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!
Not sure how I missed this story. Very cool. Thanks for posting about it!
ReplyDeleteI read it when Ryley posted it and cried my eyes out at the ugly nature of some people, but I have to agree with their statement, just in a different way.
ReplyDeleteSpecial needs kids DO need to be put in special places - the same special places that we all want to be put in... the best table, the booth with the prettiest view, the one with the best waiter (surely, Michael Garcia isn't the only one!) I say that we load up the Bird and make a road trip to Houston!!!
I so appreciate that you repeated the statement that sometimes just the offer to help is appreciated. Since the first time you posted it, it has helped me in those previously awkward moments, to just jump in and offer to help. Even when it's been refused, the look of relief and thankfulness that has come just from the asking told me that it was way better than to walk away wishing you could help!
Great news story, great action on the part of the waiter, great!
ReplyDeleteE.
Posted this to FB after a friend shared it too. Love the good in people. There are loads of good people in the world. I wish we'd hear more about them. (Love the photo of the Bird! She is getting more and more beautiful each day!)
ReplyDeleteI love that story, too! It just warms my heart.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to know there are still people out there that will stand up for the right thing! That waiter has no idea of how many lives he has affected just by doing what was the right thing to do!
ReplyDelete