Monday, September 3, 2012

"Sir, you left your money!"

     They called it omurice.  It was an omelette stuffed with rice.  There was no cheese in it.   That's a pork cutlet covered with brown sauce to the right.  That was what I enjoyed at a small second floor restaurant in Daejeon.  But, the food is not what I remembered most about this occasion.

      Everyone on the crew at this restaurant had treated very well.  They provided me with what I ordered, and they checked back to ensure everything met my satisfaction.  I was pleased to leave some money on the table just out of simple gratitude.  I paid my bill, and quietly walked out of the restaurant.  A few moments later, after I had walked a few blocks, I saw a young man, one of the servers at the restaurant, running towards me.  

     "OMG! Sir, you left your money on the table!" 

     Well, he didn't say it exactly like that.  Though he struggled with the English, he got the point across with a worried look on his face. 

     "Tip," I said.

     "Tip?" he asked.

      "Tip.  Everyone.  Very delicious.  Very kind," I said.

      "Oh! (almost in tears) Thank you! (holding his hands together in a prayer mode and bowing) Thank you!  Thank you!..."

     I was still new in South Korea, and I wasn't used to the idea of not tipping at restaurants.  For years, I had been a server in the USA, and I had always been a generous tipper when the service was beyond ordinary. 
    




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