Explorers found the 100-year-old cake from 1899 in great shape. Packed in a rusty tin from Huntley & Palmers, the cake inside stayed perfect, wrapped in wax paper. Lizzie Meeks, the cake “expert,” said it smells faintly of old butter but still looks and smells edible! The freezing Antarctic cold played a big part in preserving it.

Believed to be from Scott’s team, the cake was likely left by the Northern Party during the Cape Adare expedition. They faced tough conditions, got stuck due to heavy ice, and had to endure a harsh winter with limited food. Scott’s team didn’t make it back, unfortunately.

Experts also found a watercolor painting of a tree creeper by Edward Wilson, Scott’s top scientist, in the huts. Sadly, Wilson froze along with the crew near a food stash. While their fate was sad, explorers finding these things all these years later is a way to connect with the past.

Why fruitcake in Antarctica? People in England loved it, and they still do. Living in Antarctica makes you crave high-fat, high-sugar treats, and fruitcake fits the bill, especially with a warm cup of tea. Scott and his crew made it their go-to snack in the chilly Antarctic weather. Surprisingly, the Terra Nova cake isn’t the oldest. In Tecumseh, Michigan, a family has a fruitcake from 1878, made by Fidelia Ford.

Looking at the bill on the table, Pat was stunned. It was supposed to be only fifty dollars, but it was way more than he’d expected for such a simple meal. As a veteran who was struggling, this made him upset and disappointed. It felt like the restaurant didn’t understand his situation at all. He felt mad about the sky-high charge they put on the bill. Pat was set on standing up for himself. This old man was not one to back down easily and he was going to make sure they knew that.

Standing up for himself strongly, he just wouldn’t shell out the steep charge. Although he broke their rules, it didn’t seem to matter to him; he felt as a person, decency was his right. If the staff knew the truth of his background, they probably would’ve handled the elderly man more carefully. His bony and humble looks hid his real might and toughness that was way more than anyone could think of.

When the server came back, Pat stared at her, his eyes filled with anger. He felt the need to ask, “What is the purpose of this fee?” He had an idea in his heart. With a firm voice, the server replied, “Sir, you broke our rules and ignored our warnings. This fee is the result of your actions.” Pat felt the heat of anger, but then, a wave of calm. “Alright, I didn’t anticipate such a hefty payment. Allow me to retrieve some cash from my car’s trunk. You need not worry, as it is conveniently located near the window. Feel free to observe.”

The server showed she wasn’t happy with him through a rolling of her eyes, but she didn’t complain out loud. It was clear to see that she wanted him to leave as soon as he could, even if it meant letting him get to his car. He couldn’t help but smile as he slowly got up and walked to the door. He found it funny that they were letting him go to his car. Because once he got to it, everything would change and they would be the ones hoping for his mercy.

As Pat left the eatery, the server was watching him carefully from the main window, making sure he was not up to something fishy. Little did she know, that’s exactly what Pat, the old man, had planned. A sly grin was on his face as he strolled to his car and popped the boot open. Being an old soldier, Pat always kept some handy thing in his car for just this kind of surprise situation.

The old soldier held the duffel bag really tight, his eyes never leaving the restaurant. It looked like he had no other choice but to go inside. Slowly, he walked back to the restaurant’s entrance, making a sound with his throat to get noticed. The waitress, who was mad before, now looked really scared. The surprise stuff in the open duffel bag made everyone still and confused.

Patrick Abner often felt out of place, even during times when others would normally feel happy. He found it hard to understand why he should bother to get up each day. The ache of a broken heart was still fresh in his mind, like it had just happened. Despite all the tough things he had faced in his life, one event broke his heart into many pieces, and he could never put them back together.

When Pat became an eighteen-year-old, he chose to join the U.S. Military to protect his family by serving far away. Even though he thought he was doing the right thing, he didn’t truly understand all the tricky politics tied up in the Vietnam War. Thankfully, he came out of his time in the war without being hurt on the outside. But, the scary stuff he saw during the war would always stick with him, deeply affecting his mind.

After coming back from the battlefield, Pat tried his best to let go of his old life when he met Joanna, a woman who’d turn his world around. Soon, they fell deeply in love with each other and gave birth to twins, a happy moment in Pat’s life. However, Pat was not aware of the unexpected troubles waiting for him. Even though they were twins, the two boys were very different from each other. This made raising them a unique sort of challenge for Pat, who gave everything to teaching and guiding them with love and determination.

