Jessie had never been one to back down from a challenge, but she had no idea what she was in for when she started her new waitressing job at the local diner.
“Alright, Jessie. Since you’re the new girl, you get table 13,” Mark, her coworker, said with a smirk as she tied her apron.
Jessie glanced at the table and saw an old man hunched over his menu. “It’s just an old man. What’s the big deal?”
Mark let out a short laugh. “Oh, honey, you’ll see. No one here wants to serve him. He’s a nightmare.”
Jessie shrugged. “I can handle anything.”
But the moment she approached, she realized Mark wasn’t exaggerating.
“Ugh, who are you?” the old man scoffed, barely looking up.
“I’m Jessie. What would you like to drink today?” she asked, forcing a smile.
“I always get the same thing, and you lot ask me every time! Iced tea. Not too cold, not too sweet. Two lemon wedges. A straw.”
“Got it! And what about lunch?”
“Not yet. Just get my tea and go away!”
Jessie sighed but turned to put in his order. When she returned, he took one sip and scowled. “Too sweet.”
She got him another. “Too cold.”
Another. “Not enough lemon juice!”
By the fourth glass, she was barely holding onto her patience. “Sir, we only have paper straws now.”
“Stupid, softy generation! Fine, I’ll take the lasagna!” he barked, tossing the menu at her.
Jessie kept her smile plastered on her face. She wouldn’t let one cranky customer ruin her first day. But serving him took so long that she managed to take care of six other families before he finally finished.
“I should’ve listened to you,” she admitted to Mark at the end of her shift.
Mark just chuckled. “Yeah, but someone has to deal with him.”
Despite everything, Jessie refused to let one bad customer ruin her job. She was doing this for her kids—five of them. Her husband, Bob, worked long hours, but they still struggled. Her mother helped watch the little ones while she worked. Jessie barely had time for her children, but every night she promised herself she’d do better the next day.
But the next day was even harder. And so was the one after that.
Still, Jessie kept serving Mr. Norton. No matter how rude he was, she always greeted him with a smile. Over the years, she learned how to handle his moods. Sometimes, in rare moments, he asked about her life. Most of the time, he grumbled about everything. But one thing was consistent—he always left a solid 15% tip.
One afternoon, something was different. Jessie approached his table after his usual meal, expecting to collect the check and tip. Instead, there was no money. Just a key and a folded note.
Frowning, she picked it up and read aloud:
“Dear Jessie, thank you for putting up with this old grump for so long. I’m going to a special hospice now, so I won’t be back. This is the key to my house. It’s yours. My lawyer’s card is included so you can arrange everything. Goodbye, dear.
P.S. My tea was too sweet today, but I didn’t complain. See? My time is coming.”
Jessie gasped, her hands shaking. Why would he leave his house to her? He had a family. Surely, this was some mistake.
She called the lawyer and found out where Mr. Norton was staying. When she arrived at the hospice, she barely recognized him. He looked frail, his skin pale, his hands trembling.
“Mr. Norton, why did you do this? What about your children?” she asked, her voice thick with emotion.
The old man sighed. “My children hate me. I haven’t seen or heard from them in years. I was grumpy to everyone, all my life. But you… You were the only one who dealt with me with a smile. Keep the house for your family. It’s too big for an old man, but it’s just right for someone like you—someone patient with old things.”
Jessie couldn’t hold back her tears. Over the years, she had come to tolerate him, maybe even like him in her own way. And now, the thought of him being alone, dying alone, was unbearable.
That weekend, she brought her children to visit him. For the first time in years, Mr. Norton smiled.
He passed away a few weeks later.
When Jessie officially inherited the house, his lawyer told her that his family wanted nothing to do with it. There wasn’t much else—just the beautiful home. But for Jessie and her family, it was life-changing.
Her kids were thrilled to have their own rooms. Jessie and Bob even got promotions, making life a little easier. They had so much to be grateful for, so they started volunteering at the local senior center, honoring Mr. Norton’s memory.
And every time Jessie met a grumpy old man, she smiled a little wider.
She knew now—people weren’t just mean for no reason. Sometimes, they were just waiting for someone patient enough to see past the grumpiness.
Lesson: Older people need as much patience as children. Jessie’s kindness changed Mr. Norton’s life, and in the end, he changed hers, too. Being kind, even when it’s hard, has a way of paying off in the most unexpected ways.
