The manager of the restaurant saw a young homeless woman who was very hungry and tired. He decided not to drive her away but to feed the woman. From that moment on, his life turned upside down.
One afternoon, a 30-year-old woman named Carrie walked into an Italian restaurant wearing loose dirty clothing. As she walked towards the receiving area, customers looked at her and began whispering.
It was a cold day in New York, and unlike everyone else, Carrie did not have a coat. She approached the waiter and asked if she could have a glass of water, as she has not drunk anything for two days.
However, upon seeing the woman’s look, the waiter escorted her out and told her never to return. Carrie stood outside for a minute, wondering where she could find a kind soul who could give her something to drink.
Suddenly the restaurant’s manager, Pete, approached her and said, “My apologies for our staff’s behavior, ma’am. Please come inside, and I will give you a glass of water.” Carrie thanked the man and sat in one of the chairs.
All eyes were on the woman, who was looking down in embarrassment. When the manager asked Carrie if she would like to eat, she declined and said she did not have enough money to buy from their establishment.
Nevertheless, the manager asked the kitchen staff to whip up a dish given to Carrie for free. While eating, Pete noticed that Carrie was a well-mannered woman and asked why she was such.
“I was raised well by my parents, who were socialites. However, when I was in high school, I fell in love with a man from the US, and we decided to elope. He told me he would provide for our family, so I decided not to have a college education,” the woman said.
“My parents disowned me once they learned of my plans. So I came to the US with my partner, where he is from. But two weeks ago, I found out that he was cheating on me and got angry. So he kicked me out of his house, and I’ve been homeless since,” she added.
Pete was moved by the woman’s story and offered her a place to stay. It was an empty studio apartment that Carrie could stay in for the time being. Although she refused at first, Carrie was brought to tears as the man insisted.
The following day, Pete came over to bring the woman groceries. In return, she cooked for him, and they shared a delicious meal. Within a week, Carrie found a job and was able to afford new clothing. Suddenly, she looked like the daughter of socialite parents.
Pete visited her more often, and as usual, Carrie cooked for him. Naturally, the pair became closer and developed feelings for each other, which Carrie was pleased to have felt.
One day, Carrie asked Pete if she could start paying for rent since it had already been four months of her living for free. “I have a better idea,” Pete replied. “Why don’t you just come live with me?
Carrie smiled but told Pete that she wanted to take things slow in their relationship, to which he understood and agreed. Time flew by, and soon, Carrie was ready to move in with her boyfriend. During their big move, she asked Pete:
“Why did you help me that day? I was homeless. You did not know me. So why help me?”
Pete explained that his mother was once kicked out by his biological father’s home after she chose to keep the pregnancy. “My father did not want to have a child, but my mother could not let me go. So, he kicked her out of the house while pregnant, during winter,” he said.
“My mom would have died in the cold had not two good samaritans helped her,” he added. “So I feel the need to pay back the act of kindness to everyone I meet.” Carrie was touched by Pete’s story and knew her man had a good heart.
In no time, Pete proposed to Carrie, and the two had a baby boy. To this day, Pete remains grateful for helping a woman in need and turning out to be the person he would start a family with
What can we learn from Pete’s story?
1. Doing good things for others may lead to doing good for yourself
2. A small act of kindness can mean the world to someone
