A Simple Mistake
It was supposed to be a peaceful last meal, but Ruth never could have imagined that nightmare that would unfold before her. The man had pushed the 79-year-old widow too far, and she knew she had to get her revenge.
He refused to serve her, all because of a simple mistake she had made months prior. He had no idea who he was messing with
A Happy Place
For as long as Ruth Rodgers could remember, she and her husband, Tony, had lived in a beautiful house in Arkansas. It was where they grew up, got married, and met their dear friend, Walter.
Arkansas was their life, and they never wanted to leave. When Walter opened a diner just down the road from their house, it instantly became their favorite place.
Their Happy Place
Over the years, they used the diner for every single event, and they made a lifetime’s worth of memories in those four walls.
They were so well-known at the diner that Walter had put up a picture board with photos of every event they celebrated there. It took up an entire wall.
They Were There
One picture was taken on the diner’s opening day. Ruth and Tony were front and center, hugging Walter as they celebrated his dream, which had just come true.
From that moment on, they were at the diner at least once a week, sometimes even twice if there was a special occasion. Sometimes, they would even book the entire diner for a celebration.
Their Anniversary
They celebrated each birthday, every Christmas, and every New Year’s Eve in that diner. But most importantly, there was one occasion that made it onto the wall every single year, their anniversary.
It was a touching reminder of the years they had spent together, and it was there for everyone to see. From their first anniversary when they were just 20 years old to their last.
Tragedy
But the day that changed Ruth and Walter’s lives forever was the couple’s 30th wedding anniversary. It was on the 25th of February 2019, and a few days later, tragedy struck.
By the time Tony was rushed to hospital, it was already too late. He went into cardiac arrest, and there was nothing anyone could do to save him.
It Struck Her Hard
After the sudden loss of her husband, Ruth stopped going to the diner. Walter hadn’t seen her since Tony’s funeral, and he could tell that the loss of her husband had struck her hard.
He had heard that Ruth was suffering so much that she had barely spoken to anyone since that day. She hardly even ate anymore, and from the looks of things, it was only getting worse.
Weeks Passed By
Weeks had passed since the tragic passing, and there was still no sign of Ruth, which was odd. She would come by every week, and Walter thought that coming to the diner would help her deal with her pain.
But it seemed like she didn’t see things the same way. Were the memories too much for her to deal with?
Getting Concerned
Walter was starting to get concerned. He knew Ruth, and he knew that being locked up in her house wouldn’t do her any good.
She still had a long life ahead of her, and if she gave up now, she would give up on everything she had to live for. Plus, he and his staff missed that friendly smile of hers.
The Phone Call
So one evening, he sat down and called his friend to find out how she was holding up. She opened up to him and told him how she felt.
He felt the same way since he had known Tony his entire life, and asked Ruth if she would mind coming by. It was a long shot, but he had hope.
She Had Agreed
Ruth agreed and went to the diner. To Walter’s surprise, she didn’t seem to be upset when looking at the photo wall. Instead, it seemed like it offered her a sense of relief.
This confused Walter since he thought she’d stayed away because of it. He asked her what was going on, and what Ruth said shocked him to the core.
Startling Revelation
Ruth revealed that she had visited the doctor a little while after Tony died, and he told her that she had leukemia. It had already progressed so far that they couldn’t treat it if they wanted to.
She was so shocked by what she had heard that she needed some time to find her feet again. That was why she didn’t go to the diner for so long.
Time Was Of The Essence
Walter was devastated by the news, but he would do anything to make his friend feel better, so he asked her how much time she had left. Sadly, the answer wasn’t what he was hoping for.
“6 months to a year,” Ruth whispered as she pushed her cup around between her hands. The information left Walter in a state of shock. He never expected it to be that soon.
Promises
Walter took Ruth’s hand and swore that he would stand by her side throughout this process. He promised to be there whenever she needed him and to arrange whatever she might need.
Ruth thanked him for his kind words and left. So Walter didn’t really know if she took them to heart or not. Would she return?
Returning To Normal
A couple of days later, Ruth was back. She was sitting in her usual seat and sipping on her tea as she watched the commotion that was going on outside.
Seeing her there was a relief, especially when she came back the next week. It looked like everything was going back to normal. But was it really, or was it just a temporary thing?
