"Good evening! My name is Xxx. I'll be taking care of you tonight."

[Aristus]

I treated a patient a few weeks ago for a pretty severe skin infection on his leg. He got it from injecting heroin with what I expect was a contaminated needle. There was some pretty thick, nasty eschar on the wound, preventing it from healing. I debrided the wound, got a specimen for culture, and put him on a pretty strong antibiotic regimen.

He came in to the clinic the other day for a follow up, and his leg was healing nicely. He told me he was grateful, because now he could get back to work. He's a server at a local Applebee's. It occurred to me that one never really knows what's going on in the lives of the people who serve us in restaurants and are obliged to be cheerful, friendly, attentive, and efficient. I always tip well under all but the most egregiously bad service, and I hope everyone treats wait-staff like the human beings they are.

Some ancient graybeard philosopher once said: "Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Great story, my dear Aristus...

And you're so right: Everyone you meet IS fighting a great battle.

[TexasBushwhacker]

2. I have a particular Denny's I go to

They have Wi-Fi and the servers are good to excellent. I have a booth I prefer and they know when I come in that's where I'll sit if it's available. I've heard about sick parents, school worries, one waitress even had a baby born without a pituitary gland. They take care of me and I take care of them.

[Laffy Kat]

3. In the medical field myself and working at the clinic today (radiology).

I always try to make our patients feel like we are delighted to see them walk in the door. I also try to connect on a personal level in some way. Frankly, it keeps ME in a good mood, too. I also think it sets the tone for the rest of the visit.

[In_The_Wind]

4. I'm glad you were able to make a difference in someone's life, again.

[femmocrat]

5. You must see "it all," Aristus.

If he only had a skin infection, he was pretty darn lucky. to you!

[Aristus]

7. I see a great deal of bad stuff.

But not as much as when I was at the homeless clinic (still miss it, though...), or as much as an emergency medicine provider sees in the line of duty.

Still, it's gratifying to see positive clinical outcomes for the work one puts in...

[lunatica]

6. I was a hard working waitress for years

It taught me to be kind to all people. I've always remembered how good it felt when someone was kind to me and when I was treated like a human being. It meant more than the tips did, and I certainly worked for tips because I had a baby and was a single parent.

Today I always make sure to have a stash of one dollar bills always available in my cup holder in the car. Every homeless person at stop lights I go through gets a couple of dollars. And every single time I talk to them, saying things like "Take care of yourself", And if I know the next day is going to have bad weather, like rain, I let them know.

Some of them recognize me and give me a big smile and thank you. They light up at the site of my face because they know I always have a couple of dollars for them and a kind word.

It's so simple to take a moment to "recognize" them as being human beings who happen to be down on their luck. And now more and more I see older women and men needing help.

I consider this as an opportunity to pay back the kindnesses done to me in my life, and to pay forward so others feel they are seen as human beings.