Uncle Kurt joined Agent Wife, Agent Offspring and myself for a free meal at a brand new steakhouse in the fair mother city this evening. It was some sort of promotional deal for the restaurant and gives their waitstaff and cooks experience with real customers before the grand opening. The Bossman alerted us to this deal. We had to call earlier this week for reservations.
All week, Agent Wife felt like this was going to be some celebration dinner for us. Yet I didn't know what we'd be celebrating since our financial realm looks worse than bleak. But just the fact of a free steak dinner at a restaurant is something to celebrate. And Kurt begins receiving his first ever social security pay this Monday. He plans to rent his own place soon (another reason to celebrate).
Uncle Kurt was excited about this dinner all week until today. He became mildly nervous about going out. He said it was because he didn't like crowds (neither do I). But I blame his nervousness on leaving his cultural comfort zone. Kurt's been homeless on and off most of his 68 years. Guys like him may visit burger joints for 27 cent coffee but they don't frequent $19 steak dinner joints in the posh, south side (aka Little Dallas) of the fair mother city. But thankfully, he toughed it out and decided to go.
The big moment for me tonight is when toward the end of our meal (it was great, btw) Kurt told the young waitress that he wanted to see her again before we left. I thought he was just being cutesy/flirty with some 19 year old chick. But when she came back he quietly reached in his pocket and handed her what looked like a few one dollar bills. It was probably all the money he made from selling cans, copper, and pecans from the street today. And dammit...before we made these reservations we almost didn't make the call because we didn't think we could come up with the money to tip the wait staff...
It's just like the CEO to give us a steak dinner when we have nothing in the bank.
And it's just like the CEO to illustrate how a man who has nothing can give his all.
2 comments:
amazing...absolutely amazing and inspiring!
what most people think of as extraordinary is normal for you.
i long for the day when it is for us all.
peace
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