Bolivian boy (La Paz, Bolivia)

Canadian friend Douglas was crossing over to Bolivia from Peru through Puno via Lake Titicaca in 1976.  The plan was to stay overnight in La Paz before catching a flight to Rio the next day.  He wasn’t allowed to take what Peruvian money he had left on him out of the country, and had to change it at the border into Bolivian money.  In return he got what he called “loaves of money” for something like 25 USD's worth of Peruvian money because it had risen in value.  He duly spent a few of these loaves on a room for the night and dinner. 

The next morning, he took a taxi to the airport and spent some more of those loaves.  A boy of about 10 came to carry his luggage into the check-in area.  Douglas tipped him with one of his loaves.

Douglas:  “I’d like to get on the flight to Rio.”
The man at the counter: “Have you pre-booked a ticket?”
Douglas: “No.”
The man: “It’s full.”

The next flight was a few days away, and Douglas turned away to leave, worrying about how long the loaves that he’d been wantonly spending would last.  The boy was still hanging around, and now came forward, “What’s happened?”  Douglas said, “They said the plane’s full.  What do I do?”  By now, the man had left the counter.

The boy said, “Come with me,” went behind the counter, picked up a pen and asked Douglas, “What’s your name?”  Douglas told him.  The boy wrote it down, and checked his bag in.  Douglas gave him the rest of his loaves.

When the man came back later to call the passengers for the flight, Douglas’s name was also called.  He found the plane to be only half full when he got on. 

South America seems to be full of guardian angels!

PS (30 August 2021):  Re-reading this 10 years later, it’s just occurred to me that the counter clerk might’ve been expecting a bribe.  (Yes, my brain does work that slowly…)