Alex Carson
A Country Divided
Ever since Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States, the U.S. has become a country divided. For the first time in history, there are two sides and a line drawn down the middle. On one side of the line are the Trump supporters. On the other side are those who don’t support Trump or any of his views. Since the unprecedented election, friendships have ended, and family members have disowned each other. It is not uncommon for people to disagree about politics; however, with the current President of the United States, these disagreements have caused a significant rift in the country. This rift likely won’t be healed for another six to eight years.
Rosalynd Harris
Rosalynd Harris is a 25-year-old African American waitress. She is a professional dancer, but she works in a restaurant to make ends meet. She lives in Washington DC, and she isn’t Donald Trump’s biggest supporter. In fact, she doesn’t agree with anything that he says or does. She took part in the Women’s March in DC and after, she had a run in with a man from Texas, who was a Trump supporter. This black waitress was stunned by what Trump supporter wrote on her receipt.
Busboys and Poets
The restaurant that Rosalynd worked at was called Busboys and Poets. It is an eatery that takes pride in promoting social justice. Its walls are covered with African American art, and people are welcome, regardless of their political views. Since the restaurant is located in our nation’s capital, this is relatively uncommon. During her shift, one day, a Trump supporter and a few friends came into the restaurant.
Jason White
Jason White is a man from Lubbock, Texas. He was visiting Washington, DC with a group of friends for President Trump’s inauguration. During his visit, Jason also went to the Women’s March to see what it was all about. He also visited Arlington National Cemetery. He wanted to get a well-rounded Washington DC experience. When Jason and his friends were walking into Busboys and Poets, he told his friends to put away their “Make America Great Again” hats off. He knew that the restaurant had a reputation of promoting social justice and he didn’t want his group to make a scene.
The Two Meet
Jason and Rosalynd couldn’t have been any more different. When she walked over to his table, the first thing that Jason did was compliment Rosalynd on her beautiful smile. She thought that he was sweet and asked where their group was from. When they told her Lubbock, Texas, she said that she could tell that they were from the south. Jason asked Rosalynd what her favorite thing on the menu was. She told them that the avocado panini is her favorite. Jason mentioned that he loved avocados, and it was a great choice. Rosalynd was surprised and relieved.
Prejudging
Rosalynd admits that as soon as she saw the group of men coming into the restaurant that she prejudged them for wearing their Make America Great Hats. When she talked to Jason for a few minutes, she was pretty surprised. They interacted like regular people, not white, not black, not Trump supporters, and not a black waitress. Jason just treated her like a person. Jason says, “We have to think about being better Americans. We have to look into ourselves and how we treat one another. If everyone did a little something to show respect…we can love one another.” He made sure to treat Rosalynd with respect and like a person, even though they didn’t have much in common and they didn’t share the same views.
An Enjoyable Shift
Rosalynd enjoyed her shift at Busboys and Poets that day. She enjoyed waiting on Jason and his party, which she never expected. She says that she felt a bit guilty for having pre-conceived notions regarding Jason and his friends.
Paying the Bill
When Rosalynd brought Jason and his friends the check, they thanked her for her kind service and for brightening their day with her beautiful smile. The bill came to $72.60. Jason left Rosalynd a $450 tip in honor of the 45th President of the United States. Rosalynd was stunned. This tip would make a huge difference in her life since she was juggling her professional dance career and her waitress job.
A Special Message
Jason didn’t just leave a tip. He also wrote Rosalynd a note on the check. It read, “We may come from different cultures and may disagree on certain issues, but if everyone would share their smile and kindness like your beautiful smile, our country will come together as one people. Not race. Not gender. Just American. God Bless!”
625% Tip
Rosalynd had never received a 625% tip in her life. Both Rosalynd and Jason admitted that their views had changed that day. Roasalynd says that her encounter with Jason has changed her views a lot. Being a Republican doesn’t define a person. People have many more qualities, and their political affiliation doesn’t define them. Not only did Jason teach her this, but he also helped her make her rent for the next month.
