People who are homeless are alienated from society; those who come into contact with them are often shunned and, if possible, avoided dialogue.
They appear to be unnoticed in public places, and they may even be escorted out of a café or store if they cause a disturbance.
Maria was working as a waitress in a small restaurant in Texas. During her shift, a man entered the institution and sat at one of the tables.
The stranger’s look indicated that he was in a terrible financial situation and might not be able to pay for his lunch.
The employees at the café didn’t even bother to glance at the homeless man because management had made it clear the day before that if a waiter served a customer who had nothing to pay, the amount of the meal would be deducted from the waiter’s income.
Despite the warning, Maria approached the table and said:
«Hello, my name is Maria. Simply let me know what you require, and I will make certain that you have it.
The customer placed his order, ate his meal, paid his bill, and then fled the restaurant, but not before leaving a $100 tip.
Maria was stunned to see a note attached to the bill, which surprised her as much as the generous contributions from random guests.
«To Maria, I am filled with admiration for you. I can see you’re also respectful of yourself…
The term «interaction» refers to how people interact with one another. The handwritten card, signed by the cafe’s proprietor, stated, «You have discovered the secret to happiness, and your nice deeds will serve as an example for those people who know you.»
It was immediately clear that this was a test! The café’s proprietor had pretended to be destitute so that the employees could judge how they should respond to him.
Maria, of course, was completely unaware of any of this. She acted in accordance with her morals and did not show bias to any of the establishment’s guests.
The proprietor of the coffee shop was so affected by Maria’s gesture that she not only showered her with big tips but also elevated the young woman to the post of manager.