A Bad First Impression - and a Happy Ending

I work as a mashgiach in a Chinese Take-Out Restaurant

I have a bookcase, a high-back office chair and a shtender/table that belong to me.


One day I stepped out briefly for minyan and when I came back a gentleman [Joe] was sitting on my chair doing paperwork on my shtender...

While I was NOT makpid that he was using it, I did wish to get it back. Lo and behold the guy. [Joe]got confrontational! He wanted me to "prove' that I owned the chair and shtender!

I was able to show him an address label but he would not budge. We had some words, and he left.

The owner was upset that I gave the customer a hard time. I was upset that he didn't stand up for me and to point out [politely] to the customer [Joe] that indeed it WAS my chair + shtender...


Fast-forward a few months later.. A gentleman walks in and orders food. We talk some politics and we are fairly sympatico. We're having a good time chatting when he asks me to step outside to tell me something privately.

Then he proceeds to apologize profusely for his bad behavior over the shtender! Me? I hadn't forgotten the event but I had not remembered Joe's face.

Joe explained that something must have been bugging him that day, and he was being difficult. I told him it was no big deal that he sat there, I just wanted it back - And that I appreciated his [profuse] apology.

Anyway, his ability to say "I'm sorry" healed a fractious situation. And A word to the wise - to promote more shalom and healing as well as Teshuva and Mechila during the upcoming Yamim Nora'imm season, be modeh al ho'emes.


And two antagonists became quite friendly after all!


The End.



KT

RRW