"If you can't finish that, then share it!" "Eat your eggs!" Sandy wanted them stuffed but could not watch the kids waste food.
What a morning! Woke up to a frozen pipe that broke as they thawed it. The kitchen was soon a shallow pool. Bill got the main shut off, but on Christmas morning local plumbers were not answering phones.
"Lets go out to breakfast!" Bill decreed like he was Santa, but Sandy knew that was rent money he was tapping into. They cut it tight this month, it was Christmas... and now there would be a plumbing bill, maybe a new floor. Bill was trying to make the best of it. Sandy tried to match his tone but the kids needed to clean their plates, the next hot meal could be a couple days away.
The waitress asked "You need anything else?" when she brought the check.
"No, thank you" Bill replied, and reached for the ticket. She pulled her hand away and pointed at a man walking to his car.
"He bought breakfast. He said 'Merry Christmas.'" She paused long enough to watch the look of relief on our faces, then smiled and walked away.