This Maynooth waiter's gesture to a boy with special needs and his family is just lovely
Darach, whose dad is musician Colm Mac Con Iomaire, has Fragile X Syndrome - a genetic condition that causes learning disabilities, extreme social anxiety and autism.
His mother, Sheila MacNally, runs a Facebook page about Darach's Assistance Dog, Cassie and the difference she makes to their lives. Darach can easily be overwhelmed by sensory overload or anxiety and go into 'fight or flight' mode where he would panic and run away. Cassie helps by tethering him and Sheila says she is a hugely calming influence.
And this post from earlier in the week about a waiter's random act of kindness has had a particular impact on readers.
After a successful trip to see a play in Dublin and a visit to an aunt, Sheila, Colm, Darach and younger brother Oisin decided to stop for food in Bistro 53 in Maynooth on the way home with Cassie in tow.
And while things started off well, there was a blip when Cassie knocked over a glass of juice:
“Darach always has an orange juice when we eat out, it's just part of the deal and it arrived swiftly. All good so far. But as we were ordering our food Cassie stretched under the table, knocked it a little and the whole glass of juice tipped into Darachs lap!
“He lost it immediately, straight into meltdown, hitting his head and crying. Our first concern is that he doesn't hurt himself or anyone else and only then do we become aware of other people's reactions… Thankfully he calmed down quickly and the waiter produced a replacement juice with a strawberry perched on the edge like a cocktail to jazz it up."
Sheila writes that they then ate quickly, with their eye on the clock and says they were all exhausted when it came to ask for the bill.
And that’s when the waiter, Alex, surprised the family with a lovely gesture - he was going to cover the cost of their meal.
"I had to ask the waiter to repeat himself twice when he replied that he was going to pay for everything- I was sure I was hearing him wrong! But his colleague too insisted the delicious meal was on them."
Sheila says that while that meant a lot to them, what the waiter said next was even more touching.
"…He looked me in the eyes and said "I want you to know you can always come here to our restaurant. Come back any time and you will always be welcome."
Sheila explained in the post why his words ended up bringing tears to her eyes:
"Navigating the world with someone with special needs can make you excruciatingly self conscious of others reactions and judgements but they made sure we knew it was ok to be out in a nice restaurant even when we're a bit ragged, need to bring an assistance dog, with a risk of inappropriate behaviours and public meltdown. "
They left what cash they had to cover the cost of the ingredients of the meal but Sheila says she is delighted "the post has got so much attention - as the saying goes- "So shines a good deed in a weary world" and promise that they will return when they’re next in the area.
As will many others, we imagine.
