A Quick Lunch At Chili’s
Kansas City Police Captain Rance Quinn and his coworker were in the mood for lunch and decided to stop at Chili’s for a quick bite to eat during their break. Little did they know that their afternoon meetup to discuss the complications of police work was going to turn into one of the most memorable experiences in their years of service thus far!
Captain Quinn shared what happened inside the popular restaurant on the department’s Facebook page.
“As many of you are aware there has been a significant anti-police movement over the last few years. It can cause those of us in Law Enforcement to want to give up. It seems though the normally silent supporters are speaking out to support [our] profession. As an example, yesterday a coworker and I met at Chili’s for lunch to discuss many things.”
It was a crowded afternoon at Chili’s, so Captain Quinn didn’t pay much attention to the people around him.
Out Of Nowhere
Just as they were about to wrap up their meal and ask for the check, the table behind them got up to leave.
“A teenage girl from that table laid a napkin on our table that said, ‘Thank you for keeping us safe.’ This young lady touched us in a way she might not have realized, and before we could react to it, the family walked out. We sat there and talked about what a fantastic gesture.
Next a female walks up with two young kids and tells us that her five-year-old son (who is deaf) always wanted to meet a police officer. We interacted with our young friend. They walked off. As we finished our meals and asked for our checks, the waitress told us the table behind us bought our food. That was the table that left us our note. The waitress spoke about how much she supported us and could not thank us enough. What great people.”
The sweet note, and the fact that the young lady paid for their meal, caught both of the officers totally off guard!
The Generosity Didn’t End There
As the officers left the restaurant and walked toward the door, they were stopped by the same woman who introduced them to her deaf son moments earlier.
“She handed my coworker and I a gift card and told us how she really appreciated what we do. She spoke of her family in the military and that she supports the military and law enforcement. She went on to say she always wanted to join but she is also deaf and could not.
As I looked at her I could see true emotion in her eyes and she appeared to be tearing up. We tried to refuse the cards, but she was having none of it. She said she wanted to buy our dinner but the other table did and bought us the cards instead. She left as we walked out.
How awesome are all of these people!? We actually said to each other, ‘Let’s just stay [there] forever.'”
The overwhelming amount of support shown in just a few short minutes was enough to keep the men motivated to protect and serve their community!
More Than They Know
In a time where police officers are often looked at in a grim light, these people made them feel as though they really are making a difference in their community. Captain Quinn says he just wants the people from Chili’s that afternoon to know how much they meant to him!
“I’m normally not a big ‘Ask-You-To-Share’ type of person, but in this case, please share in hopes that these gestures make it back to the people who did them so they will know just how appreciated and powerful their actions were?”
Captain Quinn says he carries the note in his pocket everyday to remind him why he is in law enforcement in the first place!
Watch the whole heartwarming story here!
A Lasting Impression
The Good Samaritans’ actions were exactly what these brave men needed to keep chugging in the face of adversity and resentment. They reminded the Captains that there are people who really do appreciate their dedication to the people of the city.