It was a pretty quiet day for Ashley Latella, a Connecticut waitress, with nothing out of the ordinary except for the usual brand of clients and occurrences, at least up until a rowdy party called to the side of what was a loud bar. Ashley had a feeling that the nosy group was bad news, and her feelings were confirmed when the three men demanded to have a word with her in private.
Service Work
Ashley had been working the night shift at the Seagrape Café, up in Fairfield, Connecticut when a group of men entered the joint.
The holiday season was among them and the place was teeming with customers, so she was having a hard time keeping up. The tables filled up as quickly as they emptied and Ashley had to juggle several tables all at once to fulfill the orders.
From Table to Table
As Ashley made her way to the bar, another group of students sat at one table, whooping and jeering before their first round of drinks arrived, which they chugged down in a flash.
She noticed some movement out of the corner of her eye but did not turn to have a proper look. Carlos Carmo, her manager, also noticed the group and decided to pay more attention.
Things Get Uncomfortable
Ashley walked up to their table to take their orders and to try and make them feel more at home. But the men’s eyes bore into her every time she came to take an order from them.
She could feel the heat of their eyes on her whenever she went to the table and the men ordered more rounds. Even with her experience, their behavior still made her a little uncomfortable. The table would fall into silence whenever she approached. However, it was only after she’d handed their bill that she finally got a hint about their hidden motivations, something she wouldn’t guess in a million years.
Totally Unprepared
Part of Ashley’s job was the inevitable fact that she was always going to have to deal with both good and bad customers. Some of them were outright rude and abrasive and didn’t even need a trigger to get worked up and mean.
But despite all of this, Ashley was dedicated to her job, a model employee who gave her all to provide a great experience for the guests. However, nothing prepared her for the kind of occurrence that was about to happen. The men had declined to pay their bill.
Back to the Start
Ashley was relieved as soon as she’d brought the men their check. She was almost getting off her shift and she couldn’t wait to get home and get some rest before her next shift the following day.
But she was yet to make it out of the woods because, to her astonishment, the men asked her to do something else. They were clearly onto something and Ashley was blissfully unaware.
Taunts
One of the men pinned the folder right below his elbows, with the bill inside, and then handed it over to her. But as Ashley moved to receive it, the man held onto it and proceeded to look her up and down.
She felt his eyes scanning the length of her body before finally landing on her own eyes. He then grabbed the bill and held it away from her, taunting her and willing her to get it.
Confused
All the while the man never took his eyes away from her. He suddenly pushed back his chair, ready to get up and like a ringleader, all the other men followed suit.
The ringleader then swung his head to look over his shoulder and fixed his look at the door right behind him. And then it dawned on Ashley with a chill that the man wanted her to follow him into the room.
Terrified
Ashley glared at the man in dense confusion but he didn’t seem to flinch and wanted her to go into the bathroom. He leaned in and said something she didn’t quite catch due to the loud music.
He repeated the same thing and though she still didn’t hear him clearly, she could make out what he wanted. The men wanted to settle the bill in private. Ashley stirred as she considered their request, terrified by what was an unusual request.
Suspicions
As her mind ran circles at what she had just heard, she scanned the room for her manager. Surely, there wasn’t any reason for these guests to want to settle their bill in private. Or was there?
If the men happened to have an issue with their bill, they would have brought it up there and then. There had to be a more reasonable explanation, and she was about to find out.
Mixed Feelings
Ashley wasn’t quite a stranger to advances from guests. She knew too well that she was attractive, fit, and young and clients often tried to get to her. The man who handed over the bill was also a good-looking guy, she noticed.
But she knew better than to try and entertain such a proposal. She finally made a decision; she wasn’t going to head into the back room as the men had requested.
Some Help Please
Luckily, Carlos, her manager, picked up on her wordless shouts for help and immediately stopped what he was doing to go help her out.
He had a bad feeling that the night would not end nicely and he balked as soon as Ashley revealed the men’s request. He calmed her down and informed her that he was going to deal with it.
The Takeover
Carlos’ first thought was that the men were somewhat dissatisfied with the kind of service they had received. Whatever the problem was, he just hoped it wasn’t going to get out of hand.
