Many years ago on a rainy night an elderly couple arrived at a hotel reception in Philadelphia. Shaking off the rain, they approached the receptionist to find accommodation.
-Good night. Could you give us a room? asked the husband.
The receptionist, a young man with a friendly smile, responded to the greeting. While he was attending them he explained that there were several conventions in the city. Unfortunately everything was busy.
"I'm sorry, but we don't have any spare rooms." When he told them this he noticed that they were completely soaked. But it wouldn't seem right to me if they had to go back to the streets on a night like this. I could give you my room. It is not a suite, but it will possibly be enough for you to spend the night comfortably. Are you ok with it?
The elders declined the offer, saying there was no way they could leave him without a place of rest after a long day at work.
-Don't worry about me, I'll sleep somewhere else and I'll be fine -after a brief exchange, with the denials of the couple, and the insistence of that young receptionist, they accepted, spending the night in their room-.
While paying the bill, the next day, they chatted animatedly and took an interest in the friendly clerk.
"You're the kind of manager the best hotel in America would need," the old man said, studying the boy's reaction. Probably one day I'll build it and look for you -he said goodbye, leaving that last message to which he would give a few turns in his head. The clerk smiled, they made a few more courtesies, and they said goodbye.
When they left the hotel, the elderly couple commented on the fantastic attitude of that young man who had treated them so kindly, and how difficult it was to find decisive and generous people like him who help others.
The young receptionist continued with his work and forgot the meeting, but a couple of years later he received a letter from the old man, including a transport ticket, where he reminded him of the details of that night, begging him to meet him in New York.
So he travelled to the city of skyscrapers and once there the old man took him to Fifth Avenue, showing him a beautiful building that had been recently built.
-This is the hotel that I have built for you to run.
-It's a prank? exclaimed the young man.
"Of course it isn't," replied the old man, smiling.
The building was the Waldorf-Astoria and the owner of this magnificent hotel, newly built and which would stand out among the most famous in the world, was William Waldorf-Aster. The young hotel clerk who became the first manager of the luxurious establishment was named George Boldt.
The proud manager could never have imagined how kindly treating an elderly couple on a rainy night would make him the manager of one of the best hotels in the world.
The moral of this story is simple, but it contains an enormous force: Always try to reach the hearts of people with your actions, with your attitude, make your passage through their life represent a difference, no matter how small, because possibly that person be the one that changes your existence forever.
Image: Gustave Caillebotte - Paris Street, Rainy Day