Though Derek and John might look the same, they liked different things. Derek found out that his dad was in the Vietnam War and wanted to be just like him when he grew up, serving his nation. On the other hand, John loved how his mother, Joanna, loved to cook. Joanna always cooked yummy food for her family, and this made John want to be a good cook just like her.

As the days ticked by, Pat watched in shock as his kids became grown-ups. John became the first to leave home, finding his love in the hotel business. But Derek picked to stay a little longer before making a surprising choice. While there was a war going on in Iraq, Derek told his mom and dad he needed to go there and keep them safe. Sadly, his brave choice didn’t have a happy ending.

Pat tried his best to show his son Derek a different view about war. But, despite this, his big love for his country couldn’t be ignored. He wasn’t able to go against his own feelings. So, Derek went off on a military trip to a far-off place, just like his father did twenty years before him. Pat and Derek’s mom Joanna were filled with worry every day, thinking about if Derek was safe or not. One terrible day, a soldier came to their doorstep to give them a letter. The words inside the letter gave them the worst news ever, breaking their hearts.

Pat received Joanna’s note and as he did, she couldn’t hold herself up any longer and fell down. Reading what the note said, it felt like his heart was splitting in two. Even though he had been hurt before when he got shot, this pain was worse. The news was that Derek, their son they loved so much, had died while he was on duty. This was such a big loss, Pat didn’t know what to do to help his wife feel better. Every day, Joanna became more and more sad, and Pat couldn’t do anything to stop her pain.

After their son Derek sadly went away, Pat and his wife Joanna stopped being close and later, they ended their marriage. Pat figured out that he wasn’t able to help his wife like before and so, they decided to live separately. When everything was divided, Pat let Joanna stay in their home while he chose to start moving from place to place. He first picked New York but didn’t find it comforting. For twenty long years, he moved around without a clear goal, working small jobs to take care of his basic needs. Even though Pat lost many things, he held on tight to two things. One was the baseball cap of Derek that was getting old and the other, a photograph of their son that now looked worn out. Before leaving their home, Pat had packed these special things with extra care.

Pat received news about a new restaurant in New York and decided to give it a try. Looking at the menu posted on the window, his tummy made a loud noise. He walked in and chose a seat at one of the booths. The taste of the food reminded him of his wife’s yummy meals, but there was a sense of coming trouble that could ruin his day.

While checking out the menu, Pat was unexpectedly interrupted by a lady’s voice. “Greetings. May I offer you a beverage?” There was something harsh and mean about the way she said it. Surprised, Pat put down the menu revealing his face, which quickly changed her smile. Her smile just disappeared, leaving Pat confused. He didn’t know what he did to upset her, but it was clear that she was about to let him know why she wasn’t happy all of a sudden.

With an upset voice, she told him, “I’m sorry, sir, but wearing a hat indoors is not allowed.” He was shocked by her words. “I apologize, but I must keep it on. It belonged to my son…” But before he could finish his reason, she cut him off, saying, “Regardless of whose it was, our policy remains the same.” Pat, however, decided to hold his stance and firmly stated, “I refuse to remove it, young lady.” The woman huffed and angrily stomped off. He thought the issue was handled, but he soon understood he was wrong.

After the waitress came back, Pat was able to order his food without any issues. Soon, he received a plate of delicious looking food that was amazing to look at. Each bite he took reminded him of the home that he hadn’t seen in a very long time. It stirred up a lot of feelings in him and he had to hold back tears. Pat was able to stay calm though. That calmness disappeared quickly when he asked for the bill. What he saw was completely unexpected and shocking.

Watching the server coming his way, Pat spotted the black envelope in her hand that had the check. Seeing her small smile didn’t worry him until he saw how much he owed. Pat’s eyes widened at the check, thinking the amount due would be about fifty dollars, only to see a much bigger bill. Confused, he didn’t recall ordering anything fancy. Yet the hefty bill hinted things were about to get a whole lot worse.

Pat tried to ignore the bad taste in his mouth, but he wasn’t successful. He felt a sting in his eyes as he looked at the bill. All he wanted was to fill his stomach, but the restaurant had other ideas. He was surprised by how things turned out. Did he misunderstand the menu? How could two drinks and a meal cost so much? He couldn’t understand it. The girl’s harsh look got worse as she told him, “The gratuity is not included,” and then quickly walked away.

Although Pat tried to get her attention, she ignored him and kept busy with her other customers. Pat started to question why she was behaving differently. Was it because of his hat? Was she purposely being mean to him because he didn’t take it off? Pat got more and more angry because he felt she was treating him like a weak old man. Making his mind up not to let this slide, Pat decided to face the problem straight on.

