Check out part of a news story I saw on Facebook:
Usually, when a waiter refuses to serve someone at a restaurant, customers complain. In this case, customers cheered.
The waiter in question, Michael Garcia, has been receiving goodwill and friend requests on the restaurant’s Facebook page since word spread that he stood up for a child with special needs. Garcia, who works at the Houston restaurant Laurenzo's, was waiting on a family, regulars with a 5-year-old child, Milo, who has Down syndrome. The server said that another family at the restaurant commented on Milo’s behavior, which Garcia described as “talking and making little noises." Garcia moved the complaining family to another table, but they were still unhappy. "Special needs children need to be special somewhere else," the father reportedly said. The waiter then took a stand. He told Fox News that such talk is ignorant and is due to people's fear of the unknown. "My personal feelings took over," he said, leading him to tell the father, "Sir, I won't be able to serve you.” The family left the restaurant.
Okay, isn't life hard enough without people like that father making snide comments about kids with special needs? Anna loves to go out to eat. We're always wary of taking her with us for just this reason. We don't want to make people uncomfortable and we know that will happen if Anna has a seizure or if she's particularly talkative that day. But why should she be denied the pleasure of a meal out just because she doesn't understand "proper" restaurant etiquette?
To be fair, I understand wanting a quiet meal with my husband. Anna usually babbles nonstop at home, so it's hardly ever a quiet meal. But it wasn't a husband and wife romantic dinner. It was a whole family! And they were moved away from the boy with Down's syndrome. If they were THAT annoyed, they should have left before it got to this point. It's a good thing such ignorant people don't have a special needs child of their own.
The worst part of all this is that the father said these things in front of his children. I can only pray they won't grow up to feel the same way their father does.
Get with it, people. There are families out there with special needs children who don't want to stay holed up in their homes. If Anna was loud and disruptive, I wouldn't take her out, but she's not. Let's have a little compassion and understanding, please.
Encouragement from a fellow special mama
7/31/2020 3:36:00 PM by: pam
A Sister's Love
5/16/2019 7:58:00 AM by: pam
Medical Moms
1/26/2019 7:03:00 AM by: pam
The Power of Doritos
5/7/2018 12:00:00 PM by: pam
Yay For Friends!
1/9/2018 3:15:00 PM by: pam
Show You!
9/11/2017 12:58:00 PM by: pam
Happy? 26th Birthday, Anna
5/15/2017 7:37:00 AM by: pam
Re-grouping
3/14/2017 8:10:00 AM by: pam
We can relate!
9/1/2016 8:00:00 AM by: pam
A Little Fall Fun
10/18/2015 8:04:11 AM by: pam
Going Commando
10/5/2015 6:37:04 PM by: pam
So Behind
9/22/2015 8:42:33 AM by: pam
Stares and Storytime
4/12/2015 7:12:46 AM by: pam
Big Big Changes
3/27/2015 9:12:27 AM by: pam
Blog Post on Autism
9/22/2014 7:30:14 AM by: pam
The Power of Pets
9/12/2014 4:21:44 PM by: pam
Depression's Demands
8/15/2014 2:19:26 PM by: pam
Do We or Don't We?
8/4/2014 12:00:01 AM by: pam
Falling Down
6/22/2014 1:36:52 PM by: pam
Research Study
5/23/2014 12:48:08 PM by: pam
Who goes? Who stays?
5/19/2014 12:11:51 PM by: pam
Being Thankful
4/25/2014 7:37:26 AM by: pam
Excellent Article
4/7/2014 7:03:09 AM by: pam
Jury Duty and Holland
3/27/2014 7:36:35 AM by: pam
I Confess
3/17/2014 8:11:55 AM by: pam
The Dreaded Medication Change
3/4/2014 12:49:56 PM by: pam
Keeping It Together - part seven
2/24/2014 1:03:18 PM by: pam
Keeping it Together - part six
2/10/2014 8:20:16 AM by: pam
A Milestone Day
2/3/2014 8:13:17 AM by: pam
Keeping it together - part five
1/21/2014 6:43:18 AM by: pam
Keeping It Together - part four
1/3/2014 7:56:02 AM by: pam
Keeping it Together - part three
12/16/2013 7:34:46 AM by: pam
Keeping it Together - part two
12/9/2013 6:30:25 AM by: pam
Keeping it Together - part one
12/5/2013 8:00:03 AM by: pam
Catching Up
11/13/2013 8:22:00 AM by: pam
The Perfect House
10/25/2013 8:06:56 AM by: pam
Another Mom in the Mix
10/7/2013 3:11:58 PM by: pam
Grieving the Loss
9/24/2013 8:39:13 AM by: pam
Great article
9/11/2013 1:06:06 PM by: pam
This and That
9/9/2013 4:09:18 PM by: pam
Fun in the ER
8/30/2013 9:17:32 AM by: pam
Bless me, Anna!
