Waitress Serves Mean Old Man for Years—His Final Tip Leaves Her in Tears!

Jessie had to serve a rude old man for years at her waitressing job because no one else wanted to. But one day, he left behind a key and a note that changed everything.

“Alright, Jessie. Since you’re the new girl, you have to take table 13,” her coworker, Mark, told her as she put on her apron for her first day as a waitress at a busy restaurant.

Jessie had tried to memorize everything to start her job well. When she turned to table 13, she saw an old man hunched over his menu.

“It’s just an old man,” she said, confused. “Why is that bad?”

“Oh, trust me, he’s terrible. No one likes serving him,” Mark replied with a knowing smile.

“I can handle it,” Jessie said, confident.

But she was wrong. The man at the table—Mr. Norton—was difficult.

“Ugh, who are you?” he grumbled as she approached with a smile.

“I’m Jessie. What would you like to drink today?” she asked politely.

“I always get the same thing. You people always ask! Iced tea. Not too cold, not too sweet. Two lemon wedges and a straw,” he muttered angrily.

“Got it. And do you know what you’d like for lunch?”

“Not yet. Go away and bring my tea!” he demanded.

Jessie’s eyebrows went up, but she stayed calm and placed his order. Yet, he complained about everything. First, it was too sweet, then too cold. The lemons didn’t have enough juice. The straw was flimsy because it was made of paper.

“We only have paper straws now,” Jessie explained, trying to stay patient.

“Stupid soft generation. Fine! I’ll have the lasagna,” he snapped, throwing the menu at her.

Jessie forced a smile. She wouldn’t let him ruin her first day. But he also complained about the lasagna.

It took so long to serve him that Jessie helped six other tables before he finally finished. At least he left a tip.

“I should’ve listened,” Jessie told Mark later.

“Yeah, sorry. But someone has to deal with him,” Mark laughed.

Still, Jessie didn’t let one rude customer bring her down. She needed this job for her kids. She had five at home, and her husband, Bob, worked long hours, but they still needed more money. Jessie’s mom watched the younger kids so she could work.

But Jessie came home exhausted every night and barely saw her children. She promised herself she’d spend more time with them tomorrow.

But that didn’t happen. Every day got harder. Mr. Norton was always grumpy, and other customers weren’t easy either. Waitressing was tougher than when she was younger, but at least the tips helped.

For years, Jessie served the old, rude Mr. Norton. But over time, she found a way to deal with him, impressing her coworkers.

She stayed patient and even learned a little about his life. He acted like a child having a tantrum, but sometimes, he was almost nice and asked about her life. No matter how much he complained, he always left a 15% tip.

But one day, there was no money on the table. Instead, Jessie found a key and a note. She picked it up, confused.

“Dear Jessie, thank you for putting up with me all these years. I’m going to a hospice now, so I won’t be back. This is the key to my house. It’s yours. I left my lawyer’s card so you can arrange everything. Goodbye, dear.

P.S. My tea was too sweet, but I didn’t complain. See? My time is coming.”

Jessie was shocked. He had left her his house, the address, and his lawyer’s contact. But why? She thought, This can’t be real. He has a family.

She called the lawyer and found out where Mr. Norton was staying. She went to see him, needing answers.

When she arrived, she realized how frail he had become. She hadn’t noticed before, but now it was clear.

Mr. Norton confirmed everything in the note.

“But why? What about your children?” Jessie asked, confused.

“My children hate me. I haven’t seen them in years. I was mean to everyone in my life, but you always smiled and treated me kindly. That house is too big for an old man like me. It belongs to someone with patience for old things,” he explained.

Jessie broke down in tears. She hadn’t realized how much she had grown to care for Mr. Norton. Or maybe, she just hated that he was dying alone.

That weekend, she brought her kids to visit him. For the first time in years, Mr. Norton smiled. That moment was worth more than all his tips.

A few weeks later, Mr. Norton passed away, and Jessie officially inherited the house. His lawyer said his family didn’t want anything, so the estate went to her.

There wasn’t much left, except for the beautiful home. But for her big family, it was life-changing.

Her kids were thrilled to have their own rooms. Jessie and her husband even got promotions, improving their finances. They had so much to be grateful for, so they started volunteering at a senior center in Mr. Norton’s honor.

And whenever Jessie met an elderly person with a bad attitude, she paid extra attention. She knew there was always a reason behind their grumpiness. Just like Mr. Norton, the man who changed her life.