Harold\u2019s pride at watching his son lead his basketball team to victory evaporates quickly when the teenage boy is rude to an elderly cleaning lady. However, he quickly comes up with a plan to teach his son a lesson about respecting others!\n\n\n\n
Being a parent comes with unique challenges. One moment, you\u2019re so proud of your kid, you could burst, but the next, their inappropriate behavior could devastate you.\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s exactly what happened to me last Saturday
My boy, Jake, led his basketball team to victory against their biggest rivals, but what he did while we were out celebrating forced me to give him a harsh reality check.
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It was the middle of the afternoon when we walked through the doors of Jake\u2019s favorite restaurant, a cute little diner that serves the best apple pie in town. We were immediately greeted by the amazing scent of burgers on the grill and freshly brewed coffee.\n\n\n\n \u201cLooks like this is the only free table,\u201d I said to Jake as we approached a table that hadn\u2019t been cleaned yet.\n\n\n\n Jake narrowed his eyes as he took in the empty takeaway cups, used straws, and burger wrappers littering the table. What he did next took me completely by surprise.\n\n\n\n An elderly woman was mopping the floor nearby. She was a pitiful sight, actually, since she was balancing using the mop with one hand and her walking stick with the other.\n\n\n\n Jake waved his hand at her. \u201cHey, old lady!\u201d he snapped at her. \u201cThis table is filthy. Come and clean it immediately.\u201d\n\n\n\n The old lady and I both stared at Jake in shock.\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, of course,\u201d the older woman replied. She carefully set the mop in the bucket and started toward us.\n\n\n\n She leaned heavily to one side as she hobbled over, even with the support of her cane. Her movements were slow, too slow for Jake, apparently.\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is pathetic,\u201d he snarled.\n\n\n\n I couldn\u2019t believe my eyes as I watched Jake grab the trash from our table and toss it onto the ground.\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s see if you can actually do your job,\u201d Jake sneered. He pointed at the trash scattered on the floor. \u201cPick it up!\u201d\n\n\n\n My heart sank as I saw the tears welling up in her eyes. She slowly bent down, using her walking stick for support, and began picking up the scattered trash.\n\n\n\n A wave of indignant anger and embarrassment washed over me. I reached toward Jake as I realized there was only one way to respond to my son\u2019s disrespectful behavior.\n\n\n\n My hand closed around a half-full bottle of cola that had evaded Jake when he tipped the rest of the trash onto the floor. I looked Jake in the eye as I emptied the contents onto the floor.\n\n\n\n Jake\u2019s face lit up, and a mean cackle escaped him. \u201cYeah, Dad! Let\u2019s teach this old lady a lesson about doing a good job.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, someone will definitely be learning a lesson here,\u201d I replied. I directed my gaze to the counter where the manager was working and waved my hand in the air.\n\n\n\n \u201cExcuse me!\u201d I called out. \u201cManager? We have a problem here.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cPlease, sir, don\u2019t report me,\u201d the older woman reached out and tugged on my coat. \u201cI promise your table will be sparkling clean soon.\u201d\n\n\n\n It broke my heart to see the tears running down her cheeks. I wanted to tell her she didn\u2019t need to worry, that this was all part of my plan, but I couldn\u2019t.\n\n\n\n \u201cIt should\u2019ve been clean before we got here, Grandma,\u201d Jake chipped in, his tone cutting.\n\n\n\n At that moment, the manager arrived.\n\n\n\n \u201cGood afternoon, folks. What seems to be the problem here?\u201d he asked.\n\n\n\n Jake piped up, \u201cThis lady is too slow. Our table was filthy when we got here, and I literally watched her spend, like, ten minutes mopping one square foot of the floor. You should put her out to pasture.\u201d\n\n\n\n The manager\u2019s face fell. He turned to the cleaning lady, but I spoke up before he could say anything.\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat my son meant to say is that he\u2019s volunteering to work as a cleaner here for the next week. His salary will go to this lady, here.\u201d I gestured to the weeping older lady on the floor.\n\n\n\n \u201cDad, you can\u2019t be serious!\u201d Jake looked at me in shock. \u201cThis old woman\u2014\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cDeserves your respect!\u201d I snapped. \u201cHow dare you treat her like this when she\u2019s clearly working hard to keep this place clean?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause she\u2019s too slow.\u201d Jake clenched his jaw. \u201cAnd too old. Look at her! What\u2019s she doing working here when she can\u2019t even walk properly?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s not your business to question. She has her reasons, I\u2019m sure, and all your argument does is emphasize my point.