5 A Cheap Meal

Aman went into a restaurant and sat down at one of the tables.

A waiter went up to him and gave him the menu.

The man read it carefully, then ordered all the most expensive dishes.

The waiter served the meal and the man ate it with great enjoyment.

Then a small boy came into the restaurant and sat at the man's table.

The waiter came up and said to the man, “What would your little boy like, sir? ”

“Oh, just an ice cream, ” the man told him. Then he stood up and said to the waiter, “I'm just going out to buy a newspaper.”

He left the restaurant. The waiter gave the boy an ice cream. The boy ate it, and then stood up and walked to the door.

The waiter ran towards him.

“Excuse me, ” he said, “but your father hasn't come back and he hasn't paid for his meal or for your ice cream.”

“I'm sorry, ” the young boy said, “that has nothing to do with me.”

“Oh, yes it does, ” the waiter said. “You will stay here until your father comes back and pays his bill.”

“He's not my father, ” the boy said. “I don't know who he is.”

The waiter did not understand. “What do you mean? ” he asked.

“The man came up to me in the street, ” the boy said. “He asked me if I liked ice cream. I told him I did. Then he told me to come into the restaurant at 2 o'clock and sit down at his table. He said he'd give me some.”