Finding Perspective and Life Lessons in Unexpected Encounters

When we all gather in our hometown during vacations, the ladies at home put in extra effort to ensure our safety and well-being, especially when there are ten family members to cook for, including four kids with specific food preferences.

To ease their burden, I made the decision to occasionally order dinners from nearby restaurants. This would give them a well-deserved break from their daily routines.

A few weeks ago, I visited a restaurant close to my home to buy dinner. While waiting for my order to be packed, I noticed the person handling the food. I recognized him from our school days, although we weren't particularly close. He was known as the influential figure who had control over various groups in our school, the go-to person for resolving local disputes. His decisions held sway even in trivial matters. He was a few years ahead of me in school and continued to linger around even after graduating. I believe he struggled with a few subjects and never pursued higher education.

After school, I never saw him again. Now, after 22 years, there he was, packaging food at a restaurant. I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to him.

When he handed me my parcel, I asked, "Do you remember me? I was your junior in school." He glanced at me and replied, "Your face looks familiar, but I'm sorry, I can't recall your name."

I reassured him, saying, "That's alright. I wasn't as popular as you were in school." Curiosity got the better of me, and I asked, "What happened to you? How did you end up here?"

He looked at me again and replied, "Well, you guys studied hard and went on to create successful lives. I, on the other hand, couldn't let go of my pride from school. I believed life would treat me as it did during those days. It took me years to realize that we must move on. But by the time I understood this, it was too late, and after struggling immensely, I finally settled here a couple of years ago. I tried my luck in various endeavors, but only this worked out for me."

His story saddened me, and he quickly became engrossed in packing other orders. I bid him farewell, saying, "I'll see you around." He urged me to hurry home before the food got cold and resumed his work.

A week later, I returned to the same restaurant and was surprised to see another schoolmate of mine, a senior friend of the person I had met the previous week, sitting in the owner's chair, handling the financial transactions. I knew him better as he was from my neighborhood.

I greeted him with a friendly "hello" and asked, "Is this your shop?" He replied, "Yes, I'm one of the partners here, and we have another branch in a different part of town which I usually oversee."

I shared that I had visited the restaurant the previous week and enjoyed the food, which is why I returned. I also mentioned meeting the person who packed my order.

He responded, "Ah, you met him! Yes, he works for me now." I sensed a hint of pride in his tone, as if to imply that the once-powerful figure now worked under his command.

I felt sympathy for the parcel guy, and at that moment, he emerged from the kitchen to deliver an order and called the owner, "Anna, parcel ready!"

I was taken aback and asked the owner, "Anna?" He smiled and replied, "Yes, that's how all the employees here refer to me."

The parcel guy kindly tapped my shoulder in a friendly gesture and returned to the kitchen.

Later, when I collected my parcel, I struck up a conversation with him. He explained that the restaurant owner had financial backing from his father, and his relatives were already involved in the restaurant business. Hence, it was easy for him to become a partner.

He also shared that the owner found satisfaction in being called "Anna" by the employees, considering it a personal victory rather than anyone's loss. As for himself, he had moved past such trivial matters long ago and was content with his current situation.

He added, "In my opinion, anyone who works diligently to protect and provide for their family is already a winner. We should overlook petty issues and focus on what truly matters to us."

He handed me the parcel and returned to his duties.

This encounter taught me a valuable life lesson, and I headed home with dinner, contemplating the importance of perspective and appreciating the efforts of those who strive to support their families.