Demanding
She knew that her profession wasn’t held in the highest esteem but she still never expected to have a policeman approach her the way this one was. The other man was beside him, seemingly trying to keep out of sight.
She started to feel concerned, her heart racing as he strode toward her. When he reached the counter, he rested his hands on the countertop and leaned in. What he demanded next left her speechless.
A Job Like Any Other
Alicia Danielle worked in a downtown pawnshop and as such, she figured she’d seen it all already. While counting the cash for the various items people sold she had seen every emotion from sadness to desperation, and even greed.
She had witnessed poignant moments such as a mother reluctantly pawing the last family heirloom she had to provide for her family. Moments like these hardened her heart. It was the only way to cope with the job, and she didn’t know where she’d be without this job.
Strange People
As with anyone who has been at a job for a long time, you start to be able to read people when you see them, knowing what they want before they speak to you. While many different people came to the pawnshop, Alicia noticed they generally fall into two categories.
There were those who came in out of desperation, they were the down and out. Then there were the others. The vultures. These were people who came in just looking for a good deal. The officer approaching her didn’t seem to be either, however.
Experience
Alicia grew to know the regulars in the store during her years there. She knew exactly how they would behave. She knew which of them would invariably try to haggle over the price and which just took it as is.
Living in a small town also meant that she knew just about everyone who walked into her store. Knowing what they would want and would do. However, a man she didn’t know walked in one day, and something told her to watch him. Turns out she was right to do so.
Unfamiliar Face
She watched as this stranger headed straight for the back of the store. Something about it sent off alarm bells. She instinctively moved behind the cash register. She knew what she had to do at the first sign of trouble.
She knew that even if she pushed the panic button, whatever he did would probably be over long before the police got there, but she would press it nonetheless. The one thing she never considered however, was that the policeman might take his side and not hers.
Arriving On Scene
Alicia scrutinized the monitors, watching as the man moved around the store. Every now and then he would move out of view, only to reappear shortly after. His hands jammed deep into the pockets of the long coat he was wearing.
As her finger hovered there, so close to the panic button, but then she was faced by a line of customers waiting to pay. She hated the idea, but dragged her gaze away from him to deal with the irate and impatient people before her, not noticing the police car pulling up.
Strange Behavior
Even while dealing with the customers Alicia kept glancing at the security monitor as she scanned purchases and rung them up. Suddenly she noticed he was gone, then found him standing at the end of the queue. She’d be face to face with him soon.
She was thankful that the store was so full of people at that moment. However, that was when she noticed that he hadn’t, in fact, joined the queue. He was hanging back, the line getting shorter, but he didn’t move.
Short-Lived Relief
Once the people had finally thinned out and the rush was over, the stranger looked around before slowly walking up to the counter. She felt herself tense up, ready to press the button. She braced herself for whatever was about to happen.
She almost visibly sighed and sagged with relief when she realized that he did only want to buy something, however. She knew the relief was plain as day as it washed over her face. Instead of something disastrous, it would be a plain transaction like any other. However, she had no clue about what was about to happen.
Something Off
The man gingerly placed a pair of secondhand shoes on the counter. She rang them up and told him the amount, and he handed her his debit card. But she shouldn’t have relaxed her guard just yet.
As Alicia punched the numbers into the card terminal and handed it to him, the man began to act suspiciously again.
A Defining Moment
Alicia looked down at the man’s feet, then back up to his face. The man was clearly nervous — as if he knew something terrible was about to happen. He keyed in his pin number and bit his lip. He crossed his fingers, as if he was hoping for good luck.
He already knew what was about to happen. But when it did, all hell broke loose.
Declined
The man passed the terminal back to Alicia and held his breath. But he couldn’t stop the inevitable from happening. His card was declined.
Looking visibly upset and angry, he shoved his hand in his pocket when Alicia gently asked him if he had any other way to pay. But this strange interaction was far from being over yet.
Storming Out
The man informed Alicia that he had no cash and no other cards on him, so she had to ask him to return the shoes, which he did. Then, he stormed out of the store.
Alicia couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, but this wasn’t a charity store. Little did Alicia know, she was going to see the man again very soon… and he wouldn’t be alone.
Trouble
After the man had left the store, Alicia was again overwhelmed by customers. She didn’t have time to reflect on what had just happened.
