The Sandwich
I served a young man with an obvious intellectual disability and his family at the sandwich shop. He ordered very slowly, and I had a hard time understanding him, but we managed to get his sandwich ready, and he was so happy. I didn’t mind the line growing behind him. After they paid and left, his mother came back with tears in her eyes to thank me for treating her son like a person. She said most sellers don’t even talk to him, so this meant a lot.
The Call
My best friend and I had a fight and didn’t speak for two years. One night, I got a strange feeling about her, so I called. At first, I hung up after one ring, but then I let it ring fully, and after a long wait, she answered. I said, “Hey, I know we hate each other, but what’s going on with you?” We chatted and became friends again. Two years later, she told me that night she was about to take her own life and was standing by the window when the phone rang.
The Chef
Our rookie chef was teased by others, even though he was talented but inexperienced. I took him under my wing because all he needed was encouragement to believe in himself. I told him not to listen to them, take a deep breath, and that I was there to help if needed. He quickly got the hang of it and became a fantastic sous chef. Years later, he told me that without me, he would have left the profession, but now he teaches chefs and passes on the encouragement he got from me.
The Lady
I worked as a cleaner in a nursing home and had a favorite lady I often talked with—she had wonderful stories. When I finally landed a job abroad, I brought her a chocolate, and we said a tearful goodbye. A few years later, a lawyer contacted me. He said the lady left me a small apartment because “she never had children but always dreamed of a grandchild like me.”
The Brother
I played trumpet in my high school brass band, where there was a rather unusual guy who also played trumpet. He was talented but needed some help, so I showed him a few tricks and always praised him. The next year, the upperclassman I had a crush on finally noticed me, and we started dating. It turned out he was the half-brother of that unusual guy. I didn’t know because they didn’t look alike and had different last names. I told my boyfriend I played music with his half-brother, and he said, “Yes, I know. He talks a lot about you because you’re the only one who’s kind to him.”
The Training
I went to wrestling practice and there was a deaf guy everyone thought was slow, but he was smart—he just couldn’t hear. One day, I surprised him by learning a few signs so we could communicate a little. At the end of the year, his father came to thank me for treating his son with respect. My heart tightened because I barely spent any time learning the signs, but he truly appreciated it.
The Quote
I told my know-it-all, arrogant colleague that someone who thinks they know everything leaves no room to grow. A month later, he came to me and said this wisdom completely changed his mindset and wanted to thank me.
The Girl
In high school, Valentine’s hearts were handed out, and I got one that I gave to the first girl I saw. She was a chubby but kind-faced girl. We both smiled and moved on—it wasn’t a big deal. Years later, she was the clerk when I renewed my driver’s license. She told me she was teased so much back then she cried every night, but the heart I gave her helped her get through the toughest times.
The Elderly Couple
We had to wait for a table at a restaurant, and it was my turn with my girlfriend, but we let an elderly couple go ahead. They thanked us warmly. When we finished dinner and were about to pay, the waiter said the elderly couple had already covered our bill.
The Meeting
The company hired a new person who made some rookie mistakes during probation and was fired. I defended him because he had just had his first child, wasn’t sleeping much, and really needed the job. I also felt he was talented and just needed time. They didn’t listen and let him go. A month later, I quit, started my own company, and hired him. That was ten years ago. I’m retired now, and he runs the company as co-owner. It touched me when I became godfather to his second child.
Opening image: shapecharge/istockphoto.com
