ItriednottobebiasedbutIhadmydoubtsabouthiringStevie.Hissocialworkerassuredmethathewouldbeagoodreliablebusboy.ButIhadneverhadamentallyhandicappedemployee.Hewasshortalittle

　　ItriednottobebiasedbutIhadmydoubtsabouthiringStevie.Hissocialworkerassuredmethathewouldbeagoodreliablebusboy.ButIhadneverhadamentallyhandicappedemployee.Hewasshortalittlefatwiththesmoothfacialfeaturesandthick-tonguedspeechofDown’sSyndrome(唐氏综合症).IthoughtmostofmycustomerswouldbeuncomfortablearoundSteviesoIcloselywatchedhimforthefirstfewweeks.

　　Ishouldn'thaveworried.AfterthefirstweekSteviehadmystaffwrappedaroundhisfatlittlefingerandwithinamonthmyregulartruckcustomershadadoptedhimastheirofficialtruckstopmascot(吉祥物).AfterthatIreallydidn'tcarewhattherestofthecustomersthoughtofhim.Hewaslikea21-year-oldinbluejeansandNikeseagertolaughandeagertopleasebutfierceinhisattentiontohisduties.EverysaltandpeppershakerwasexactlyinitsplacenotacoffeespillwasvisiblewhenSteviegotdonewiththetable.Ouronlyproblemwaspersuadinghimtowaittocleanatableuntilafterthecustomerswerefinished.

　　Overtimewelearnedthathelivedwithhismotherawidowwhowasdisabledafterrepeatedsurgeriesforcancer.MoneywastightandwhatIpaidhimwasprobablythedifferencebetweenthembeingabletolivetogetherandSteviebeingsenttoagrouphome.

　　That'swhytherestaurantwasagloomyplacethatmorninglastAugustthefirstmorninginthreeyearsthatSteviemissedwork.HewasattheMayoClinicinRochestergettingaheartsurgery.HissocialworkersaidthatpeoplewithDown’sSyndromeoftenhaveheartproblemsatanearlyagesothiswasn'tunexpectedandtherewasagoodchancehewouldcomethroughthesurgeryingoodshapeandbebackatworkinafewmonths.

　　Arippleofexcitementranthroughthestafflaterthatmorningwhenwordcamethathewasoutofsurgeryinrecoveryanddoingfine.Frannietheheadwaitressdidalittledancewhensheheardthegoodnews.BelleRingeroneofourregulartruckercustomersstaredatherandasked"OKFranniewhatwasthatallabout?"

　　"WejustgotwordthatStevieisoutofsurgeryandgoingtobeokay."

　　"Iwaswonderingwherehewas.Ihadanewjoketotellhim.Whatwasthesurgeryabout?"

　　FranniequicklytoldBelleRingerandtheothertwodriversaboutStevie'ssurgerythensighed