He headed for the back room all the same, with Ashley in tow, and finally arrived at the exact spot the men wanted them. The man then handed him the bill and he was shocked.
At First
He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. There was a five, followed by two zeros, which didn’t make sense because their bill was $112. They’d either made a mistake or they were intentionally leaving behind $500 tip.
He thanked them anyway on behalf of Ashley, of course. But then the men asked him to have another look at the bill.
An Additional Zero
When Carlos looked at the bill again, it was as if it had changed since he last glanced at it a few seconds before. “I saw another zero,” he’d later say in an interview. He turned to look at the men, dumbfounded and confused. When Ashley saw the tip she burst into tears and couldn’t hold herself together.
She gave each of them a tight hug as soon as she’d regained her composure. A $500 tip was a lot but within the reach of the usual amount of tips. But $5,000? That was one for the history books.
Tips For Jesus
Ashley and her manager Carlos were left to wonder just who these mystery men were and how they had so much cash to give. What was the reason for their rare act of generosity to the Seagrape Café staff?
But as it turned out, the men belonged to a group called “Tips for Jesus,” and their mission was to do “The Lord’s work, one tip at a time.”
Regular Customer
As it turned out, these men were for real and such a group actually exists. Christopher Nardelli, the restaurant’s owner confirmed that he knew the said customer. In the four years he’d owned the restaurant, he discovered that the man lived in the area and that he came to the bar a few times each month.
His favorite item on the menu was the gumbo, which comes with an andouille and chicken base with a dark roux. He would often wash it down with an Old Chub Scotch Ale.
Food Pairings
Every now and then, Christopher, together with the chef James Turner, would shoot out emails about the food pairings and beer selections. The restaurant wanted to let their clients know what was going on.
In fact, James had personally emailed this particular man, asking him to let the restaurant know when he planned to drop in so they could whip up the gumbo just the way he liked it.
Cleared The Bill
When they finished their food and drinks, they asked for a bill which they proceeded to pay and depart soon after. No one noticed something unusual about their bill.
It was only later on when the guest had left the restaurant that bartender Laura Dally noticed a bill on the table. He was a regular client who licked his gumbo and generally tips handsomely. But what he did shocked everyone at the restaurant.
The First Time
Members of staff exchanged puzzled looks when they learned that someone had left such a huge tip for a $93 bill. Laura picked it up of course, but towards the end when the restaurant was just about to close down.
Everyone was already closing and cleaning up. She took one look at the bill and she knew she had to find Chris right away.
Couldn’t Believe It
Inside the bill was a tip of $2,000, for a bill of $93. “I was in an utter daze,” she explained. “I was completely speechless. I had to do a double-take,” Laura would later explain.
Every member of staff was stunned. Laura went looking for her boss and when she found him the first words out of her mouth were, “we need to talk.”
Utterly Shocked
When they got to his office, Laura showed him the receipt. Chris took one look at the receipt and froze.
“I didn’t know what to say,” Chris would later say. “This is the kind of stuff you see in the restaurant business that happens to some guy in the Midwest or the West Coast.” 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,” he explained.
A Thank You Note
The next day, Chris sent the man a “thank you” email and as part of his response, he got an explanation for his magnanimous gesture the previous day. “He said he’s very happy with what we’ve built and that he’s proud to be a customer,” Chris explained.
The patron proceeded to inform him that he also wanted to express his gratitude. “I’m very happy to express my gratitude in that way,” he said.
Plans
Chris, Laura and James all had plans for their sudden wealth. They all said they planned to use it wisely, with Chris revealing that he intended to use it to clear a monthly day-care bill for his toddler.
James wanted to spend the money on his family while 29-year-old Laura planned to pay for a summer class at Montgomery College. She’s currently undertaking occupational therapy training.
First Time
According to Chris, it’s quite flattering and incredibly nice to see somebody appreciate what they do at the restaurant. “It’s hard to believe anyone deserves a tip like that,” he said. Laura had been working in the industry for the past 10 years as a hostess, server, and bartender and had never seen anything like that before.
“Never! Never have I gotten a tip this big. Never,” Laura said. And this is what the note on the bill said; “Thank you for the Gumbo!”