Fateful Day
It seemed like things had gone to their usual flow. But when Ruth came in one morning, she seemed distracted and easily startled.
She ordered her tea and looked out the window, but something was different about her. It was like she was lost in her own thoughts. It was so bad that when Ruth got up and left, she forgot something that would cost her dearly.
Unpaid Bill
That day, Ruth was so distracted that she completely forgot to pay her bill. The waiter had gone to Walter and asked him what to do about it since Ruth was long gone by the time he got to her table.
Walter asked about the situation, and the waiter explained what he saw. Walter was concerned by what he had heard and asked for the bill.
Forgiving The Mistake
When he looked down, Walter saw that Ruth had only ordered her tea. Since a pot of tea didn’t cost as much, and he knew what Ruth was going through, he just voided the bill.
In his eyes, it was a small, forgivable mistake that he knew wouldn’t happen again. The waiter was happy with the decision and decided to pin the receipt onto the photo wall along with the rest of the memories.
No Sign Of Her Return
After that, things took a turn for the worst. Ruth disappeared once more, and Walter wondered if all this might have something to do with her condition.
At first, he decided to wait things out and see if she would return. But two weeks later, he knew the time had come for him to act. But what could he do?
An Offer
He took a couple of days to think about it, and then Walter came up with the perfect idea. He sent Ruth a letter stating that the restaurant wanted to give her a free meal to thank her for her patronage.
Walter was sure it would work. But he was completely unaware of what he would see when Ruth stepped through the door.
It Was Catching Up
After a lengthy conversation, Ruth finally admitted that she was at the point of no return. Over the last few months, things have gotten a lot worse.
She spent most of her time being stuck in bed or visiting doctors, and that was starting to take a toll on her. She honestly didn’t think she had much time left.
Less Frequent
At that point, Walter understood why Ruth’s visits became less frequent, and he wasn’t planning on pushing her to change. She needed to rest and find the strength she needed to keep fighting.
So even though her visits went from once a week to once every three or four weeks, he knew everything was okay. That allowed him to focus his attention on another pressing matter.
A Choice To Make
Walter wasn’t that young anymore, and with everything that Ruth had been going through recently got him thinking. Was he getting too old to keep running the restaurant on his own?
The truth was that he was exhausted, and he would’ve loved to have some time for himself. But was employing a manager really the right thing to do?
Long Process
It was a tough decision, but after a few days of thinking it through, Walter had made up his mind. He posted an advertisement and started interviewing potential employees
.
The process was long and grueling. It was so bad that Walter wondered if he would ever find the right person for the job. But then someone showed up, and he fit the bill perfectly.
He Seemed Perfect
James had over five years of experience as a restaurant manager. He was young, bubbly, and very enthusiastic. It looked like he was just the man Walter needed, so he hired him on the spot.
But James would show his true colors soon enough. And once he did, the damage would be irreparable. What James did was completely unforgivable.
Drastic Changes
On his first day at work, James decided to lay down the law. He wanted to turn the place into a high-class establishment, which meant that friendliness went right out the window.
There would be no conversations with customers. No laughing at jokes. And nobody was allowed to spend more than a couple of minutes at any given table.
The Reaction
Needless to say, the staff was furious. The place was doing well long before James, and his rules showed up. And the waiters were sure it would do the same long after he was gone.
None of them agreed with the new policy, and they voiced their concerns. But Walter wanted to see if James’ way would work.
Unhappy Staff, Unhappy Customers
Even though Walter tried to reassure the staff members that everything was okay, their attitude toward the rules didn’t change. But they did follow them, and with that, they managed to prove their point.
Because they weren’t friendly anymore, the customers stopped tipping, and many of them stopped coming altogether. It was a disaster, and the consequences would prove to be even worse.
Losing His Regulars
Walter’s Diner was losing one regular after another, and the reason for that was abundantly clear. They had gotten used to the service and the atmosphere. And now that it was gone, so were they.
That was when the severity of the matter really started setting in. Walter would have to make a choice about this behavior, and he was already leaning in a certain direction.
Had He Made The Right Choice?
Walter had seen the effect James’ management skills had on his business, and he was starting to doubt the decision. When he thought about hiring, it was to take his place, not ruin his business.
