Ten years ago I had to get across Paris in the middle of the night from one airport to a hotel across town so I could fly out early the next morning for my grandmother's funeral. I spoke no French, was beyond lost, likely looked like a terrified American college student, and had to rely on the kindness of the surprisingly hospitable passerby in a foreign land. I was passed from stranger to cab... driver to family to conductor to student, all without paying a cent, and all without question to help me get to my destination safely.
Tonight, I got to pay forward a little of the debt owed for my safety that night. A man from South America was at the front desk trying to check in who spoke no English. He was with a large group, another had booked the reservation for him, he had clearly been traveling for quite awhile and was at his wits end. The front desk agents were helplessly trying to explain to him they needed a credit card, even by pulling up Google Translate. I walked up, and with the little college Spanish left in my brain (that did not include sophisticated words such as "credit card" and "incidentals", so I too employed Google Translate) helped to explain the situation. Though it meant he would have to wait until someone with the card that booked the room arrived, he seemed satisfied, and was able to check in with a cash deposit.
An hour later, with my coat on and keys in hand, I saw him sitting by our fireplace, looking forlorn. I asked the front desk agents what was happening. They explained that someone had arrived, but it was only a translator and they had left and that the person with the credit card still needed to come. I looked at him, and looked at my phone to check the time, seeing it was pretty late and my husband was waiting with dinner. I sighed and walked over.
Speaking conversational Spanish, I asked him, "are you okay, sir?" He explained what the front desk agents had just told me. Then he paused and said, "I need to wait, but I'm really hungry." He patted his stomach sadly.
"You're hungry? THAT I can help you with!" I walked over to the front desk and told them I would be bringing him to my restaurant if his translator came back. I led him in, sat him down and brought over one of my servers.
"What do you like to eat?"
"Todo," he laughed.
"Hamburguesas?"
"Si!"
"Con queso?"
"Si!"
"Y papas fritas?"
"Si, si!"
He looked at me with a smile that made me have to turn away because he was so grateful, it embarrassed me. When he asked how much, I told him, "no pasa nada" or "don't worry about it."
I'd rather he pay it forward.
Tonight, I got to pay forward a little of the debt owed for my safety that night. A man from South America was at the front desk trying to check in who spoke no English. He was with a large group, another had booked the reservation for him, he had clearly been traveling for quite awhile and was at his wits end. The front desk agents were helplessly trying to explain to him they needed a credit card, even by pulling up Google Translate. I walked up, and with the little college Spanish left in my brain (that did not include sophisticated words such as "credit card" and "incidentals", so I too employed Google Translate) helped to explain the situation. Though it meant he would have to wait until someone with the card that booked the room arrived, he seemed satisfied, and was able to check in with a cash deposit.
An hour later, with my coat on and keys in hand, I saw him sitting by our fireplace, looking forlorn. I asked the front desk agents what was happening. They explained that someone had arrived, but it was only a translator and they had left and that the person with the credit card still needed to come. I looked at him, and looked at my phone to check the time, seeing it was pretty late and my husband was waiting with dinner. I sighed and walked over.
Speaking conversational Spanish, I asked him, "are you okay, sir?" He explained what the front desk agents had just told me. Then he paused and said, "I need to wait, but I'm really hungry." He patted his stomach sadly.
"You're hungry? THAT I can help you with!" I walked over to the front desk and told them I would be bringing him to my restaurant if his translator came back. I led him in, sat him down and brought over one of my servers.
"What do you like to eat?"
"Todo," he laughed.
"Hamburguesas?"
"Si!"
"Con queso?"
"Si!"
"Y papas fritas?"
"Si, si!"
He looked at me with a smile that made me have to turn away because he was so grateful, it embarrassed me. When he asked how much, I told him, "no pasa nada" or "don't worry about it."
I'd rather he pay it forward.
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