Giving Back
As it turned out later, the mystery tippers had actually been traveling the country leaving huge tips to hardworking restaurant staff. At the time, they’d already left a whopping $11,500 in tips in Manhattan alone.
The group began to trend all over social media as people across the nation stepped forward to share their experiences with them. A bartender confirmed how she had received a $1,000 tip for a $85 bill.
Paying It Forward
As the reality of her good luck began to sink it, Ashley knew deep down that the right thing to do was to pay it forward. So she went ahead and bought toys at the local toy store and donated them to the toy drive known as AI’s Angels.
She was thankful for what she had received but then she didn’t want to keep all the money to herself. After all, this wasn’t the first time she would be helping people in need.
Pure Kindness
Ashley had, in fact, been planning to purchase toys for the toy drive. “I’ve been trying to gather toys at my office. Toys, blankets,” she revealed. So the handsome tip she’d received from the “Tips for Jesus” group was absolutely spot on in terms of timing.
The men couldn’t have known this at the time because they were simply rewarding her hard work. It was probably good old karma at work and perhaps a validation of the fact that kindness begets kindness. In an emotional mood after that uplifting story? Up next, enjoy these heartwarming photos that will restore your faith in humanity...
These Heartwarming Photos Will Make Your Day
The world is surrounded by so much negativity in the media that often we don’t get a chance to notice all the good that surrounds us. There are so many people out there that do things to help better the lives of others. Some of these acts of kindness are small but their impacts last a lifetime. Just look that the heartwarming stories below.
This just shows that we can make friends in the unlikeliest places. This sweet old lady needed help with walking home. She was afraid that she would slip and hurt herself. So, she reached out to a young gentleman nearby for help. He helped her get home safely, but things didn't end there.
He started to walk her home whenever she needed it. It became a part of their routine. The walking resulted in a very endearing and unique friendship. This shows that you may be years apart, you may not even have a single thing in common, but a friendship can still develop.
He started to walk her home whenever she needed it. It became a part of their routine. The walking resulted in a very endearing and unique friendship. This shows that you may be years apart, you may not even have a single thing in common, but a friendship can still develop.
A Real-Life Hero
Sometimes all it takes is a little fearlessness and a lot of selflessness to save a classroom of students. Meet Anthony Borges, he is a 15-year-old that proved that heroes come from all walks of life. This young man held a door shut in an attempt to protect 20 of his classmates. He sustained five gunshot wounds but that did not stop him.
He's seen here at the hospital with the Sheriff, who wanted to thank him for his bravery. We think Anthony has the potential to make a huge positive difference in the world. Who knows he could one day become a Sheriff himself.
Lawning a Hand
Now, this is just heartwarming. This group of gentlemen saw that there were a lot of elderly, disabled, and single mothers that were unable to tend to their lawns. They decided that it was their responsibility to ensure that these lawns were then mowed for free.
That's right, they go around helping those in need in their community, by mowing their lawns for free. They call themselves the "Raising Men Lawn Care Service." We agree, that what they are doing for others is not just charitable, it shows a lot of good character.
The Family We Choose
How wonderful is it when we find a home with someone? That is exactly what happened here. The lady was a caregiver in an orphanage, and the man moved to the orphanage after his parents died. He was still a boy then. After serving as a caregiver for 40 years, she decided to retire. The boy, who now was a man was too old for the home so they both decided to stay together.
They found a home and a family in each other. They couldn't be happier. Fifteen years have now passed since they moved in together and they would not change a thing. Life is better now for the two of them.
A Wholesome Hug
Whereas adults tend to live in these little bubbles where we restrict who we talk to and associate with, kids tend to have this pureness to them that allows them to open up to everyone. So when they see another kid about their age you can almost bet that they will hug each other. It just shows that kids can show love and affection without any second thought.
It is a beautiful sight, and honestly, we should all live by this example. To love and appreciate people without needing to know who they are, or what they are about. Just love them for being human.
Tying Up Loose Ends
Taking the time to teach someone a valuable life skill is admirable in itself. When that someone is a random person on a train, it becomes one of the most wholesome things you'll see. This young man was headed for what we assume was a job interview. He was unable to do his tie-up though.
