Keep The Change.

A little snippet of happiness.

We are not allowed to keep tips at my work. Don't ask me why, we just aren't, but that's not why I'm here to talk to you. Today I am going to talk to you about happiness; although happiness may be a rare occurrence within my twisted existence, that is not to say that it is completely absent. Especially tonight.
I am going to tell you about a family. As a waitress, one sees all sorts, but something seemed irredescantly different about this lot, and it wasn't the wheelchair the woman was bound to, and it wasn't the sad befuddlement written across the old timer's face, but it was definitely there. It was the old timer's birthday, and the family of four were celebrating, but the moment was bittersweet to observe upon - you get very good at observing as a waitress. The son saw the world in a very different way, and the family apologised profusely for his behaviour, ridiculously and unnecessarily so, but despite everything, despite all the heartache and the tears and the confusion, they were, for this moment, happy. And so was I. Because seeing that little, broken, happy family assured me that the world is not truly irrational, and cruel, and downright disrespectful. Sometimes there are blips, and we call those blips miracles. There was cake, and there was candles, and then there was me saying my goodbyes, talking about the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, and the theatre, and how that little family had made my night, when the woman handed me £2.10 from her purse and thanked me, with an honesty I have not seen in a very long time.
I'm still not sure why I feel guilty about taking the tip.