Tiny Helpers

One evening while catering a party in LA, I spent some time with the kids, who were bored with all the adult talk. These 5-7 year-olds helped me serve dessert, then clear tables -- and they had a blast with it. I told them they were naturals at the job - I'd get them applications! - and two of them carefully wrote down their numbers so I could schedule interviews. One little one enjoyed himself so much that when Dad said it was time to go, he cried his eyes out. He wanted to spend the night there with me! He got it into his head that the hotel was my home. I pulled him aside and told him the manager would be locking up so we'd all have to leave, and he accepted that unquestioningly. At the end I tipped them each a dollar, watching their eyes light up. Just getting those kids to grin, to run up to me yelling "Thomas! Thomas!" to see how else they could help... Well, let's just say that a certain cocktail napkin with backward 3's is now a treasured possession of mine.