His smile disappeared.
“My boy grew up.”
He paused.
“Went to college. Got himself an important job. Started wearing suits that cost more than my first car.”
He looked at me.
“And somehow, somewhere along the way, he forgot who helped us get there.”
Mom sat down across from him.
For once, she wasn’t worried about taking a break during her shift.
“Walt, your son had a bad day.”
He looked directly at her.
“Don’t make excuses for him.”
She fell silent.
He continued.
“A bad day might explain being short-tempered.”
He tapped the receipt.
“This took thought.”
Then he said something I’ve never forgotten.
“Darlene, you didn’t spend forty-four years here because you couldn’t find a real job.”
His voice cracked.
“You spent forty-four years doing a real job that people like my son have forgotten how to respect.”
Mom started crying.
She quickly wiped her cheeks.
