By J. Jala | 02:06 PM January 03, 2020
Journalist Lia Mañalac-del Castillo shared on Friday about a beautiful story of kindness.
She said that while she and her family had dinner at Yellow Cab inside the SM The Block, she saw an old man who was looking for leftover food on the table in front of them.
Seeing nothing, he poured what was left of the pitcher and drank from the used cup.
As he was about to leave, the waitress saw him and stopped him to ask.
“Sir ano po yun?,” the old man replied but del Castillo wasn’t able to make of what he said.
She said the waitress replied, “Sandali lang po sir bibigyan ko po kayo ng pagkain,” and she asked him to sit down.
Then she went out to give him a plate, utensils and a glass of softdrink.
Curious, del Castillo waited for what would happen next.
To her surprise, the waitress handed him a whole box of pizza. To his delight, the old man almost wanted to cry. He ate and kept the leftover in his bag and waited for the waitress to pass by him. When she did, the old man said “Salamat” then left.
Another group of men who saw this also handed him money, including del Castillo’s husband.
“I don’t know, I’ve done stories like these when I was a reporter and it never gets old. The kindness of people, the generosity and selflessness of others still amazes me,” del Castillo said.
Del Castillo commended the waitress for treating the man like a regular, paying customer and for calling him “Sir.”
“I told my husband, the waitress could have shooed the old guy away but she didn’t. She didn’t give him a set meal (which was what I expected), and instead gave him her free box of pizza. One whole box. She treated him like a regular, paying customer, even calling him “Sir.”
“That to me is amazing. And really commendable.”
What a way to start the year, del Castillo noted.
Del Castillo is the proprietor of Lia Weddings and Celebrations.
She worked with RPN 9 and as a senior reporter with GMA News and she is now with ABS-CBN News.
Photos: Lia del Castillo
