“Would you guys like to come in out of the rain?” she asks unlocking the front door of the Three Pines. “The stove isn’t on but we could rustle up some sandwiches for you.” Ted and I go from despair to elation. We’ve been on the Erie Canal trail all morning and are drenched from riding in a soaking rain for the last hour. The first restaurant we check out is closed and the next restaurant, The Three Pines Restaurant in Canastota, appears not also to be open.
I peer through the window thinking I spot someone but I must be wrong. We are wet and tired and have no place to eat. Or so we think. We gladly accept the invitation.
After shaking off the water from our garments we sidle up to the counter and a mother-daughter team make us feel as if we are honored guests at their home.
“What do you want to drink? Is the air conditioning too cold for you? How do you like your ice tea?”
They wait on us hand and foot explaining that normally they are not closed but today the back room is reserved for a bridal shower. We sit and nod as we wolf down our sandwiches feeling just a little bit drier and at ease.
Soon a few ladies emerge from the back room and crank up the stereo with some dancing music. I hope they are not assuming we are the entertainment. Fortunately we are not approached.
It has stopped raining outside and sated we look to settle the bill. “There’s no charge for this,” says the mother. “It’s on the house.” Ted and I are shocked and want to pay but she will have none of that.
“If you want, you can leave the waitress a nice tip,” she says. Ted looks at me, drops a $20 bill on the counter and off we go thanking both of them for their generosity and kindness.
2 Comments
That was a somber one, but ladies at the restaurant were very generous. Do you feel like grandma Sara’s generosity hAs been repaid? Found the ducks, they were adorable, lots of females . It rained copiously here ,all night long.Heard the chorus of tree frogs all night,very comforting and evocative. Got some bad news from Silvia .
Query: can people truly perform acts of kindness which knowingly afford them no reward? I think not. Perfect altruism does not exist,
the author of the good deed receives emotional gratification
in demonstrating to himself that he is the sort of selfless person
capable of higher principled action instilled from superior ethical
awareness. His kind action is not devoid of self-interest, but
retains the utility of charity nonetheless.