\u201d I turned back to the manager. \u201cDo you agree to my proposition, sir?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cI do.\u201d He gave me an approving nod before bending a little to help the older woman up from the floor. \u201cWhat do you think, Mrs. Roberts?\u201d\n\n\n\n The older woman, Mrs. Roberts, looked completely overwhelmed by this turn of events.\n\n\n\n Mrs. Roberts looked up at me eventually, her eyes red and puffy, and nodded gratefully. \u201cThank you, sir. I appreciate your kindness.\u201d\n\n\n\n I smiled and gestured to Jake. \u201cYou\u2019re welcome. Now, Jake, I think it\u2019s time you started making amends. Get to work.\u201d\n\n\n\n Jake reluctantly began cleaning the floor, his movements stiff and unenthusiastic. I could sense his frustration as he worked, but I wasn\u2019t finished yet.\n\n\n\n I turned to Mrs. Roberts. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you sit down and order something? I\u2019ll deduct the cost from Jake\u2019s allowance.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Jake paused to look at me indignantly. \u201cThat\u2019s not fair!\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cI think you\u2019ve already said too much for one day, son,\u201d I replied, giving him a warning look.\n\n\n\n I gestured insistently to Mrs. Roberts to take the empty seat across from me. She hesitated, then sat down with a shy smile.\n\n\n\n Mrs. Roberts ordered a modest meal, and I just had a coffee. As she ate, Jake continued to clean. He glanced over at her occasionally. I could sense his discomfort, but I knew it was a necessary step in his learning process.\n\n\n\n Over the next week, Jake worked at the restaurant every day after school. He mopped floors, wiped tables, and took out the trash.\n\n\n\n At first, he complained about the exhausting physical labor and repetitive tasks during dinner. But I soon noticed a shift in his attitude.\n\n\n\n One night, we\u2019d just finished eating and Jake sprang from his seat to clear the table. His mom looked at him in surprise.\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re never this eager to help with chores, Jake,\u201d she remarked. \u201cWorking at the restaurant is clearly doing you good.\u201d\n\n\n\n Jake froze. He glanced at his mom, then at me, and cleared his throat.\n\n\n\n \u201cI guess so,\u201d he said in a subdued voice. \u201cI still hate the work, but it\u2019s satisfying to see everything looking clean when I\u2019m done.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, you\u2019ve started taking pride in your work,\u201d I remarked. \u201cThat\u2019s great. But tell me, do you feel like the customers and other staff appreciate what you do?\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cThe staff definitely do. They, uh, gave me a hard time when they heard how I treated Mrs. Roberts.\u201d Jake hung his head. \u201cAs for the customers\u2026 I doubt most of them give a second thought to the mess they leave behind, or who has to clean it.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cThey make me feel like I\u2019m invisible,\u201d Jake continued. \u201cIt really sucks.\u201d\n\n\n\n I couldn\u2019t help but smile. It seemed I\u2019d made the right call about the best way to discipline my son for his atrocious behavior. But just when I was basking in the pride I felt for my boy, he burst my bubble with an unexpected remark.\n\n\n\n \u201cI still don\u2019t think Mrs. Roberts should be doing that job, Dad.\u201d He met my gaze with a fierce look. \u201cIt\u2019s hard work, and she deserves a chance to rest.\u201d\n\n\n\n \u201cI agree.\u201d I sighed. \u201cBut I guess she has to work, Jake, to make ends meet.\u201d\n\n\n\n Jake shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s not right.\u201d\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t have a good answer for Jake so I just shrugged and said something about the unfairness of life.\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t think much about it until Jake\u2019s last day of working at the restaurant. What he did then completely blew me away.\n\n\n\n I watched as Jake handed in his uniform to the manager and turned to Mrs. Roberts. She was waiting near the counter uncertainly and seemed uncomfortable as Jake approached her.\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m very sorry for the way I treated you, Mrs. Roberts,\u201d Jake said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m sorry you have to work such a demanding job. So I\u2019ve got you something that I hope will make your life easier.\u201d\n\n\n\n My jaw dropped as I watched Jake hand Mrs. Roberts a stack of cash.\n\n\n\n \u201cI spoke to my friends at school and we raised a little money for you,\u201d Jake said. \u201cIt\u2019s not much, but I hope it helps.\u201d\n\n\n\n Mrs. Roberts burst into tears. She thanked Jake profusely. It\u2019s one of the most heartwarming sights I\u2019ve ever seen. I\u2019ve never been prouder of Jake than I was at that moment\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Harold\u2019s pride at watching his son lead his basketball team to victory evaporates quickly when the teenage boy is rude to an elderly cleaning lady. 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