A stranger on the train not only assisted him with it, but he showed him how to tie a tie for future reference. It's little gestures like this that leave an imprint on a person's life. That young man will never forget the stranger's kind act.
The Kindest Gesture
Kids are the purest. Meet Jack, a 7-year-old who had been diligently saving up to purchase an iPad. That was until he found out that the local Mosque had been damaged. Worried about the Mosque and the Muslim community, Jack had decided to give the Mosque his $20, in hopes that it would help them out.
The American Muslim community was so moved by Jack's selfless act that they had decided to surprise him with a gift. It was a brand new iPad, just as he had wanted. It shows that a little kindness goes a long way.
Uber Driver Helps Sick Passenger
We hear so many scary stories about passengers and their terrible Uber driver experiences. This however is not the case. Beni, who works as an Uber driver had been requested to take a young man to the hospital. The guy was in bed and really out of it. Beni had taken it on himself to ensure that his passenger got to the hospital safely.
He took it further by staying with him until he was okay. This meant that Beni stopped taking passengers for that night, just to ensure that a total stranger had company whilst he was being attended to in hospital.
Math On The Subway
Here is another sweet subway story. A man on the train was going through math equations so that he could get a better understanding and in turn, help his son. He was however having a bit of a hard time understanding it. Another man on the train saw that he was struggling. He then offered to assist him.
How beautiful is that; a father who just wants to help his son, meets a stranger who guides him in the right direction. As we have seen a kind act goes a long way. We hope his son managed to ace his math tests.
Sharing A Meal
This photo just shows how much going the extra mile can mean for someone. This waiter had decided to help the woman eat her breakfast. He wanted the couple to enjoy their meal together. He always wanted to ensure that the husband got a chance to eat his meal whilst it was still hot.
The waiter feeds her with so much care and love. He also wipes her mouth. All of which he doesn't have to do. He just wanted to be of service to the couple. Talk about pulling on one’s heartstrings.
Smiling Is Contagious
As we have mentioned before, the love and the level of innocence that children have is so admirable. They are born without bias. They can see the beauty in everything around them. Like this little girl who has the most genuine and contagious smile on her face, all because she spotted a gorgeous baby on the train.
What makes this so special is that she doesn’t resist showing her emotion. She's so full of glee. It makes everyone around her naturally feel that energy as well. How amazing would it be if we could all see the world through the eyes of a child?
Teens Help Homeless Man
When you're in high school, it is very easy to get sucked into a culture of wanting to impress everyone, and not caring about the world around you. This group of teenagers is very different. They passed by a homeless man daily on their route to school, until one day when they decided to do something for him. The boys put together some money and they treated him to a hot meal and some clothes.
The homeless man was overwhelmed by their act of kindness. It is quite amazing, especially when you think about the fact that most teenagers don't have a lot of money. These boys are setting a wonderful example for other teenagers out there.
Homeless Man Gets Christmas Tree
Christmas has to be one of the most magical times of the year. It can be quite difficult though, for those that are less fortunate, especially if you are homeless. This homeless man was given a wonderful surprise though. Someone wanted him to experience the Christmas spirit as well, so they set up a Christmas tree with gifts for him.
It is an amazing gesture. Especially when you wake up to something as unexpected and wonderful as this. Christmas is a time of giving, and when we give to those less fortunate it means so much more.
Professor Babysits During Quiz
Having a baby and choosing to complete your studies is admirable. There are generally a lot of challenges with managing the two. For instance, this baby became restless whilst the mom had a test. The professor decided to take the baby off the mom's hands for a bit and feed the little one. This allowed the mom a chance to write her paper without stressing too much.
Goes to show that there are some truly wonderful professors out there, that are understanding of tough situations, and that will also do anything in their power to ensure that their students have a fair shot at passing their classes.
A Little Encouragement
After achieving an incredible goal of losing 200lbs, this young lady decided to try out for a 10k race. She was doing excellently but towards the end, she felt like giving up. That was until a Police Officer from Louisville started cheering her on. He knew that she had it in her, she just needed a little reassurance.
