[Kenna]

I was at dinner with friends at a small, buffet style "fish camp"...
There was an elderly man sitting by himself behind me...
On my trip to the buffet, I noticed how thin he seemed, with his shoulders rounded forward, his face always looking down to his plate, very shy if we made eye contact, wearing an old but very clean and pressed blue work shirt, his baseball hat well loved and the bill helped shade his shy, gentle eyes...his leathery skin giving away that he's most likely worked outside all his life...

On my next trip, I noticed how slow he was eating from his very tidy, devided plate. And how his hand was shaking a little as he lifted his spoon.

After I returned to my table, I took cash from my purse, then got up again, drew the attention of our waitress to speak with her out of ear-shot, told her to pay for his meal and keep the rest for herself, and to make sure no one allowed him to pay for his own dinner. She was shocked but quietly nodded.

Later, I heard her ask him a question...he responded that he had already paid his bill. She left, then came back and told him someone had paid for his meal, and she told him he could have his money back....he told her something I couldn't hear.

After he left, she came back to me to share with me what he had told her.... After she refunded his money, he said "the good Lord blessed me today... This morning at church, a nice lady gave me $20 to get lunch today. Then someone gave me $10 so I can eat tomorrow. I am truly blessed.".... And she said he had asked earlier if he could take extra food home from the buffet...she had to tell him that was against policy unless he bought from their menu but if he had leftovers on his plate, he could cover it with his napkin to take it home...she said the entire time he had been there today, with each trip to the buffet, he placed a small amount of food on another plate and covered it with a napkin.

She said he used to come in every Sunday, but now she rarely sees him.

She patted me on the shoulder and told me that I would be blessed for what I did. I didn't do it for blessings or a pat on the back... When she said that, I was still sitting there with chills and nearly in tears thinking about how he said "so I can eat tomorrow"... ...."so I can eat tomorrow"....