Skip to content

LETTER: Langley’s kilted ‘Santa’ lookalike pledges to pay it forward

A local couple had their restaurant bill paid by anonymous strangers and wanted to acknowledge them
19997206_web1_200102-LAT-LETTERCawthraGiving_1
Shelly and Mike Cawthra received a pleasant surprise recently while dining out. Another patron paid for their meal. (Cawthra photo)

Dear Editor,

Giving doesn’t end on Dec. 26.

On Saturday evening, my wife and I were having dinner at the White Spot in Walnut Grove. We had returned home from a pleasant afternoon with my daughter, assembling a new cat playhouse/tree, for her new kitty, Baby Girl.

After having tea and tarts and watching the little black bundle of energy explore her new toy, it was time to go home. As neither my wife nor I really felt like cooking, we wound up at the Spot.

It was moderately busy, but we were seated fairly quickly. There was a large group of children seated next to us celebrating something. Of course, there was a sound level that one would expect from 20 active kids, but it wasn’t unbearable.

Our very attentive server (sorry, I didn’t get her name) apologized, but we fully understood the circumstance. We placed our order, and the appies were out in no time. The main courses arrived and were as good as always.

We were sitting just chatting after dinner when our server came over and informed us that the cost of our dinner had been covered by another couple in the restaurant. That couple left no message but that we were not to be told until they had left.

Now, some readers may know me from Walnut Grove as I often wear a kilt and some may know me because of my distinct resemblance to a certain seasonal character. I don’t know if it was “the power of the kilt” or “the power of the beard and belly” but something moved that couple to extend the season of giving.

Whatever the reason, I publicly wish to thank them for their generosity and wish them well not just for the holidays but for all their days.

Rest assured that I will “pay it forward” this time as I have done in years past.

Thank you for allowing me to share this story.

Mike and Shelly Cawthra, Walnut Grove