Mark had a small restaurant. It was really small. Just a few tables in one room and a small kitchen. The kitchen had a separate entrance from the street. Mark tried to keep his restaurant and kitchen clean because he knew that customers don’t like dirty places.

But it was not always easy. He didn’t have many people working for him. He had only two waitresses and one cook who came to work only four days a week. And so, Mark, the owner of the restaurant, had to work a lot too.

One day, while Mark was working in the kitchen, a man came to him and asked for some food. Mark looked at the man and said to him: “You look strong and healthy. Why are you asking for food? You should go and work to make some money. And then you can buy some food.”

The man was not very clean, he had old clothes and probably, he was living in the streets. But otherwise, he really had no health problems and he could work. He looked at Mark and replied to him: “I tried to find some work many times. But people do not trust me. I did some bad things in the past. I also spent some time in prison. Now people do not want to give me any work.”

“Do you want work?” asked Mark. “Here, I need to clean these dishes. Roll up your sleeves and get to work.”

The man looked at Mark. He was surprised. Now he had a big smile on his face. He started to work right away. After two hours, Mark gave him some food and also some small money. The man asked if he could come again, and Mark agreed.

The man started coming to help Mark every day. He always came on time and he worked in the restaurant for two or more hours every day. Mark always gave him money for his work.

One day, when this man finished his work and got his money, he did not go home. He went to the restaurant to sit at the table and he ordered some food. He ate his food and then he paid for it. The following day, he did the same thing. And the day after that he again ordered his meal and paid for it.

Then the waitress asked Mark to come and have a look at their new guest. When Mark noticed this unexpected customer, he was surprised. He came to the man and explained to him that he didn’t need to do that. He told him that he could eat in the kitchen for free because now he worked at the restaurant. But the man didn’t want to hear about it. “But why?” asked Mark.

The man looked at Mark and replied to him in a quiet voice: “I am a happy man. Now, for the first time after many years, I can buy something that I like with my own money. You saved me and I will never forget that.”

After that day, Mark gave the man big discount on his meals and he also paid him a little more money for his work.

right away – /raɪt əˈweɪ/ – okamžite, ihneď

agree /əˈɡriː/ – súhlasiť

order (v.) /ˈɔːdə(r)/ – tu: objednať

unexpected /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪd/ – neočakávaný

explain /ɪkˈspleɪn/ – vysvetliť

discount /ˈdɪskaʊnt/ – zľava