Working in service industry jobs can be a thankless task, especially when you have to deal with rude members of the public.
One Texas waitress had been serving the same “grumpy” veteran for years, but after 16 years in the job she knew how to handle him. Her skills and professionalism in the job eventually meant she was the only waitress prepared to serve the complaining customer each week.
Melina Salazar had been working at Luby’s in Brownsville, Texas, for over 16 years and regularly dealt with customer Walter “Buck” Swords.
As an experienced waitress, she did her best to handle his constant complaining and demands but it wasn’t always easy.
“He wanted the food very hot, it didn’t matter if he burned himself,” Melina recalled of the World War II veteran.
Day after day and year after year, Melina did her best to fulfill all of Buck’s demands, which were many. She was the picture of professionalism as she dealt with his picky habits, many complaints, and overall bad attitude.
But one day her regular and difficult customer stopped showing up at Luby’s and she wondered what had become of him.
Soon, she discovered why the regular had vanished without a word. While looking through her local paper, she saw Walter M. “Buck” Swords printed in bold capital letters in the obituary section. Buck had passed away at the age of 89.
Salaza missed Walter, despite him being so difficult, but soon received the shocking news that Walter had included her in his will.
The grumpy old man had left $50,000 and his car to the only person who had been so patient with him and treated him kindly in his final years.
“I couldn’t believe it. I’m so nervous. I still can’t believe it,” Melina admitted before offering some words of advice to her fellow servers out there: “Just smile and be nice.”
I always think we should be kind to the elderly, so many of them are lonely and struggling in life, Melina was probably the only social interaction Walter got each week.
I’m so glad she was rewarded for treating this gentleman with respect. Her attitude is an inspiration.
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