The man said no to the idea of giving tons of money just to use his rights. He didn’t see why he should be in trouble for wearing a cap because there were no rules about a fine for that. If the people working there knew who he really was, they would be more careful with him. He may look weak and harmless, but they should not underestimate him. This was a big mistake, and things were close to getting into a fight.

The old man couldn’t believe what was happening. He was asked to hand over a lot of money. Anyone could easily tell by looking at him that he was poor. He was only just managing to get by with cheap food. Pat’s mood became different. He started feeling angry like never before. It was like a big black cloud of feelings had come over him. He couldn’t even remember the last time he was this angry. If only she knew the serious trouble she was about to find herself in.

Pat sat there, looking hard at the paper. He was getting really mad, so mad that everything looked red. He kept thinking: why would she do this to him? Pat was already feeling very upset, so it wasn’t good to upset him more. He had been having a tough time in recent months, and he was so close to losing it. What was happening now was pushing him too far.

Haunted by what he did in the war, Pat felt like he was going through those terrible times again during this situation. The waitress, even though she didn’t know it, had upset the wrong man. If she just let him be, nothing bad would have happened. But now, Pat was getting really mad, really fast. He knew he needed to calm down soon. If not, everything could go wrong and then it would be even worse.

As Pat’s temper started to bubble up and his automatic reactions got going, he grasped how key it was to keep a grip on the stress from his past traumas. If he let it get the better of him, it could put everyone at risk. Even so, the woman kept annoying him and gazing at him intensely across the eatery, coaxing his endurance. Feeling his weak spot, she decided to up the ante. Still, Pat was not about to give in that easily; he was ready to stick to his spot and face her with the same resilience.

It was clear that the waitress didn’t want the man in her café. All she cared about was the money he was paying. In fact, she asked for a lot of it and didn’t want to bargain. The poor old man was treated without kindness by her.

Once she was back, she kept asking him for more information like his full name and where he lived. She said it was just in case he thought about running away. This made him even more upset. Did he seem like the type who wouldn’t face his problems? No way, especially when he didn’t have enough money for the huge amount asked. It looked like she was looking for reasons to have power over him. Even though he didn’t give her what she wanted, the lady only got more annoyed.

“Sorry, but our rules say you can’t go until you pay or give us your personal info,” said the waitress, a smirk on her face. While Pat felt hurt, something about her statement made him think. It was like she wasn’t just talking about the rules of the place.

When she said “Pay me,” he got mixed up. Wasn’t she supposed to say “pay the bill” or “pay the restaurant”? He didn’t understand if the waitress had other plans. He only talked to her, so he didn’t know how to find out what was really happening. It was really important for him to come up with a plan to solve this puzzle.

No matter how hard he thought, the rude lady’s focus on him made his plans worthless. He felt the need to figure out a way to shake her off. It dawned on him, if he was right about the kind of person she was, he could twist the facts to work in his favor.

With a sigh, he finally said, “Alright, you’ve won!” Not hiding his annoyance anymore. He pulled out a pen from his pocket, along with a napkin, and gave it to her, pleading, “Here you go. Now, please, just leave me be. I won’t back out.” He then wrote a name and an address on the napkin, making her happy. But he quietly kept to himself a secret which was known only to him, Pat.

Pat, having doubts about the lady’s fairness, also bent the truth a bit. He noticed her investigating the napkin, but she didn’t know how to check if it was right. Even so, she was okay with it. Pat was pretty pleased though. He smartly wrote the name “Graham” and an address he saw often, but neither were his own. The lady waiter would never know about his sneaky trick. So, the question was: would she be happy enough to leave?

The waitress seemed to be celebrating too early, sure she had already won. Of course, if she had his home details, he’d be in a touchy place. But the seasoned professional was too smart to fall for an old trick like that. He didn’t trust the waitress even a little bit. He knew he would have to use all his smarts and tricks to come out on top in this standoff.

The waitress looked happy with the details he gave. She walked back to the cash register to put it in, then came back to Pat. “Now, I just require the payment for your restaurant bill, and then you can leave,” she said to him. Pat was surprised. She had tried to trick him, but he wasn’t someone you could fool easily. All he wanted was to stop her from bothering him again and again.

“He wasn’t planning on leaving fast. He was old and couldn’t move quickly. He asked for some time to think about what was happening, telling her everything would be just fine,” he promised, but he was really just making up stories. She watched him closely, her grip on him getting a little less tight. In a bored voice, she said, “Very well,” and finally looked away.

