Gratitude For Some Ice Cream

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a soda shop and climbed on to a stool and waited for the waitress to come to him. After a few minutes, a waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

“What does an ice cream sundae cost?” he asked the waitress.

“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. He counted them carefully as the waitress grew impatient. She had “bigger” customers to wait on.

“Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.

“Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied as she hoped the little boy would not take up more of her time.

The little boy again counted his coins and asked, “I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

She realized that he had had enough money for the sundae, but sacrificed it so that he could leave her a tip.

The moral: Before passing judgment, first treat others with courtesy, dignity, and respect. Always.

Be Well.
Paul.
The Gratitude Guru