The weekend of President Donald Trump’s inauguration and the Women’s March brought hundreds of thousands of new faces and excitement to the Washington, D.C. area.
While the two groups couldn’t be any more different, the inauguration, as well as the march, went off without a hitch. Other than a small, aggressive group of protestors who showed up on Friday, the city remained mostly peaceful.
Still, the signs and defiant messages sent to President Trump proved that there was some serious tension in the air.
She had actively and passionately taken part in the Women’s March that weekend.
But Harris decided to greet them with a cheerful smile, which they reciprocated, telling her they were in town from West Texas.
One of the men, a dentist, jovially complimented her smile.
In the back of her mind, the 25-year-old told The Washington Post that she assumed they were Trump supporters here for the rally, but she shrugged it off and treated them like every other customer.
There were no snide remarks and no political comments – just respect, good service, and laughter.
When they finished their meal, the total came out to $72.60 — but the men left a $450 tip on top of it with a note:
“We may come from different cultures and may disagree on certain issues, but if everyone would share their smile and kindness like your beautiful smile, our country will come together as one people. Not race. Not gender. Just American…God Bless!”
Harris told The Washington Post about the interaction:
“You automatically assume if someone supports Trump that they have ideas about you…but [the customer is] more embracing than even some of my more liberal friends, and there was a real authenticity in our exchange.”
She also explained that the money came at a time when she really needed it. As a professional dancer, Harris had to pick up a job serving tables to help make ends meet. She had been picking up extra shifts lately to ensure that she had enough money to move to a new apartment.
The big tip was a “huge weight off my shoulders,” she told WaPo:
“This definitely reshaped my perspective. Republican, Democrat, liberal are all subcategories to what we are experiencing. It instills a lot of hope.”
The men left before she could say anything, and they will likely remain anonymous. But their act of generosity will certainly never be forgotten by Harris.
