A Stranger at Ruby Tuesday Made 1 Boy With Autism's Day by Showing Him the Dishwasher
Posted by Katie Elizabeth Denton on Saturday, October 14, 2017
When Katie Elizabeth Denton went out to eat at Ruby Tuesday with her family, she definitely wasn't expecting a dinner and a show, but that's exactly what they got after the restaurant manager took a special interest in Denton's stepson, Slade, who has high-functioning autism. She shared how special the experience was in an emotional Facebook post.
"Slade LOVES dishwashers and washing machines. This love for things like these stem from the autism," Denton wrote. "Anyway, the manager, Ashley, came over and was talking to my mom. Slade asked Ashley if the restaurant had a big dishwasher in the back, one that was like the one at his old school. Ashley said yes! and started telling Slade about her favorite kinds of dishwashers."
After they finished their meals, Denton decided to take a chance and ask Ashley if Slade could take a quick peek at the dishwasher they used in the kitchen. Little did she know the manager had already beat her to the punch.
"'I'm just going to go talk to Ashley and ask her if Slade can peek through the window of the kitchen door and look at the dishwasher,'" she said. "I walked over to her and introduced myself and said, 'You're going to think I'm crazy for asking this, but . . .' and before I could get the words out of my mouth, Ashley said, 'I'm already planning on bringing him in the back and letting him run some dishes through the dishwasher.'"
Denton admitted that hearing Ashley give the green light flooded her with emotions:
I started sobbing . . . I couldn't believe that this sweet, young lady who didn't know our family would go out of her way to let Slade look at something as simple as the dishwasher. I was floored. Speechless. All I could say was, "you are seriously about to make his life!" as I hugged her like she was an old friend. I went to sit back down, and I told Slade that he had a surprise coming, and that Miss Ashley was going to let him go in the back and wash some dishes! He was so happy, he started bouncing up and down, and shouting, "I'm so excited!"
It just goes to show how one simple act of kindness can truly make someone's day.