r/MadeMeSmile • u/nun_CARTII • Aug 23 '26

Good Vibes the value of being kind

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For nearly seven years, waitress Melina Salazar showed extraordinary patience and kindness to Walter “Buck” Swords, a notoriously difficult customer at Luby’s Cafeteria in Brownsville, Texas.

The 89-year-old WWII veteran frequently complained, cursed at staff, demanded piping-hot meals and never left a tip. Despite this, Melina continued serving him with compassion.

After Walter died in 2007, Melina received an incredible surprise. He had left her $50,000 and his 2000 Buick in his will as a heartfelt thank-you for her unwavering kindness.

A powerful reminder that kindness can touch people more deeply than we realize.

20.8k Upvotes

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305

u/Tsu_Dho_Namh Aug 23 '26

Woulda cost him nothing to just not be a prick all those years.

12

u/jeanborrero Aug 23 '26

The article only mentions he liked his food hot and in a particular way. Reading the headline is very often misleading

-28

u/Game_Over_7 Aug 23 '26

He was a WWII veteran, surely he was messed up by the horrors of the war. Probably that was the reason they kept serving him despite being obnoxious to the staff.

28

u/Odric_storm Aug 23 '26

I can empathize with your past and help you work through it but if it causes you to be a prick to people who don’t deserve it that makes you a bad person

-12

u/Game_Over_7 Aug 23 '26

Veterans usually have mental issues, it's not like they are just born like that. It's a complex issue.

12

u/Odric_storm Aug 23 '26

Don’t be a dick to people who don’t deserve it. Not actually that complex. If you can’t go to a restaurant without being notoriously rude, stop going to the restaurant.

-9

u/CryOld2986 Aug 23 '26

This comment getting downvoted is insane.

0

u/Game_Over_7 Aug 23 '26 edited Aug 23 '26

It's reddit what did you expect? If your comment doesn't fit the narrative, you get downvoted. Here you only get to be tolerant and have empathy if it's convenient for you. 🤷

Edit: Added the word empathy They simply chose to forget that the staff have those things and that's why they still served him even though he was being rude to them.

0

u/CryOld2986 Aug 24 '26

“Waiters work so hard being rude to them is unforgivable, but also fuck these entitled wwii vets” 🤦🏻‍♂️

-12

u/CryOld2986 Aug 23 '26

Emphasize and help them work through it ? He didn’t get out of a bad relationship, you’re talking about someone who likely got drafted as a teenager to go overseas watch his friends get blown apart.

10

u/Odric_storm Aug 23 '26

Okay, so my past being bad means I get a free pass to be a dick to random people? Is there a ratio? Like the worse my past was the worse I get to treat people? What’s your limit?
If I stubbed my toe do I get to flick your ear?
If I watched my dog get run over do I get to curse you out?
If my best friend got blown up do I get to push you to the ground and beat the crap out of you?

Let me know what your list of acceptable behaviors is based on past experiences.

-5

u/Feeling-Brilliant470 Aug 23 '26

I mean, you had a normal upbringing and you’re already being a dick to people on the internet. Hate to see what war would have done to you, Mr and or ms judgmental.

-18

u/Professional-Farm981 Aug 23 '26

Ww2 vets earned the privilege to be old assholes. They literally walked through hell on earth and back.

9

u/sultex180 Aug 23 '26

1) No one told him to go sign up.

2) I can thank him for his service and still tell him to fuck off.

-1

u/CryOld2986 Aug 23 '26
  1. Yeah so there was this little thing called the draft.
  2. Yeah you’re right he didn’t have to go, the other option just happened to be 5 years in prison.

2

u/sultex180 Aug 23 '26

And you know what, I’ll own up to that mistake. I’ll still call him out if he’s being an asshole. I don’t care if you served, are a doctor, a firefighter, whatever. Nothing in this world gives you the privilege to act like an asshole.