I wasn’t okay. I was looking at those dimes in my apron, and I was suddenly transported back twenty-five years. I remembered being a young, single mother, watering down milk so it would last the week. I remembered the burning, crushing shame of not being able to feed my own child.
I remembered the pride. That fragile, desperate pride that is sometimes the only thing a person has left to hold onto when everything else is falling apart.
If I walked out there and just offered to pay for his meal, it would humiliate him in front of his child. I saw the way he avoided my eyes. He didn’t want charity. He just wanted to be a good father to his little girl.
I reached into the pocket of my uniform and pulled out my employee meal voucher. We get one free meal per shift, up to fifteen dollars. I usually saved mine to take a hot meal home, but tonight, I wasn’t hungry anymore.
“Sal,” I said, my voice steadying. “I need a full order of the lumberjack breakfast. Three pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns. And add a side of fresh fruit for the little one.”
Sal looked confused. “For the guy with the dimes? He didn’t order that.”
“Just make it, Sal. Please.”
While the food cooked, I walked over to the old brass bell we kept behind the cash register. We usually only rang it when a local high school sports team won a championship or someone left a massive tip.
I took a deep breath, grabbed the rope, and yanked it hard.
The loud *CLANG CLANG CLANG* echoed through the near-empty diner. Marcus jumped in his seat, wrapping his arms protectively around his daughter. The few other patrons looked up from their coffees in surprise.
I walked out from behind the counter with the biggest, brightest smile I could muster. I marched straight over to Marcus’s booth.
“Congratulations!” I practically shouted, clasping my hands together.
Marcus looked terrified. “Excuse me?”
“You!” I beamed, pointing at the little girl who was now giggling at the sudden noise. “You two are our official 100th customers of the night! We’re running a special promotion this month.”
Marcus blinked, his exhaustion momentarily replaced by utter confusion. “A promotion?”
“That’s right!” I lied flawlessly. “Every Tuesday night, the 100th customer gets their entire meal completely on the house. Plus, you win our deluxe family sampler platter!”