But when she looked up and saw the policeman hanging back with the man who had tried to purchase the shoes not half an hour ago, she froze. Was she in trouble?
What Did They Want?
Alicia tried not to focus on what was about to unfold in her store and tried to serve her customers promptly and efficiently.
But she couldn’t help but notice that the man and the police officer seemed to be hanging back on purpose — they weren’t joining the line of shoppers. Did they want to speak to her in private?
Alone
Eventually, Alicia had almost rung up and processed all the transactions in the checkout line. That’s when she began to panic. She was all alone in the store and if there was about to be trouble, she’d rather have witnesses.
Alas, it wasn’t long before the second rush-hour had ended and she was alone again. Except for the two men.
Confrontation
When the big man in uniform made his way to the register, Alicia felt fear coursing through her veins. What was going on? She studied his face for a clue, but she found none.
“Is everything okay?” She stammered. “Can I help you in any way?” But when the intimidating man slapped his hands on the counter and leaned in, his answer left her completely blindsided.
No Witnesses
“No problem, but if you have those shoes still, I’d like to go ahead and purchase them,” said the officer. Alicia couldn’t believe her ears. Was he really doing this? In all her years of working in that pawn shop, nothing like this had ever happened before.
She looked around, dumbfounded. There was nobody else in the store to witness what was happening.
Calculated
Alicia had noticed that the shoes on the man’s feet were tattered and were full of holes. She visibly relaxed. It was clear what the officer’s purpose in her store was now — he’d come to buy the replacement pair that the man so desperately needed.
But why had he waited for everyone to leave before approaching her?
Not Making A Scene
Alicia quickly realized that neither of the men wanted to make a scene. The officer had calculated his response to coincide with the pawnshop’s customers leaving.
This was because neither of the men wanted attention, on social media or otherwise. The officer genuinely wanted to help the man in his time of need. That’s when Alicia made a decision.
Inspired
Alicia also wanted to help the poor man, so she told the officer that she would split the cost of the new shoes, and she’d pay for her half out of her own pocket.
She was inspired by the policeman’s kindness and also wanted to pay it forward. The man obviously needed some warm, comfortable shoes. But Alicia wasn’t the only woman to find herself in a strange situation while she was on the job. Ashley Latella’s story was far stranger…
Warning Bells
She blinked and glanced from the group of men to the unpaid bill again, not quite understanding what they were asking her. But again, they motioned to the back room. Her eyes swept through the crowded bar, searching for help. The warning bells in her mind were almost as loud as the human din and clinking glasses around her.
She readied herself for the trouble she knew was coming.
A Server’s Work Is Never Done
Ashley Latella was working the night shift at the Seagrape Café in Fairfield, Connecticut when she noticed the group of men saunter in. The December holiday season was in full swing and she was struggling to keep up.
The tables quickly filled up for dinner service, the overflow of diners bustling into the bar area as she rushed from table to table taking orders.
Run Off Her Feet
Another wave of students swept into the bar, jeering and whooping before they ordered their first rounds and hammered them down.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ashley noticed three men take their seats in the corner. Carlos Carmo, her manager, noticed them too. He knew they didn’t belong. He had meant to keep an eye on them but was soon carried away on other business.
Uneasy
Ashley took the men’s orders and bustled to make them comfortable. But as experienced as she was at her job, she couldn’t help but feel taken aback by their behavior.
The men ordered round after round, and every time Ashley walked away from the table she could feel their eyes burning into her back. And every time she approached with their orders, they would fall completely silent. But it was only when she brought them their bill that she would understand their true motivations.
The Wildcard
Ashley knew from experience that it was usually the quieter patrons who gave the most trouble. There was always one table that was holding a wildcard. Usually, if she felt uncomfortable she would swap tables with one of her male staff members, just to be safe.
But there was no chance of that happening tonight – everyone had their hands full. Unfortunately, the men waited until the last possible minute to show their true colors.
Ulterior Motives
The more Ashley thought about it, the more it didn’t make sense. The Seagrape Café was a well-known student bar. Why were these older gentlemen here? They were definitely the oldest people in the room.
Call it a woman’s intuition or experience, Ashley just knew there would be trouble. And she was right.
Unprepared
As a server, Ashley expected to have good customers and bad customers. And some were just downright rude.
Nevertheless, she resolved to always try her best to give all her customers equally good service. But nothing could have prepared her for the men’s refusal to settle their bill.
