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Carrie’s version of the story: waiter Michael defends little Milo, 5 y.o. with Down Syndrome
I am not sure how many of you read the story about the waiter in Huston who put his job on the line for Milo, a five-year-old with Down Syndrome. I was one person who did.
I may not have Down Syndrome but I do face a similar daily life and this particular story hit close to home! After reading the article I had the urge to write my version of it! For those of you who don’t know me and haven’t read more of my stories on Media 4 community, my name is Carrie, I have a disability called Cerebral Palsy (a brain injury caused at birth by lack of oxygen) and work as a hostess at Longhorn Steakhouse.
Going back to the article about waiter Michael, even though it was not the best way to handle the situation that day, Michael’s purpose was to help Milo.
Speaking as the restaurant employee, had I heard the comment “Special needs children need to be special somewhere else” (the comment was made by a family of regulars that Michael was serving) I would have politely gone over to my regulars and asked “Is there a problem? If you’d like to, you are welcome to move to another table.” I would have never refused a table by saying “I’m not able to serve you” and causing them to leave the restaurant. If I behaved like waiter Michael at Longhorn Steakhouse, the following things would happen: my managers would be VERY unhappy with me and I would probably be in some SERIOUS hot water. I would not only be talked to but also get written up, or maybe FIRED!!!
I have even more to say as the person with a disability. As I stated before, it wasn’t the best way to deal with it… but I feel at the time Michael was in the moment and he didn’t know what else to do! He was ANGRY, I was too when I read the comment,” Special needs children need to be special somewhere else.” I mean, how would you feel if you were me and had C.P. or Down Syndrome and read this article? I was more than angry, I was BOILING! I love that someone did what Michael did! “Come on, people, Milo is five it’s not his fault! God gave him Down syndrome for a purpose, just like My C.P. has to be for something. If I could talk to the little boy, I would say: “Sorry Milo, I know people can be down right MEAN! Ignore them, they are mean because they don’t understand. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you. Just be yourself!” And I owe thank you to a good man: “Thank you, Michael, for standing up for him and the rest of us, I wish more people would!”
Yes, we are all different but we have more in common than what meets the eye and I wish more people could see it… Don’t judge what you don’t understand, we are just like you!
Ps. Michael and Milo, I hope you get to read this someday!
Post by Carrie Dorsey
Related articles
- Houston Waiter Stands Up For Little Boy With Down Syndrome (buzzfeed.com)
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