You are waiting on a group of four adults and they request to be moved to another table. As you are making the switch, you overhear them make an offensive remark about another family in the restaurant. A family that just happens to have a five year child with Down's Syndrome.
The remark? "Special needs kids should be kept in special places". In other words, special needs kids should be kept hidden away from public view where they might bother someone who is trying to eat.
What would you do?
Say nothing? After all, if you speak up, you might not only lose a tip that night, you might lose your job.
Now stop imagining.
Because I didn't make this up.
Michael Garcia is a real-life waiter at Laurenzo's Restaurant in Houston, Texas and this exact situation happened to him.
And what did Michael do? He rose to the occasion and has become a local hero.
Here's a great feel-good story that'll make you smile and serve as a gentle and happy reminder that while it sometimes seems the world is overrun with jerks, there are still a whole lot of amazing people out there.
It's people like Michael that reassure me that I can do this special needs parenting thing. A kind word, a smile that isn't one of pity, an offer of help, including Bird in conversation all the while knowing she can't respond, standing up for my child and others like her.... these are the things that keep me going.
So. Have a fun weekend, sweet ones. And if you, like Michael Garcia, get the chance to be amazing, I hope you'll do it!
