A boy and his sister

Vicki and I went out to dinner last night, Monday night.

We went early - at 5:30 p.m. - because we had not eaten much since breakfast and we were starving. We didn't want fast food. We wanted table service - something prepared fresh - and we wanted peace and quiet.

As expected at 5:30, the restaurant was pretty empty. On the way to our table, we passed six young couples all with babies. We figured them for neighborhood friends or friends through work or church.

Reaching our square little table, I chose to sit to Vicki's right rather than across from her. Sitting this way gave us both a view of the restaurant including a table right in our line of sight - about 6 feet away. At the table was a boy we guessed to be about 18 and a girl about the age of 10.

Hearing them refer to their mutual parents, we deduced they were brother and sister. We weren't really eavesdropping, but it was just too precious to ignore. He removed his mobile telephone, called a number, and said, "I'm not coming in to work tonight. My doctor's appointment went later than I expected, and I've got a note." From the look on his face, whoever was on the other end was gracious.

He put his telephone away, then took it back out, and turned it off. His sister was beaming at him.

Yes, maybe he could have gone to work late, but knowing he had a doctor's note for a night off, he decided to take his sister to dinner - and not McDonald's or Moe's mind you - but a nice dinner that was easily going to cost him around $25.

When the server came, he helped his little sister with the menu. Vicki and I noticed that both of them talked to the server with eye contact, saying things like "please" and "thank you" and "yes ma'am."

I was mesmerized. Vicki was, too. We were trying to eat, talk about our weekend and the week ahead, but we were silently cheering for this young man just a few feet away. I even considered telling my server to give me their dinner bill, but I didn't. I just could not take this moment away from him. He needed it and his sister needed to see her big brother open his wallet and pay for that meal. (Honestly, had he stumbled in the slightest at paying, I would have pounced on the opportunity to help him. He was making manhood look good.)

Their meal came. He took his sister's hand and said a quiet blessing.

Vicki and I finished our meal, paid the server, and then I just couldn't help it. I walked over to him with Vicki right behind me. I stuck out my hand and said, "You are a great big brother. I want you to know that."

"Thank you, I try to be," he said.

"He is a great big brother," the little girl said, smiling, looking directly at both of us and then to him.

I thought of all the things that teenage boy could have done with his free evening, and he chose to show his sister - demonstrate for his sister - the joy of family, love, and kindness. I don't know who he was but he blessed this big brother right down to the core.

www.scottdvaughan.com

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