“Teen’s Rudeness to Restaurant Cleaning Lady Sparks Mom’s Powerful Lesson”

My Teenage Son Was Being Extremely Rude to a Cleaning Lady at the Restaurant – I Taught Him a Valuable Lesson

Harold’s joy at seeing his son guide his basketball team to victory swiftly fades as the teenager acts impolitely toward an older cleaning woman. But he doesn’t waste any time in devising a scheme to instill in his son a respect for others!

There are certain difficulties in being a parent. You could cry with pride in your child one minute and be devastated by their inappropriate behavior the next.

I experienced just that last Saturday. Although my son, Jake, helped his basketball team defeat one of their fiercest opponents, I had to give him a hard reality check because of what he did while we were out having fun.

Jake’s favorite eatery, a charming small diner with the best apple pie in town, was open when we entered in the middle of the afternoon. The wonderful aroma of freshly brewed coffee and hamburgers on the grill welcomed us right away.

I muttered to Jake, “Looks like this is the only free table,” as we walked up to a table that wasn’t quite cleared.

Glancing around the table, Jake narrowed his eyes at the burger wrappers, used straws, and empty takeout cups that were all over it. He surprised me entirely with what he did next.

Not far away, an old woman was sweeping the floor. Actually, she was a rather sorry sight, balanced on her walking stick with one hand and the mop in the other.

Jake gestured to her with a wave. He yelled, “Hey, old lady!” at her. “Look at this dirty table. Come clean it right now.”

Both the elderly woman and I looked at Jake in disbelief.

“Oh, naturally,” the more senior woman answered. She placed the mop in the bucket with care and moved in our direction.

Even with her cane to help her balance, she limped over and leaned excessively to one side. She moved slowly—apparently too slowly for Jake.

“It’s so sad,” he growled.

Watching Jake pick up the rubbish off our table and throw it on the floor astounded me.

Jake scoffed, “Let’s see if you can actually do your job.” He gestured at the strewn debris on the ground. “Pick it up!”

Upon witnessing the tears gathering in her eyes, my heart fell. With her walking stick for assistance, she knelt down and started gathering up the litter.

I felt a surge of humiliation and indignation. I decided there was only one thing I could do in response to my son’s rude actions, so I reached out to touch Jake.

When Jake tipped the remaining rubbish onto the floor, my hand clamped around a half-full bottle of cola that had escaped him. I spilled the contents onto the floor and met Jake’s gaze.

Jake’s expression brightened, and he let out a mocking laugh. “Yes, Dad! Let’s impart solid work ethics to this elderly woman.”

“Oh, someone will definitely be learning a lesson here,” I said. I raised my hand in the air and looked toward the manager working at the counter.

“Excuse me!” I yelled. “Supervisor? Here, we have a dilemma.”

The older woman tugged at my coat and stretched out, saying, “Please, sir, don’t report me.” “I promise your table will be sparkling clean soon.”

Seeing the tears streaming down her cheeks broke my heart. I wanted to reassure her that everything was in order and that she shouldn’t worry, but I was unable to do so.

“Gramma, it ought to have been cleaned before we arrived,” Jake said, his tone harsh.

That’s when the manager showed up.

“Good afternoon, everyone. What appears to be the issue at hand?” He inquired.

Jake said, “This woman moves too slowly.” When we first arrived, our table was quite dirty, and I observed her spending ten minutes cleaning only one square foot of the floor. She ought to be put out to pasture.

The manager lowered his face. He turned to face the cleaning lady, but before he could say anything, I interrupted.

“My son intended to imply that he is offering to help out here for the next week as a cleaner. This woman here will receive his wages.” I pointed to the elderly woman on the floor, who was crying.

“Dad, you can’t be serious!” Jake gave me a shocked expression. “This old woman—”

“Deserves your respect!” I lost my temper. “How dare you treat her like this when she’s clearly working hard to keep this place clean?”

“Because she’s too slow.” Jake’s jaw tightened. “And too advanced in age. Take a look at her! Since she is unable to walk correctly, what role does she play at this company?”

