In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a Hotel Coffee Shop and sat uneasily at a table.
A waitress arrived and put a glass of water in front of him.
Nervously, he asked, “How much is an ice cream sundae?”
“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand from his pocket and
studied the coins in his hand!
“Well, how much is a dish of plain ice cream?” he inquired.
Time seemed to pass slowly and by now,
more people were waiting to be served.
The impatient waitress brusquely replied, “Thirty-five cents.”
The little boy counted his coins again!
He then looked up at her and with a tentative smile said,
“I’ll have the plain ice cream please.”
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 returned to the table to clean it,
she cried as she wiped it down.
There, placed neatly beside the empty dish,
were two nickels and five pennies.
You see, he couldn’t have the sundae,
because he wouldn’t have enough left over, to give her a tip!
Reflection
Reading others thoughts is often, at best, guesswork.
It’s easy to overlook the fact that, most people, place others first and expect no reward. Some don’t, causing much hurt.