Just The Beginning
When it was finally time to bring the men their check, Ashley breathed a sigh of relief. It was drawing near to the end of her shift and she was looking forward to going home to recoup before it all began again tomorrow. But she wasn’t out of the woods just yet.
When she returned to collect their payment, she wasn’t ready for what they wanted from her.
What Were They Playing At?
One of the men had the folder with the bill inside pinned under his elbows, close to his chest. But when Ashley moved to retrieve it he refused to move back. He slowly and deliberately looked her up and down — she could feel his eyes on her as they traveled up to her startled face.
Then, he scooped it up and deliberately held it out of her reach, as if taunting her.
Strange Games
Without breaking contact with Ashley’s eyes, he pushed his chair back and the other two men followed suit — as if this was a signal from their ringleader.
They all rose to stand, and the man who was holding the bill ransom swung his neck over his shoulder and looked pointedly at the door behind him. At first, Ashley was confused. Then, he motioned for her to follow him.
Confusion
At first, Ashley couldn’t quite comprehend what was happening. She raised her hands in the universal gesture of confusion. But the man was adamant. He leaned closer and she struggled to hear him over the loud music. He repeated his request.
When it dawned on her that they wanted to settle their bill in private, she felt so unsettled that she felt herself freeze on the spot as a primal fear took hold of her.
Suspicions
Ashley’s thoughts began to race as she scanned the crowd for her manager.
Why would these men want to settle their bill somewhere more private? If they had any grievances, why couldn’t they tell her right here in the safety of the bar? On the other hand, there could be a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Mixed Feelings
Ashley was used to patrons coming onto her — after all, she was young and attractive and she worked hard to keep herself in shape. And it wasn’t lost on her that the man who refused to give her the bill was rather good-looking himself. It was strange, but behind the instinctual fear, she was feeling a small flutter of excitement.
But she couldn’t even entertain that thought. All she knew was that there was no way she was going into the back room with these strange men.
Getting Help
Thankfully, Ashley caught Carlos’ attention as he rushed by. The fearful look in her eyes said it all. He stopped in his tracks and Ashley felt relief wash over her. Carlos had known something would happen tonight, but even he balked when she explained what had happened.
He’d handle it from here. They would all go into the back room together.
Complying
Carlos’ first thought was that perhaps the men were dissatisfied with their service. He only hoped things wouldn’t get out of hand. The tension seemed to rise off the worried manager as he walked stiffly into the back, with Ashley and the men in tow.
Ashley and Carlos were exactly where the men wanted them. They were in for a surprise.
In Private
In the quieter setting of the private room, the men confirmed Ashley’s suspicions. They revealed that they had been watching her closely all night. They observed all four bartenders being run off their feet, and they were impressed.
Carlos immediately relaxed and let his guard down, and the men handed him the bill. When he saw the figure written in the gratuity line he almost passed out.
First Glance
Carlos saw a five and two zeros and couldn’t believe it – a tip of $500 was unheard of for a bill of $112. He couldn’t believe these men wanted to tip the staff that much! He voiced his gratitude, but the men told him to look again.
He thought they had tipped $500, but he was wrong.
Another Zero
Looking closer, Carlos’ first reaction gave way to sheer confusion. “I saw another zero,” he explained in an interview. His face turned as white as a sheet, and Ashley immediately burst into tears.
After a few minutes, she regained her composure and rushed to give the men a big hug. It wasn’t a $500 tip, it was a $5,000 tip! But why?
Tips For Jesus
So, who were these mysterious men who seemed to have a lot of cash to spend on exorbitant tips? And why had they chosen the staff at the Seagrape Café?
The men explained that they were part of a group called “Tips for Jesus,” and their mission was to do “The Lord’s work, one tip at a time.”
Giving Back
The group had been traveling across America, tipping huge amounts to hardworking servers in restaurants. They had already tipped a total of $11,500 in Manhattan alone. Soon, news of the group spread on social media. People all over America were coming forward to share their stories. One bartender got a staggering tip of $1,000 for a bill of just $85.
Ashley knew exactly what she was going to do with her portion of the tip.
Paying It Forward
Ashley knew she had to pay it forward, so she bought as many toys as she could at her local toy store and donated them all to a toy drive called Al’s Angels! She was so grateful she didn’t even want to keep any of the money herself.
But this wasn’t the only time Ashley had given to those in need.