It is not for you to inquire about that. She undoubtedly has her reasons, and your argument only serves to support what I’ve said.” I faced the management once more. “Do you agree to my proposition, sir?”

“I do.” With a nod of approval, he bent slightly to assist the elderly woman in getting up from the ground. “What do you think, Mrs. Roberts?”

Mrs. Roberts, the older woman, seems utterly taken aback by this development.

Eventually, Mrs. Roberts’s bulging, red eyes came up to meet mine, and she gave me an appreciative nod.

“I’m grateful, sir. Thank you for your kindness.”

I gave Jake a smile and a gesture. “Thank you so much. It’s probably time for you to start making apologies now, Jake. Start working now.”

With reluctance, Jake started mopping the floor, moving stiffly and without enthusiasm. As he worked, I could feel his frustration, but I wasn’t done yet.

I looked over at Mrs. Roberts. “How about you take a seat and place an order? I’ll take that much out of Jake’s allowance.

“What?” Jake stopped to give me a furious look. “That’s not fair!”

With a cautionary glance, I responded, “I think you’ve already said too much for one day, son.”

I made a strong motion for Mrs. Roberts to take the seat that was vacant across from me. After hesitating, she smiled shyly and took a seat.

While Mrs. Roberts ordered a simple lunch, I only ordered a coffee. Jake kept cleaning as she ate. Every now and then, he gave her a quick glance. Although I could feel he was uncomfortable, I understood it was an essential part of his learning process.

Jake worked at the restaurant after school every day for the next week. He removed the trash, washed tables, and mopped floors.

He initially grumbled throughout dinner about the physically taxing work and tedious chores. However, I immediately saw that his attitude had changed.

One evening, as we were finishing our meal, Jake leaped from his chair to clear the table. His mother gave him a startled look.

She said, “Jake, you’re never this eager to help with chores.” “Working at the restaurant is clearly doing you good.”

Jake stopped. He cleared his throat, looked at his mother, then back at me.

“I guess so,” he uttered in a quiet tone. “I still hate the work, but it’s satisfying to see everything looking clean when I’m done.”

“So, you’ve started taking pride in your work,” I said. “It’s fantastic. However, could you please clarify if you believe that the clients and other employees value what you do?

“The employees most certainly do. After learning about how I had handled Mrs. Roberts, they, yeah, gave me a hard time.” Jake gave a head shake. Regarding the clients… I doubt that many of them really consider who has to clean up the mess they leave behind.”

“They give me the impression that I’m invisible,” Jake said. “It really sucks.”

I couldn’t resist grinning. It seems that I had chosen wisely when it came to disciplining my son for his reprehensible actions. But then he made an unexpected comment that broke my bubble, just as I was enjoying my boy’s accomplishment.

“I still don’t think Mrs. Roberts should be doing that job, Dad.” He gave me a nasty glance in return. “It’s hard work, and she deserves a chance to rest.”

“I agree.” I exhaled. “But I guess she has to work, Jake, to make ends meet.”

Jake gave a headshake. “It’s not right.”

I shrugged and remarked about how unfair life is because I had nothing intelligent to say to Jake.

It wasn’t until Jake’s last day of employment at the restaurant that I gave it any thought. Then he did something that totally astounded me.

I observed Jake turn to face Mrs. Roberts after turning in his uniform to the manager. She appeared uneasy when Jake walked up to her, waiting uncertainly beside the counter.

“I’m very sorry for the way I treated you, Mrs. Roberts,” Jake replied. “And I apologize for the hard task you have to do. I thus hope that what I have for you would make your life simpler.”

Watching Jake give Mrs. Roberts a wad of cash left me speechless.

“I spoke to my friends at school and we raised a little money for you,” stated Jake. “It’s not much, but I hope it helps.”

Mrs. Roberts started crying. She gave Jake a hearty thank you. It’s among the most touching things I’ve ever witnessed. Never have I been happier for Jake than I was then.

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