ItriednottobebiasedbutIhadmydoubtsabouthiringStevie.Hissocialworkerassuredmethathewouldbeagoodreliablebusboy.ButIhadneverhadamentallyhandicappedemployee.Hewasshortalittle
ItriednottobebiasedbutIhadmydoubtsabouthiringStevie.Hissocialworkerassuredmethathewouldbeagoodreliablebusboy.ButIhadneverhadamentallyhandicappedemployee.Hewasshortalittlefatwiththesmoothfacialfeaturesandthick-tonguedspeechofDown’sSyndrome(唐氏综合症).IthoughtmostofmycustomerswouldbeuncomfortablearoundSteviesoIcloselywatchedhimforthefirstfewweeks.
Ishouldn'thaveworried.AfterthefirstweekSteviehadmystaffwrappedaroundhisfatlittlefingerandwithinamonthmyregulartruckcustomershadadoptedhimastheirofficialtruckstopmascot(吉祥物).AfterthatIreallydidn'tcarewhattherestofthecustomersthoughtofhim.Hewaslikea21-year-oldinbluejeansandNikeseagertolaughandeagertopleasebutfierceinhisattentiontohisduties.EverysaltandpeppershakerwasexactlyinitsplacenotacoffeespillwasvisiblewhenSteviegotdonewiththetable.Ouronlyproblemwaspersuadinghimtowaittocleanatableuntilafterthecustomerswerefinished.
Overtimewelearnedthathelivedwithhismotherawidowwhowasdisabledafterrepeatedsurgeriesforcancer.MoneywastightandwhatIpaidhimwasprobablythedifferencebetweenthembeingabletolivetogetherandSteviebeingsenttoagrouphome.
That'swhytherestaurantwasagloomyplacethatmorninglastAugustthefirstmorninginthreeyearsthatSteviemissedwork.HewasattheMayoClinicinRochestergettingaheartsurgery.HissocialworkersaidthatpeoplewithDown’sSyndromeoftenhaveheartproblemsatanearlyagesothiswasn'tunexpectedandtherewasagoodchancehewouldcomethroughthesurgeryingoodshapeandbebackatworkinafewmonths.
Arippleofexcitementranthroughthestafflaterthatmorningwhenwordcamethathewasoutofsurgeryinrecoveryanddoingfine.Frannietheheadwaitressdidalittledancewhensheheardthegoodnews.BelleRingeroneofourregulartruckercustomersstaredatherandasked"OKFranniewhatwasthatallabout?"
"WejustgotwordthatStevieisoutofsurgeryandgoingtobeokay."
"Iwaswonderingwherehewas.Ihadanewjoketotellhim.Whatwasthesurgeryabout?"
FranniequicklytoldBelleRingerandtheothertwodriversaboutStevie'ssurgerythensighed