So the other day while I was working I was sat with a table of 3 people. It was a mother, a father and a daughter. As I grabbed napkins and silverware to put down for when I introduced myself and welcomed them to Fridays, I had no idea what I was about to walk into.

I walked up to the table of just the ladies waiting for the gentleman parking the car....

"Hello Ladies! How are you today? Thank You for coming to hang out with me today at Fridays! My name is Samantha and I will be taking care of you today. I hear your waiting for one more person, so may I grab some coffee or some water or a soda for you?"

Im corny I know! But I like to be nice and fun and upbeat right from the start. How people react is one of the best ways to figure out a little bit about them and what their needs might be.

So I come back to the table with drinks and the gentleman has arrived and he is getting ready to sit down when he looks at me and says "Im looking for a Samantha...??" Hes got a big goofy smile and bit of a glimmer in his eyes.

"Well you've come to the right table, your lookin at her"

"YOUR Samantha? My wife and daughter weren't kiddin about those eyes"

(I giggle) "Aw thanks!"

So I take their order and start chatting them up a bit and we're laughing and joking around a bit.
Im not gonna waste time giving you all the mumbo jumbo that happens in between. But by the time they are all done eating, all my other tables are gone and ive been cut (our slang for done for the day, clean up and go home). So we start chatting some more, Im telling them about Frank and moving to CT and about my family a bit. When the gentleman says to me "How old do you think I am?" So teasing a little bit I say "Oh I dont know, I'd say about 32" lol

"Hahaha ya right, but really I promise you wont offend me, how old do you really think I am?"
"Oh man, ummmm 75?"
"Really? Haha well Im actually about to turn 90 and my wife here is 88"
"No kidding. Wow, well you two look great!"

Then taking his hat off his head he starts to show me about 20 different pins, all that signify different battles and such that he has been in since WWII. Hes been across the entire world. Seen hundreds of friends die, thousands wounded. He saw a containment camp and the hundreds of people being killed in front of him. I was so touched. Then he goes on to tell me about how he and his wife have been married almost 70 years! I swear I almost cried.

And do you wanna know another beautiful part of this whole story? He is writing a book about all of it. And his daughter is helping him by typing it for him.
And of course being the adorable wryly man that he was, he asks me "If you saw the book in a store, would you buy it?"

"Are you kidding of course! I'd be telling everyone I know to buy it and read it and Id go bragging all the time about how I had the honor of being your server once"

"Well Ill tell you what, Ill do you one better and sign it for you too. Ill sign it To my dear friend with the beautiful eyes"

"I would love that! But you know that means that your gonna have to keep coming back to see me and keep me updated so I know to go get it the day it comes out so you can sign it for me"

"You got it! We'll be back. See you soon!"

Let me just say, i truly cant wait to see them again. They were beautiful people from the inside out. And they re sparked that keep fighting passion inside of me. Even if I dont see them again, I will never forget, not even a second, of our conversation that day. It was an honor to have met them.