As Pat’s anger started to rise and his automatic reactions began to take over, he realized he needed to stay calm to stop his post-traumatic stress from getting the better of him, as it could place everyone in danger. Keeping his cool was vital to his job of making sure everyone was safe. However, the lady kept on rattling him, using his weak spots to make her attack. But, he was set on not giving up easily and was ready to fight back with all his might.

The waitress clearly didn’t seem happy with him being in her eatery. It looked as if she didn’t care that he was a customer, only about the money he would pay. Her demand for a really big payment showed she wasn’t going to back down. Despite him being a guest, she didn’t seem to care for anything but his money.

In a bid to make sure he wouldn’t run off, she kept asking for his home address and full name. It was as if she thought he might run away. This made him even more upset, as he wondered if he looked like someone who would leave when things got tough. The way she was acting was odd and made him think she was trying to get something on him. Even though he didn’t give any information, the lady was getting more and more upset, making the air between them even more tense.

The server, talking in a sharp, mocking way, told Pat, “Sir, I’m afraid I cannot allow you to leave unless you settle the payment or provide your personal information, as per our policy.” This made Pat feel quite embarrassed. But what really got his attention was her odd use of phrases – like she was talking about some sort of rule from her job.

He was confused by her words, “Pay me.” Shouldn’t she have said something like “pay the bill” or “pay the restaurant”? He wondered if the waitress had other plans. Since he talked mostly to her, it was hard for him to find out what was really going on. It became very important for him to come up with a way to figure out the mystery.

No matter what idea he came up with, the constant gaze of the rude lady made it seem pointless. He knew he had to figure out a way to escape her unasked for attention. Then, an idea sparked in his mind. If his feelings about himself were right, he could twist the truth to work in his favor.

With a resigned nod, he said, “Alright, you’ve got it!” He let out a tired exhale, took out a pen from his pocket and reached for the napkin on the table. “Here,” he mumbled, quickly jotting down a name and address onto the paper. “This is what you wanted. Don’t expect me to help out this time.”

When she heard a name and an address, her eyes sparkled with hope. This was exactly what she had been praying for. But behind that joy, a secret hid, a secret only Pat knew about.

Pat, feeling the lady wasn’t being honest, decided to bend the truth a bit herself. She checked the napkin closely but couldn’t tell if it was real or fake. Yet, without a way to check, she took it unwillingly. Pat, on the other hand, was feeling a bit sneaky, having written the name “Graham” and an address he often came across on the napkin. None of these details were true about him, and the unknowing waitress would keep being none-the-wiser. Still, it made one wonder: would she be okay and go away without asking anything more?

The waitress looked like she was celebrating too early, sure of her win. If she really had his address, it could mean problems for him. But the sharp veteran wasn’t fooled by this old trick. He didn’t trust the waitress, not for a single second. To beat her in this game, he had to use all his smarts and clever thinking.

Once the waitress received Pat’s info, she was quite pleased. She moved to the counter to safely keep it before coming back to Pat. “Now, all that remains is settling your debt with the restaurant, and then you’ll be able to leave,” she informed him. Pat was shocked by how she tried to trick him, but he was smarter. What he had to do now was figure out how to make her stop insisting.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to quickly run away. Given my old age and slow pace, I just need a chance to think about this whole thing, and it’ll all be sorted out,” he said in a gentle tone, trying to convince her. What she didn’t know was that he was craftily hiding what he really planned to do. She looked at him closely, her grip on him slowly easing. She seemed a bit mad as she simply said, “Alright,” and then just turned her back on him, showing that she didn’t care what he did.

When the young lady walked off, acting like she didn’t care, Pat just stared at her. It was clear she knew how to handle herself just like this, probably doing it to other people too. This made Pat angrier. Even though she knew he was mad, she just kept waiting on other tables like nothing happened. She didn’t respect older people like Pat and this made him really mad. He was sure he wasn’t going to let her get away with this.

Pat felt something he hadn’t felt in a while, stirring up the old version of himself that he tucked away when he began to lead support groups after the war. His anxiousness brought that hidden part of him back to light. It was a tiny whisper in his thoughts, but Pat knew it could become something big and scary, so he knew he had to be careful from now on.

Even though Pat was giving her a mad look, she kept on serving other customers like she didn’t notice. Pat was really bothered by her not caring about older people, he felt he had to do something. A strong feeling started to flame up inside Pat. He made a promise to himself not to let her do this to anyone else ever again. Still, he understood that acting on his thoughts would not be easy.