But that was exactly what was happening. And Walter couldn’t help but wonder if it was the man or the idea in general.
Eating At Him
Walter approached his staff, including James, and told them to keep operating as they did before James arrived. He was effectively throwing the rules out of the window, and James wasn’t pleased.
But the whole situation was eating at Walter, and he needed to end it before it was too late. So when James gave him an ultimatum, he gave one right back.
So Many Complaints
James told Walter that if he couldn’t have his way, he would quit. So Walter pulled out the facts. Over the few months that James had been there, ten staff members had filed complaints against him.
And they weren’t the only ones. Multiple customers had also sent emails complaining about the new management system and the rules that were put in place.
Becoming Less Successful
Plus, the restaurant’s turnover was slowly dropping, with each month being worse than the last. It had gotten to the point where Walter was in debt because they weren’t making enough income to cover their costs.
After that, Walter turned to James and told him that if he wanted to keep his job, he needed to bring the turnover back to the point it was before. And he had two months to do it.
One Fateful Day
About two days after Walter spoke with James, disaster struck. Ruth had come into the restaurant early that evening, and she took her usual seat.
The waiter greeted her and asked how she was doing. Then out of nowhere, James intervened. He cut the conversation short by calling the waiter over, and the two of them got into a heated argument.
As Per Usual
After bringing his point across, the waiter walked away from James and returned to Ruth to take her order. Ruth ordered her usual and looked out the window as she always did.
But after a moment of silence, she got up and walked over to the wall of memories. That was when she heard something she shouldn’t have.
Something Stood Out
The waiter was arguing with James once more. The first time it happened, Ruth had no idea it was because of her, but this time she did.
The waiter had told James who she was and told him that he would treat her as he always did. If James didn’t like it, he could fire him.
The Introduction
Ruth was incredibly confused by what she heard, but things were about to get worse. James walked up to her and introduced himself, stating that he had heard so much about her.
But he clearly had no idea who he was dealing with. If he did, he wouldn’t be playing that dumb game. Ruth had seen a lot in her life, and she knew a facade when she saw one.
Not So Friendly
When Ruth called James out on his act, his smile faded, and his friendly attitude changed. That was when the truth was revealed in front of everyone.
James pointed at the receipt on the wall and said, “we don’t serve non-paying customers at this establishment. Pay your bill or get out.” Everyone around them gasped in shock.
Staying Calm
But Ruth wasn’t phased. Walter had already told her about her little slip-up, and she tried to rectify the situation right away. But Walter told her that it had been taken care of and that they had put the receipt on the wall to serve as a memory of her time with them.
So she stayed as calm as she possibly could and met James head-on.
Refusing Service
Ruth told James that she didn’t have to explain her actions to a man like him. And that was when things exploded.
James was so furious that he refused to let anyone serve Ruth. He even went as far as to throw her meal in the trash. And then he did something he never should’ve done. He told her to leave.
Massive Complaint
With pain in her eyes, Ruth sat down and scribbled something down on a piece of paper before grabbing her purse. She walked out without saying anything, but everyone could see how hurt she was.
After she left, a waiter went to her table and found the note. It was so crushing that they felt they needed to act. They went to Walter and laid a massive complaint.
Her Last Words
Walter looked down at the note with tears in his eyes. It was directed at him, and he felt incredibly bad that things had to end the way they did.
Ruth said that she was in her final days and that she wanted to experience the restaurant one last time. But that was taken away from her by some man who didn’t even know who she was.
He Couldn’t Believe It
Walter couldn’t believe that he had let things go this far. He couldn’t believe that his oldest friend got hurt because he wanted some time off.
But the thing that put the nail in the coffin was how James reacted to the situation. He knew that bill had been settled, and he still used it against Ruth. Then he went as far as to say that he needed customers to pay if he wanted to increase the turnover.
Fired!
The more Walter heard him speak, the angrier he got. He couldn’t believe the man had the audacity to try to turn this around so he would look like the hero in the story.
But James went on and on about how he was right to do what he did. That was until Walter slammed his fist into the desk and shouted, “You’re fired!”
Trying To Get Hold Of Her
After James stormed out of his office, Walter picked up his phone and tried to call Ruth. He tried both her landline and her cell, but both went unanswered.
