Monday. It had always just been a day to me. I neither loathed it like some or rejoiced in it like others. It has always just been…Monday.
This particular Monday seemed especially dull. I was tired and at work, which is never a good combination no matter what job you have. I was eager for it to be 4:00……
For cryin’ out loud…it never fails. Fifteen minutes before your shift ends, someone comes into the restaurant for food. Then comes the question of how badly you want that tip. But I try not to be negative. I always smile and tell my co-workers that this is some sum of money I didn’t have before, even when it’s less than a dollar. (Money is overrated, by the way).
The customers are a father and son, or so it would appear. I tell them they can have a pick of anywhere in the restaurant considering it’s empty. I follow them to Table 23 and go into server mode. The one with the radiant smile and the cheerful tone of voice.
The dad seems appreciative of it and he orders two Oreo milk shakes and a Coke. A part of me groans. I suck at making shakes. Oh well. I tell him that it will probably be a while on the shakes but I should be about again presently.
As I’m preparing the shake ingredients, Emily walks in. She is ten minutes early. I consider taking especially long in making these shakes so the table will end up going to her. I consider it briefly and then I remember myself. It may be a crummy server job, but I have this tendency to take what I do seriously. I will do the right thing.
The shakes don’t look half bad. Woot. I bring them out to the father and son and they tell me they are ready to order. Without a moment’s hesitation or a lie of how another server will be them in just a minute, I take out my book and write down the order, smiles and cheer all around. Sincere smiles and cheer. It doesn’t cost me a thing to be nice.
Order’s in. Alex is cooking and Emily is clocked in. What timing on my part. Oh well. I still have half a piece of chocolate cake and some chicken wings to munch on. I’m good. It doesn’t cost me a thing to be nice.
I tell Emily what’s been done and what still needs to be done. I think vaguely about the fact that if things had been different and I could sacrifice my happiness, I could be her English teacher right now. It could never work.
The food comes up and I take it out there. The father is all smiles and the son is eager to eat. I ask them if there’s anything else I can get them and the father is very polite. I wish I had more customers like him.
I finish my chocolate cake, which had been sitting for a while and wasn’t quite as tasty as it had been when I first bit into it. But that’s okay ‘cuz it was free and it made the Monday worth waking up for.
I don’t think I can really wait anymore. It’s getting closer to 4:30 and no one ever really knows how late a table will end up staying. I ask Emily if I can transfer the table to her. I say something to make her laugh and the deed is done. She’s a good kid.
I am sitting and reading and waiting for my dad to come pick me up when I notice the father and son come up to the register. Even though I know it’s against the rules, I go and cash them out since Emily is otherwise detained. I smile and I’m cheerful as I put the change back into the nice father’s hands. He smiles in return and the customary pleasantries are exchanged. After all, it doesn’t cost us a thing to be nice. And besides, we mean it.
I return to the table to collect my tip. At first, I think my eyes are playing tricks on me. Then I panic because that’s just my way. Sitting on the table are two ten dollar bills. I brush them into my hand and scurry around the corner, hoping to catch the nice father even though I know he is gone. He must have made a mistake…he must have meant to leave me two singles not two tens!!
I run into Alex. He tells me I’m being silly. Take the tip. I’m holding the two ten dollar bills in my hand uncertainly. It’s way too generous in my head. I didn’t do anything overly special. I just did my job. It doesn’t cost me a thing to be nice.
I’m ashamed to think that the nice father might come back any second to tell me he’s made a mistake. I think this as I hold the ten dollar bills in my hand.
No. He was just a good and nice and generous man. I smile and hope he knows how much he has made my day. Yes, money is ridiculous and I wish it didn’t have to be so important to people. Yes, I was just doing my job and that should be satisfaction enough for me.
But damn, those two ten dollar bills in my hand certainly feel pretty cool. I hope some day I make someone else’s day that much cooler.
wow! that was so cute and sweet!