It is Friday evening and the restaurant "La Dolce Vita" is very busy. Isabella has already served many tables and is a little tired. Suddenly a new guest arrives — an older man in a grey suit. He does not look very friendly.
Isabella goes to his table and smiles: "Good evening! What would you like to drink?" The guest does not answer immediately. He looks at the menu and then says: "The water must be cold. Very cold! And I don't want any ice."
Isabella brings him the water, but the guest is not satisfied. "That is not cold enough!" he says loudly. The other guests look over at his table. Isabella becomes nervous, but she stays calm. "I am sorry, I will bring you a fresh glass immediately," she says politely.
When Isabella brings the food, there is another problem. "The pasta is too warm! And where is the parmesan? I said I want a lot of parmesan!" the guest complains. Isabella has to take a deep breath. She remembers Maria's tip: "Always stay friendly, even when it is difficult."
"I am very sorry," says Isabella. "I will bring you fresh parmesan straight away. Shall I let the pasta cool down a little?" The guest only nods.
In the kitchen Isabella tells Lorenzo about the difficult guest. Lorenzo smiles: "There are always guests like that. You are doing very well, Isabella. Just stay polite and patient."
Isabella goes back to the table. This time the guest is a little friendlier. "The pasta tastes better now," he says. At the end of the evening he even gives Isabella a small tip and says: "Thank you for your patience."
After work Isabella is proud of herself. She has learned that you must stay calm even in difficult situations. Maria congratulates her: "You handled that perfectly! Now you are a real waitress!"