Kindness Goes Around
In fact, Ashley had been planning to buy toys to donate to the toy drive for some time. “I’ve been trying to gather toys at my office. Toys, blankets,” she explained.
So the tip from “Tips for Jesus” couldn’t have come at a better time! The men couldn’t have known that Ashley was such a generous person herself. It just goes to show that kindness begets kindness.
Challenges
There are some pretty silly things that go viral on social media and some trends that are less than good for your health, cue the ‘tide pod challenge’.
People enjoy following and performing these challenges, especially if they can get a good post out of it. Luckily, the latest trend is a super feel good one that everyone will enjoy.
Making Ends Meet
For most servers, their job is a way to make ends meet and definitely not a way to get rich quick until now that is.
The latest #challenge is called ‘tip the bill’ or ‘tip the bill challenge’ is a way for anyone to participate in the fun, spread the love, and feel great at the same time.
Bad Tippers
The challenge involves ordering anything you like from the menu and when the bill arrives leaving 100% gratuity, but some people have taken it further… A lot further.
And it couldn’t come at a better time either. People are in a tipping slump, some studies showing that almost 50% of all diners have no idea how much they should be tipping, so what is the right amount?
More Than You Think
If you didn’t already know it, between 15% and 20% is the recommended amount you should budget for when dining out.
But people participating in this challenge are upping the ante, like this regular at Blue 4 a restaurant in upper Northwest Washington.
Loyal Customers
Christofer Nardelli, owner of the four-year-old restaurant said the customer lives in the area and frequents the bar a few times a month.
His favorite item on the menu is most definitely the gumbo, which features a chicken and andouille sausage base with a dark roux, paired with an Old Chub Scotch Ale.
Food Pairings
Occasionally, Christofer, and the chef, James Turner, e-mailed over food pairings and beer selections to keep the customers informed of new happenings at the restaurant.
Recently James even went so far as to email the patron personally, asking him for advance notice on the next time he would be in the restaurant so he could make the gumbo he liked.
A While Later
They finished their food and drinks, got the bill, paid and left, but it wasn’t until later that anyone noticed something unusual.
Well after the guests had left, Laura Dally, the bartender, noticed the bill on the table. He is known as a regular who favors the gumbo and is a good, generous tipper, but this was beyond that.
Unprecedented
The three staff were stunned that anyone could leave such a gigantic tip on a $93 bill.
Laura had picked up the bill as everyone else was cleaning up and getting ready to close, but when she peeked inside she immediately went to go get Chris.
Incredulous
But the owner, bartender, and chef at the restaurant on Connecticut Avenue said they were shocked when the patron left a really, really big tip — $2,000 on a $93 bill.
“I was in an utter daze,” she said. “I was completely speechless. I had to do a double take.” Laura went to her boss and said, “We need to talk.”
Is It Real?
The two went back to his office, and she showed him the receipt. “I didn’t know what to say,” Chris recalled. “This is the kind of stuff you see in the restaurant business that happens to some guy in the Midwest or the West Coast,” He said.
“You think, who are these people who give these extraordinarily generous tips that just made a server or bartender’s day? And then, sure enough, it happened to us.”
The Rules
Along with the credit card slip showing the $2,000 tip was a note including details of how it should be divided among the three — $1,000 for chef James and $500 each for Laura and Chris.
But just what was the reason for someone to leave such an incredibly large tip?
Thank-You
The next day, Chris sent a “thank you” e-mail to the man and got the explanation for the crazy tip, “He said he’s very happy with what we’ve built and that he’s proud to be a customer,” Chris said.
The patron also said in the e-mail, “I’m very happy to express my gratitude in that way.”
A Helping Hand
Each person is using their sudden windfall wisely too, Chris said he plans to use his money to help offset his toddler’s monthly day-care bill and believes that James will spend his money on his family as well, while Laura, a 29-year-old Silver Spring resident, said she plans to use her $500 to pay for a summer class at Montgomery College.
She is working to become an occupational therapist.
Never Before!
“It’s flattering,” he said. “It’s nice to see somebody appreciate what we do and they’re willing to leave something like that for us. It’s hard to believe anyone deserves a tip like that.” Chris said, followed by Laura who said in her 10 years of working off and on as a hostess, server or bartender she has, “Never! Never have I gotten a tip this big. Never.”
And a note on the back of the bill— “Thank you for the Gumbo!”