Dignity of the Challenged

Posted on December 14, 2004 in Compassion Crosstalk

Stu Savory called my attention to his Sunday blog entry about the bakery run by the mentally disabled in a German town. I have eaten in such places and they are, indeed, more than capable of satisfying the taste buds:

The food was great by the way, and the shyer persons who work in the bakery at the back of the counter had baked the fresh crisply rolls etc just for you. My wife had a tomato soup served in a hollowed-out freshly baked crispy bread made in the shape of a little edible soup-tureen. Cleanliness and hygiene were A1-excellent and the precision with which the table was laid would put many a machine-shop (let alone my usual motorcycle store) to shame 🙂

A few years ago, I heard the story of a mentally challenged man working in a fast food place who was harrased by teenagers. “Look! The retard is cooking french fries!” Laughter all around. “Look he’s preparing a hamburger!” More laughter from the rat pack. “Look! He’s operating the cash register!”

Throughout all of this hectoring, the victim just kept doing his job. When he handed them their change and went to clean out the shake machine, another customer heard him say “Simple things amuse simple people.”