I went out to dinner a couple nights ago and I saw a 85-90 year old man sitting at a table for 16. The old man was sitting at the head of the table with 8 seats going away from him on each side. I was guessing he was having a party and waiting for the guests to arrive. He had appitizers set out for the soon-to-be people around him and wine glasses for every place. When I got to the restaurant, it was around 6:00. I watched the old man wait for his guests while me and my guest ordered our food. About 10 or so minutes after I sat down, an Asian couple and their daughter came to the old man's table and sat down. I could tell by their awkward glances around that they were late. Maybe 10 minutes after the Asian couple got there, a middle-aged black women joined the table with the elderly man and the Asian couple. Twelve more spaces were empty, and the appitizer were still laying out on the table to be enjoyed. Twenty minutes went by with no one else showed up. The elderly man told the waiter to take the un-eaten appitizers away and make the 16-seat table into the 5 person table of those who were there. This sight bothered me so when my waiter came to check up on me and my guest, I asked what was going on at the old man's table. The waiter told me that the old man wanted to take out some of the people who have been taking care of him as he got older and treat them to a good meal. Only the Asian couple and the black woman showed up. This was very shocking for me because how could someone, or 12 out of 16 people invited, just not show up? I could tell by the look in the old man's eyes that he was dissapointed and sad at the fact hardly anyone showed up. I could also tell the guests that showed up felt awkward. This broke my heart and made me think of why people would do that to someone who wanted to treat them. How can some people be so cruel sometimes? Some people will never change. But I know that after seeing that 85-90 year old man sitting, waiting for people to show up, changed me.
2007-06-18
16:26:06
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32 answers
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asked by
Maddi J
2