know, to the hospital,
and...

When we arrived there
he was dead, dead already...

which was a kid which had...

not more than 2½ years, 2 years.

[Leon] Meeting Edis and hearing
his own personal stories from
the war

was a privilege that
I will never forget.

[Leon] Adnan, thank you
very much for today.

Spending this time in Sarajevo
was really quite emotional for
me.

[Adnan] And we got your gas,

and now, let'’s, you know,
you can spend the night at my
place.

-Really?
-Yeah. Let's go.

Oh, man, thank you so much.
Thank you. Seriously, for
everything.

[Leon] As enthralling
a city as Sarajevo is,

I had to remind myself that it
was time to continue a journey
of my own.

So, once again, I pointed
Kindness 1 east and pushed on.

Unfortunately, I didn'’t get very
far before I started to have
bike trouble.

Considering I really only had
a one-hour crash course in
mechanics

before I left L.A.,

I am not entirely sure
what the hell I'’m going to do
here.

And it'’s leaking. It's leaking.

I don'’t know what fluid that is,
but it'’s not leaking anymore.

Agh! I burnt myself!

That just shows you that
I have no idea what I'’m doing.

I literally just burnt myself.

I'’m just going to do a clutch.

One of the few things
I know how to do.

I'’ve accomplished three
things, hopefully:

tightening the clutch,

fixing the leak,
and burning myself.

[Leon] That had been
the first bike trouble

I had experienced
in nearly 5,000 miles.

I hoped it would be my last.

[revs engine]

Yes!

[Leon] Soon enough,
the war-ravaged streets of
Bosnia gave way

to the gorgeous hilly
countryside of Montenegro...

and later, its largest city.

[Leon] The sun has finally
shown its face again

as I arrive in the capital
of Montenegro, Podgorica.

[Leon] My aim today,
as is always my aim,

is to find a place to stay
and just connect with the
locals.

Any way that I can stay
in your house tonight?

No.

No, no.

Why?

Because my girlfriend

don't want anybody except me.

[laughs]

My girlfriend, talking
English very good.

-Oh yeah?
-Yes.

-OK.
-I call you.

-Call her.
-[laughter]

-Oh, okay. What'’s her name?
-Yalena.

Yalena.

Where do you think the
kindest place in Montenegro is?

She said to go south to a town
called Ostros, which was full of
kind people.

[Leon] So, once again,
I was back out on the road.

And when I say road,
I mean more like lane.

[Leon] I mean, it'’s stunningly
beautiful but these roads are so
treacherous.

Sometimes I wonder
about my sanity.

I'’m basing this whole day, on a
phone call that I had with some
woman.

And, to make matters worse,
I think I've run out of gas.

I know it has a reserve,
so I'’ll switch it to the
reserve.

There'’s no choice
but to keep going.

[Leon] Sometime later I coasted
into the very small town of
Ostros

on petrol fumes and the
grace of God, I'’m sure.

The bad news is
I did not see a gas station.

[Leon] Time to find
some food and shelter.

-You speak English?
-No.

No. No!

-Do you speak English?
-Yeah, I speak English.

Where did you learn
how to speak English?

I was living in New York
for like nine years.

-You lived in New York?
-Yeah.

Oh!

My bike is running out of gas
and I have nowhere to stay
tonight.

Yeah, I... I can help you.

-You can find a restaurant,
Votra. -Yeah.

Ask for the waiter Bekim.

You tell him for my name,
and he'’s gonna help you.

[Leon] Could it
really be that easy?

-[Leon] I am looking for Bekim.
-[man] Bekim?

-[Leon] Yes.
-He's not here.

[Leon] Of course it couldn'’t.

-If Bekim comes back...
-Yes?

I'’m going to be sitting there
for, I don'’t know... I don't
know how long.

Thank you so much. Thank you.

-Bye.
-Bye.

[Leon] I started to realize
I may be stranded.

I cannot sleep in
Kindness 1 tonight.

Just calmness.

But, no Bekim.

[Leon] But, just as
I was beginning to lose hope...

[Bekim] Hi. How are you?

-Oh, I'’m good. How are you?
-I heard you were looking for
me.

-Are you Bekim?
-Yes.

Oh, my God!
I met your... I met... I met
Sal.

And I was in the capital today
and I randomly met this kid

who called his girlfriend,
and his girlfriend told me that
this town

was the kindest
town in Montenegro.

I was like, alright.

So, like a fool, I drove all the
way across the mountains

to here to meet someone kind.

If you want, you can come to
my house to be my guest for
tonight

and I can make it possible to
find you some gas and to travel
further.

-[Leon] Bekim, how far is your
house? -[Bekim] It's not very
far.

-It'’s about a mile from here.
-Okay, the bike, I think, will
do a mile.

[Leon] So, off we went.

This is beyond the beautiful.

[Leon] When we arrived, I was
greeted by Bekim'’s mother,
father, wife and son,

and about half a dozen more
of his extended family.

And now it was time
to earn my keep.

We started with
the tobacco plants.

I grow tobacco
and we sell it on the market.

[Leon] I learned that the
family farm also grew dates,
figs,

kept a few goats,
and some chickens.

-Bekim, do you guys eat the
chickens? -We mostly keep them
for eggs.

[Leon] I also learned
that here on this farm,

everyone pulled their weight.

-Cows are very important for you
guys? -Yes.

[Bekim] That'’s a good source of
living. Because you sell the
milk.

We sell the meat,
we sell the cheese.

[Leon] How many people
are in your family?

-Five.
-Five.

-Yes.
-The farm sustains everyone?

Yes.

[Leon] And I learned they had
been doing exactly that for a
very long time.

How long have your family
been farming on this land?

-By now about 20 generations?
-About 20 generations.

How far does that go back?

Maybe more than a thousand
years over here on this land.

A thousand years of
your family on this land?

More... more than
a thousand years.

We are born over here, we have
grown over here, and we die over
here.

And we can'’t live, like,
without this place.

[Leon] But, it turns out,
at the center of it all,

was their most valuable asset,
a single dairy cow.

Can one cow support
an entire family?

A small family, yes.

But not a big family, or you
don'’t have something profit of
this.

So, a family of
five it can support.

Yeah. You have enough
cheese for your family

or enough meat or enough milk.

That'’s enough for
one family of five persons.

[Leon] We spoke about the
isolation that comes with this
life.

It seemed to be a
hard but happy one.

And, after all their generosity,
between food, shelter, and a
tank of gas,

I was inspired to give back
to this remarkable family

in a way that I hoped
could really help them.

A man who supports his
entire family with one cow,

gave me gas, a
place to stay, food,

all from the kindness
of his heart.

It'’s astonishing.

Without a shadow of a doubt,
that you and your family

have opened up
your hearts to me.

That, to me, is
very, very powerful.

Based on what you were saying
to me when I was milking the
cow,

we would like to buy you a cow.

It happens so... so quickly,

and it'’s like...
kind of surprised

that I never get it before.

Buying us a cow, that will help
our family more than you can
imagine.

Thank you very much.

Very surprised.
Very good surprise.

[Leon] It had been a long couple
of days, but one thing was
certain,

tonight I would sleep,
and I would sleep well.

Though I had only traveled
a few hundred miles beyond the
borders,

life in Eastern Europe stood
in strong contrast to the West.

But, the people I encountered
were all familiar because, in
the end,

we are all just people
who want happy, healthy
families.