Samuel Yeoh

There’re still some people with a heart in this world.

Awhile back, I mentioned excitedly my first personal tip from an elderly Japanese lady – a tourist who would visit her daughter in Singapore from time to time. Just two days back, she visited my outlet again. This time, she was almost leaving when I started my shift.

I was a little upset that I didn’t get to serve her, however, I managed to catch her attention and bowed to her. Pleasantly, she remembered me and returned my greeting. To my utter surprise, she started rummaging her handback, and fished out a few dollars for another tip!

This time, I protested as I did not even serve her, but she insisted as she backed her way into me, trying to stuff the tip into my apron pocket while smiling at my manager and pretending all was well.

Unable to do much, I could only receive the tip and thank her profusely (and discreetly) for it. While I do not know her exact reasons, I am grateful for her unnecessary gesture of kindness, and it only served to pain me even more that I could not have provided her with any service beyond a greeting.

The previous tip from her remains unspent, tucked away in a secret corner. And now I add the new tip to it, a reminder that there are still hearts of gold out there, and the kindness that I should some day pay it forward.