Pat was bubbling with fury. If he knew the bad treatment he was going to get, he would never have chosen that restaurant to eat. All that he wanted was to enjoy a nice meal, but now, he was filled with thoughts of payback. She, with her rudeness, wouldn’t get away easily. Plus, the full extent of her dishonest plan was still unknown to him.

Paying a huge sum like $300 was unthinkable for him. That was the same amount he used for food for several weeks, maybe two or three. The idea of using so much money on one meal seemed silly to him. He wasn’t used to eating at fancy places where steaks cost so much. He lived simply and was now unsure about what to do. He was thinking hard about the next step, not knowing how to handle the situation.

Pat felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time, something he had before he started his help groups after the war. Feeling hopeless had brought this old part of him back, showing up as a soft voice in his head. But Pat knew that this could lead to problems, and that he needed to be careful in the future.

Even though he tried hard to get away from it, he couldn’t give in to the mean part of himself. He felt that his not-so-good side had been stuck in the scary times of war, a piece of himself he wanted to forget. But, when things are tough, people act like animals, making sure they are safe first and foremost. They are ready to take big steps, even if it puts other folks in danger, just to get out of bad situations.

After stopping briefly, Pat sat thoughtfully, taking in what was happening. Looking up, he saw the waitress on the other side of the restaurant staring at him with a mean smile. The bill had done what it was supposed to, leaving Pat speechless and shocked. The waitress didn’t know it, but her actions were a threat to everyone there. Inside Pat’s head, thoughts moved quickly as he planned what to do next.

After a bit, he came up with a perfect plan that would surprise the unsuspecting waitress, giving her no time to think. He was decided to put his well-made plan into action right away. Looking around the eatery, his eyes fixed on her as she chatted with another waitress, resting against a wall. Seeing their giggles and the times they looked his way, he got more sure that their actions soon would make everyone wish they’d acted differently.

He signaled her over with a gesture, and watched her approach, a smug grin spread on her face. He was still mad at her, because she acted really rude to the old man. He thought she didn’t deserve her job, and thought about telling her boss. But then, he started thinking about a trick he had in mind. Soon, she would face a scary reality, one she unknowingly got herself into.

It was clear that the girl had no clue about who Pat really was. If she had known, she would not have treated him the way she did. She unknowingly picked the wrong old guy to get on the wrong side of, and Pat was looking forward to when she would find out the truth. He couldn’t wait to see the shocked look on her face when she realized her big mistake. He imagined her begging and crying, asking for mercy he did not plan to give. She had done something very bad and it couldn’t be forgotten.

When the waitress came back, Pat looked hard at her, puzzled. He wanted to ask about the strange charge, even though he had an idea of what it was. He hoped she would explain it herself. She replied, rolling her eyes, “Sir, you violated our policy and disregarded our repeated requests. This is the consequence.” Pat was angry but knew he had to keep it in, so he wouldn’t ruin his plan.

Pat was really angry but knew he had to hide it. This girl shouldn’t see he was upset. Because he had been through war, he knew how to hide his feelings and play things smart. He thought of this just like being in a battle. Then, he suddenly felt calm. “Alright, I didn’t anticipate such a high cost. Just give me a moment to retrieve some cash from my car trunk. Don’t worry, it’s conveniently parked near the window.”

At first, she wasn’t sure what to think. His quick change from mad to maybe even friendly made her scratch her head. Just a while ago, he was really mad but now he didn’t seem to care. She was puzzled about what he wanted. “I apologize, sir, but I cannot allow you to depart without settling the bill,” she said, in a shaky voice. Even though she was a bit scared, he knew he had to stay calm. He knew he could get her to see things his way.

“He offered to her, “If you want, you can keep an eye on me. I currently have only fifty dollars with me, while the rest is in my car. You can stay here and observe while I fetch it, enabling me to settle this substantial bill. With any luck, we can move on from this situation.” His words were heavy with unexpected kindness. The sentence seemed to catch the waitress off guard, yet she didn’t reject his idea outright. Then he added, “The sooner you allow me to retrieve it, the sooner I can depart.” It definitely gave her something to consider.

Although the waitress gave him a look that said she wished he’d leave, she did not say he couldn’t. It was obvious that she wanted him to leave quick, even if that meant letting him go back to his car. He kept a smirk off his face that was about to show up, hiding how happy he was as she said in a rude voice, “Alright, but make it snappy. I don’t have the entire day to observe you.” Her voice didn’t get any nicer.