8/14/2013 1:51:41 PM by: pam
Talk to me, Anna!
8/8/2013 5:04:30 PM by: pam
God's Will
7/30/2013 3:13:08 PM by: pam
Update on Anna's bloodwork
7/24/2013 6:31:05 AM by: pam
Stirring the Cesspool
7/11/2013 6:27:11 AM by: pam
Vacation and Other Fun Stuff
7/3/2013 5:46:28 AM by: pam
A Day at the Beach
6/17/2013 8:05:05 AM by: pam
Anna's Surgery Experience
6/5/2013 12:03:49 PM by: pam
No Place For Anna
5/26/2013 8:27:52 AM by: pam
Painful Gifts
5/21/2013 8:56:57 AM by: pam
Happy 22nd Birthday, Anna!
5/15/2013 6:48:55 AM by: pam
A Rough Day
5/6/2013 6:18:44 AM by: pam
Things I've Learned - part five
4/30/2013 8:02:08 AM by: pam
Things I've Learned - part four
4/22/2013 6:51:41 AM by: pam
Things I've Learned - part three
4/15/2013 6:14:06 AM by: pam
Things I've Learned - part two
4/9/2013 7:40:11 AM by: pam
Interview with Terri Groh
4/5/2013 5:44:08 AM by: pam
Things I've Learned - part one
4/3/2013 7:55:42 AM by: pam
The Things People Say - part eight
3/27/2013 6:06:08 AM by: pam
Comparisons
3/18/2013 8:06:43 AM by: pam
Why Is It A Blessing?
3/11/2013 6:24:04 AM by: pam
Tim's Place
3/8/2013 11:57:02 AM by: pam
New Medication Worries
3/5/2013 6:38:36 AM by: pam
A Night Out for Anna
2/25/2013 11:29:44 AM by: pam
Play it again, Sam
2/20/2013 5:47:32 AM by: pam
Happy Birthday
2/15/2013 5:32:13 AM by: pam
The Anna Bowl
2/4/2013 8:01:33 AM by: pam
The Queen of Babble-on
1/30/2013 12:45:36 PM by: pam
Really, people?
1/25/2013 7:36:11 AM by: pam
Cold Feet
1/23/2013 7:55:46 AM by: pam
Hearing God
1/15/2013 6:58:57 AM by: pam
Running Away
1/10/2013 11:19:00 AM by: pam
Post-Christmas-Reentry-Syndrome
1/4/2013 6:49:36 AM by: pam
Emmanuel, God With Us
12/17/2012 6:51:08 AM by: pam
Take Heart
12/7/2012 4:42:07 AM by: pam
Jumping in the Leaves
11/27/2012 5:56:16 AM by: pam
Being Thankful
11/19/2012 7:02:07 AM by: pam
Patience and Love and Wretchedness
11/13/2012 7:38:47 AM by: pam
A Typical Halter Vacation
11/8/2012 8:35:45 AM by: pam
Is This Really My Life?
11/1/2012 5:21:04 AM by: pam
Frankenstorm
10/27/2012 4:22:45 PM by: pam
A Small Victory at Anna's Program
10/24/2012 7:21:36 AM by: pam
Update on the problem at Anna's program
10/22/2012 8:23:51 AM by: pam
The Fight Goes On
10/19/2012 4:55:06 AM by: pam
Fighting the Good Fight
10/18/2012 7:01:44 AM by: pam
Sit down, Anna
10/16/2012 6:44:47 AM by: pam
The Things People Say - conclusion
10/15/2012 8:32:45 AM by: pam
The Cloaking Device
10/12/2012 6:22:27 AM by: pam
The Things People Say - part seven
10/11/2012 5:56:56 AM by: pam
The Things People Say - part six
10/10/2012 5:35:53 AM by: pam
The Things People Say - part five
10/9/2012 6:59:06 AM by: pam
The Things People Say - part four
10/4/2012 6:00:52 AM by: pam
The Things People Say - part three
10/3/2012 6:09:22 AM by: pam
The Things People Say - part two
10/2/2012 5:29:13 AM by: pam
The Things People Say - part one
10/1/2012 7:52:27 AM by: pam
Godzilla Lives at my House
9/27/2012 6:58:41 AM by: pam
The Early Bird Gets Eaten
9/26/2012 5:22:30 AM by: pam
Over and Over Again
9/25/2012 5:15:50 AM by: pam
What Good Are Seizures?
9/21/2012 11:48:29 AM by: pam
Why Me?
9/20/2012 8:37:32 AM by: pam
The Rest of my Life?
9/19/2012 5:47:36 AM by: pam
Feelings
9/18/2012 1:23:56 PM by: Pam