Humanity Restaurant

This is a true story that I personally witnessed. On the 16th of July, I had some business to attend to in Kim Son. Because I left late, I arrived quite late as well. Feeling a bit hungry, I stopped by a roadside eatery to grab something to eat. But it was so crowded that there was no seat left. I had to go find another place. Unfortunately, the next three or four places were just as packed. Feeling frustrated, I was about to buy a loaf of bread to quickly fill my stomach.

Suddenly, I noticed a small restaurant next to a repair shop. It looked rather empty. I was the first customer to walk in. As I entered, the owner warmly greeted me. He was a short, chubby man with dark skin and a visible scar on his face. To be honest, I didn’t have a good impression of him—he looked more like a gangster than a restaurant owner. I almost turned around to leave. But the pain in my stomach forced me to stay. I figured even if I was overcharged, I needed to eat something.

I sat down and looked at the menu on the wall. I ordered a balut egg and a bowl of pork ball pho. Midway, I changed my order to pork ball pho with pork leg and trotter—35,000 VND a bowl. I thought he might be annoyed, but he simply smiled and made it as I requested. He even asked if I wanted dọc mùng (a type of stem vegetable, known as “bạc hà” in Southern Vietnam). I said yes. Then I remembered I didn’t eat rau cần (Chinese celery), so I told him, “Hey, I don’t eat rau cần.” He replied “Okay,” and silently removed it from my bowl. That made me feel a bit guilty for being such a picky eater.

A bit later, his wife came back. She looked like a flashy person, dressed up and heavily made up—someone who might easily look down on others. But to my surprise, she asked me warmly, “Ma’am, is the broth to your taste?” I replied yes, and she said, “I was just worried that while I was out, my husband might have made it too salty, and people wouldn’t like it.” I smiled and said it was very tasty. Indeed, the food was excellent, though I didn’t understand why the place was so empty.

While I was eating, an old man in tattered clothes came in, handed the owner a few coins, and asked for a bowl of noodles. The owner said, “Just keep your money, sir. Come in, I’ll treat you to a bowl.” He even asked if the old man wanted a large or small bowl, and if he ate vegetables, etc. I thought the owner might just throw together a basic bowl, but no—he made a large portion, full of meat. His wife even brought the old man a bottle of milk and kindly served him.

When I went to pay, I told the owner to keep the change and use it to help cover the old man’s meal. But as I was getting my motorbike, I overheard the wife say to the old man, “Sir, a lady customer just gave you some money for your meal.”

I felt deeply ashamed for having misjudged them both. Sometimes, appearances can be deceiving. True kindness can be found anywhere. If I ever get the chance, I’ll definitely go back to support that restaurant. I sincerely hope their business improves.