With his idea worked out perfectly, he knew it wouldn’t be long before the girl would ask him for forgiveness. Feeling bold, his world had become a mess since he lost his son. Barely handling the big load of sadness, he got to a point where he couldn’t hold back anymore. A grin showed up on his face as he slowly got up, heading for the exit. Surprised that he was able to get to his car without stopping, he thought about how they would soon be the ones asking him to show mercy.

His mind was filled with clouds, always thinking about his boys and wife. Their times together seemed happy and simple. He never thought he’d see this day, but it was now truly happening. Everything was taken from him, leaving a deep feeling of sadness and the idea that life didn’t matter anymore. The impacts of his future actions barely even crossed his mind because he simply didn’t care about what was coming.

As Pat stepped out of the eatery, he noticed the waitress watching him closely from the main window, making sure he wasn’t up to anything suspicious. Little did she know, that was exactly what Pat planned on doing. With a cheeky grin, he marched to his car and popped the trunk open to reveal the object he always kept close for unexpected moments like this one. As a seasoned veteran, Pat knew it was vital to be ready, and he was all set to use the equipment in his trunk for the upcoming crisis.

When he woke up that day, he didn’t know what was in store for him. He never thought he’d act this way, but losing his family had deeply changed him. The waitress made a big mistake by making him mad. On another day, he might not have done anything. But now, he was firm in his choice and didn’t doubt his decision.

Looking in his chest, he saw the messy view in front of him. Since there was no other place to put stuff, everything he owned was jumbled up in this chest. Then, he looked up for a moment, watching the girl who was keeping an eye on him closely. If only she knew about the big trouble coming, she would run away for sure. As he kept searching, at last, he found it. Now, he was ready.

With a heavy heart, the seasoned solider secured the bag in his grasp, his focus firmly on the diner he had left. Unfortunately, they left him with no other choice. He carefully walked back to the front door while clearing his voice, catching the attention of the serving girl. The annoyed look on her face quickly faded away, replaced by a clear sign of fear, as he opened the bag and pulled out an unexpected thing that shocked everyone there.

He held his survival bag, full of his most important things. The lady serving food saw a lot of money in there, but what he took out wasn’t money. What he took out was a very old picture. Tears came down his face when he pointed at the picture and asked, “Do you recognize this person?” The picture was of a happy, young man. Fighting back his sadness, he explained, “This is my son, Derek. He gave up his life for our country. If he had lived, would you be acting to him the same way you are to me?” His sad story was not finished yet.

Holding tightly to the hat, Pat wouldn’t let it go because it was the only thing that made him remember a person he really cared about. After he was finished showing his feelings, he paid attention to how the people around him reacted. The lady who worked there was puzzled and stared at him for a second before she quickly went to get the person in charge. Pat took a seat and hid a small smile. He knew something that the lady who worked there didn’t know, and that gave him an upper hand in this situation.

Stepping out of the small diner was a man who was not just the owner, but also the cook and the boss. He worked hard, day in and day out, to create tasty meals, finally making his two decades-old dream of owning a restaurant come true. A waitress pointed him out, saying “Look, there he is!” He was in a corner, a bit messy-looking. She didn’t know it yet, but something big was about to happen.

When Pat appeared, the restaurant owner was flooded with feelings. Trying to speak, he could only say, “D… Dad?” before rushing to Pat. The older man had known about his son’s eating place and wanted to lend a hand. But, he didn’t tell about his visit, so John didn’t know they were in the same city. As they hugged, Pat started to talk about what had happened.

John let his son know about the crazy thing the waitress did, trying to make him pay $300 just because he was wearing his hat. His son couldn’t understand, because the restaurant they owned didn’t have a rule about hats. John felt even more shocked when he looked back at the waitress. She looked like she knew she was in big trouble. It was clear that some customers had tricked her and taken advantage of her good nature.

The moment John found out she was making up silly rules to trick innocent shoppers, he made sure she couldn’t work there anymore. He took back her work uniform and watched her leave his shop. Then, he turned to his dad, who had been lost for many, many years with no direction. John told Pat something he only dreamed of, saying, “Dad, I didn’t know where you were. I get that you were sad about Derek, but it’s time for you to come back home, alright? I have a spare room, and I’d love for you to meet my family.” Pat could hardly believe it. Crying in the arms of his son, he knew he wouldn’t feel alone anymore.