A young man took his disabled mother to a restaurant but neglected her until she dropped her water glass. He reproved her for it, making her cry, and the owner stepped up madly and did something surprising.
“This is nice,” Emily told her son.
“Yeah, sure,” he muttered.
“I wish we weren’t so close to the bathroom, but with your wheelchair, we can’t be seated anywhere else.”
Emily tried to neglect that backhanded comment and drank some water from her glass.
“Still, it’s nice that we’re out together after so long. How’s college? Your classes? Is there anything interesting happening on campus?” she was amazed, curious about her kid.
“Shut up and sit down,” the man said.
Dean rarely called after he left for college, and Emily knew he was finding his way and loved the independence.
Therefore, she invited him over for a special meal and had to beg, beg, beg before he accepted.
“Oh, it’s fine whatever,” he sighed.
Once again, Emily grabbed her water glass for a sip, but she accidentally knocked it against the table and the glass shattered on the ground.
“For God’s sake! I can’t even have a nice dinner without you making a scene and people watching us. I didn’t want to come, but you kept nagging me! God, I can’t wait for this night to be over,” Dean said.
Finally, her eyes welled up and she began sobbing quietly. “Ok, let’s go now,” she said.
“Great!” Dean said.
“Wait a minute!” a man approached them. .
“We’re not going to eat here. Cancel our food,” Dean said.
But the man declined.
“Shut up and sit down,” the man said, surprising Dean and Emily. But her son sat down slowly as if he was afraid.
“I heard your little outburst a few seconds ago, young man, and I have to tell you that it was the most surprising words I’ve ever heard. I’ve been talking to my staff nearby, and I understand that this is your mother. How could you speak to her that way?”
“I – I didn’t,” Dean stammered.
“You didn’t what? You know I would give anything to have my mother with me again. She taught me everything about life, love, hope, and dreams and raised me independently. Just like this beautiful woman here, she was also disabled. She had a condition that made it impossible for her to work a normal job. And in spite of all that, she raised me. I never went hungry. I was never lacking. I suspect this woman has done the same for you,” the man added.
“Today, I own this restaurant and many others around Chicago. All because of her. And she didn’t get to see my success.”
Dean sneezed at his lap in shame while Emily stared at the restaurant owner, entirely centered on the story.
“So, call your mother. Talk to her. You have her right here! It’s the biggest privilege you’ll ever get! Be better! Otherwise, no matter what you do or how much money you make, you’ll never be known as a real man,” the man finished.
Emily looked at her son and was astonished to see tears running down his cheeks. But before she could say anything, Dean looked up.
“I’m so sorry, Mom,” he said.
“Oh, dear,” she said, and he jumped up to hug her, asking for forgiveness again.
“Ok, my job is done. Your food will be out soon, and someone will come to pick that broken glass quickly,” said the owner.
Dean sat back down, put his phone away, wiped his tears, and started speaking. “Well, my classes are good. A little boring…”
Emily smiled, drying her own face. The rest of the dinner was fantastic, thanks to Mr. Harris’ scolding words. And Dean never molested his mother again.