He was right, with that little encouragement she managed to complete the race. It shows how much a little faith and encouragement can affect and change a person's life. Especially when it's from someone you don't know.
Gaming Friends Meet
As we have seen, age doesn't matter when it comes to genuine friendships. In this case, this young man made a friend over the online game Words with Friends. He played the game with an 81-year-old lady from Florida for about a year. They both grew closer as time passed.
The young man, who lives in New York, had decided that he wanted to meet his friend in person. So he booked a flight from New York to Florida, where he met her face-to-face for the first time. It was an emotional meeting.
A Selfless Donation
About a half of a century ago, Kenneth Walker and Charlie Ball had attended school together, at Archbishop Carroll High School. They weren't close, they knew of each other, but that was about it. No one would have predicted that 50 years later, Charlie would help save Kenneth's life.
Charlie had selflessly donated his kidney to Kenneth. Which one on its own is a huge decision to make, especially when Kenneth is not directly related to or actively involved in Charlie's life. It's amazing how generous the human spirit is.
Suiting Up
Everyone deserves a second chance at a better life. This movement called '100 Suits looks at helping men who have served their time in prison and are now looking at starting a new life. They assist them with getting the right professional attire for interviews.
The program has helped over 100 people, and they are now assisting women and the underprivileged. Getting a job is easier when you have the right attire, and 100 Suits helps people make the best first impression. They are also helping people feel more confident and good about themselves.
Lending an Ear
We often associate policemen with hardened personalities that are focused on solving crimes. Their jobs consist of so much more than that. This Charlette Police officer was called to the scene to assist an autistic boy that was suicidal. Instead of taking the boy home, or handing him to the authorities, he sits on the floor with him and calms him down.
It's amazing how a little compassion and empathy can help ease tensions. Sometimes all we need is to be heard and understood. This officer knew that that was exactly what this boy needed.
Tied Up For An Interview
Here's another incident of a young gentleman needing assistance with getting his tie tied on a subway. And in this instance, a woman on the train seeing that the young man was struggling with his tie, offered to assist him with it.
It would appear that a lot of acts of kindness occur on trains. Just goes to show that sometimes the strangers that you travel with are selfless and caring at heart. Now if only we could include a lesson on tying ties in school, then these young men and women would be ready for an interview.
Cookies and Time
How wonderful is this? This lady took time out of her day to bake cookies for the local nursing home. She also decided to spend some time with the residents there. This brought a smile to many of their faces, especially Mrs. Posey. Mrs. Posey who is 112 years old, has not had a visitor in over three years. How heartbreaking is that?
Receiving the cookies and getting to spend some time with a kind soul meant the world to her. It does cost nothing to give the elderly a little of your time. Many of them go months and even years without seeing their families or anyone outside of the home.
Kindness Knows No Boundaries
Children do have a heart of gold. This boy from Baltimore decided to hand out water bottles to police officers that were on duty. It appears that they were on standby in riot gear. Regardless of the situation, the boy recognized that these officers may not have had a chance to take a break, so he decided to help them out a bit.
We should learn from children. They see no color, they see no sides, and all they see is humanity. And to them, every human being should be treated with love and care. If we can live as these kids do, the world would be a better place.
Memorial Day
An Army Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps officer (JROTC) stands in the rain honoring a plaque for POW-MIA. Dedicated to his duty he doesn't flinch regardless of the weather and the cold. A young man at that Atlanta baseball game sees the JROTC officer and decides to hold an umbrella for him so that he doesn’t get wet.
What a wonderful way to celebrate Memorial Day. An officer honors those that have passed on, and a citizen honors the generation of officers that now protect and stand for the country. Talk about pulling on one's heartstrings.
Lean On Me
We have all been in a position where we worked so hard that all we wanted to do was pass out on the ride home. Here we see a tired man who rests his head on a stranger’s shoulder. The stranger could see that the man was tired, so he allowed him to sleep whilst they traveled to their destinations. Amazingly the stranger stayed still for twelve train stops before they parted ways.
It costs nothing to be kind. And allowing a tired man to sleep on a train, maybe a small act of kindness on your part, but it could mean the world to him. It also shows that trust can be built in the strangest of places.