The suspense was driving him mad. He needed to talk to her. He needed to apologize for what James had done. But she wasn’t giving him a chance to do it.
Days Without Answer
Walter tried calling Ruth at least twice a day. But over a week had passed, and she didn’t pick up a single one of his calls.
At that point, he was starting to get very concerned, and he even considered going to her house to check on her. But before he did that, he decided to try her cell phone one last time.
Finally
This time she answered. Walter let out a sigh of relief and started explaining what had happened that night. But Ruth didn’t seem to care.
For the first time in thirty years, she seemed distant, and Walter thought he knew why that was. So he asked her about her health. What he heard forced him to act.
A Sad Discussion
Ruth told Walter that she had come to the diner that night because she would be hospitalized the next morning.
All she wanted was to try his famous salmon one last time. But thanks to James, she never got the chance to do so. She had been in the hospital ever since, and to that day, she regretted missing her meal.
The Last Goodbye
Walter couldn’t believe what he was hearing. And as soon as he put down the phone, he ordered the kitchen to make the meal Ruth had spoken about.
When it was ready, he got into his car and sped to the hospital. He sat with Ruth that entire night. They spoke about anything and everything. And in the end, they said their final goodbyes.
Less Than A Week Later
Three days later, Ruth passed away, and Walter was by her side when she did. He had been by her side every day until the end, and he still couldn’t believe that she was gone.
But it was her final words that hurt him the most. “You must let that man go. He’s ruining everything you’ve built,” she said. Walter tried to tell her that he already did, but it was too late.
Everyone Was Gathered
The following Saturday, Walter and all the waiters were at Ruth’s funeral. And when it was over, they all returned to the restaurant to mourn their loss. But Ruth had one last surprise in store for them.
As they spoke about her life, a woman with a briefcase arrived at the restaurant. They told her they were closed for the day, but she informed them that she wasn’t there to eat. She was Ruth’s lawyer.
One Deal-Breaking Question
They immediately made a seat available to her and asked her if everything was okay. That was when the lawyer told them that Ruth had left a gift for each of them.
But before she read the will, she needed to find out if a man named James was still employed at the restaurant. As the will would be banished if he was.
The Truth
Walter got up and told the lawyer the whole story of James and his involvement in the restaurant. He made it clear that James was dismissed the day Ruth was kicked out and that he had not returned since.
Walter also stated that he wouldn’t be hiring a new manager, as he didn’t want to go through the same problems again. When the time came for him to retire, he’d pick one of the waiters to take over.
Her Will
With a warm smile, the lawyer pulled a stack of papers and a cheque book from her briefcase. Everyone was surprised by the sight, but it was what she said that left them dumbfounded.
“Ruth was worth 400 million dollars at the time of her death, and she wanted that money to be split among the ten of you.”
Very Generous Offer
Walter was speechless. He and every single member of his staff were worth approximately $40 million, thanks to Ruth. He was happy for them, but he also knew what that meant.
With so much money, they no longer needed the money they made from the restaurant. They could live the lives of their dreams, and so could he.
Yet Another Surprise
But one of the waiters, Paul, was looking down at his cheque, and he didn’t seem happy. “I think I’d like to invest a part of this money into the restaurant,” he whispered.
“Yeah, I’d like to do the same,” Tasha said. And pretty soon, every single one of the waiters offered to do the same. They wanted to stay and help Ruth’s memory live on.
Total Overhaul
After that, they closed the restaurant down for a few months to do a total overhaul on it. All the walls were repainted, and the tables and chairs were replaced along with the name.
But two things remained the same. The wall of memories, even though it was emptier than it used to be. And Ruth’s table at the window.
Six More Stores
What happened to the rest of the pictures? They were spread across the six new stores Walter and the team opened across the state.
Every single one of the stores had a wall of memories, and in each of them, the window seat had a reserved sign. It was Ruth’s spot, and that would never change.
Ruth’s Corner
As a final tribute to the precious woman who held a place in each of their hearts, the team named their stores ‘Ruth’s Corner.’
It has always been her place, and it will continue to be her place, no matter what. The team would ensure that Ruth’s treasured memories lived on for generations to come.