WHEN SAINT ANTHONY GOT US 20 PERCENT OFF THE BILL

A friend recently had a major achievement and wanted to take a group of us out for a celebration dinner.

I was tasked with finding the restaurant and because I wanted one with delectable food at a reasonable price where we could all have a soul searching conversation, I sought Saint Anthony’s help.

Me and my local friends normally live humbly. I have my little hut over the sea, and I shop at the dollar store, Goodwill and we travel around to shops that have groceries from other stores at much reduced prices. J & J once found organic pastrami for 50 cents.

I got a recommendation for a French place  and made a reservation. When we arrived, there was much merriment as we enjoyed our meet up and reading the menu was a joy in itself. To start, I had a crunchy Caesar salad and because I eat more lettuce than the average rabbit this contented me very much. We ordered roast chicken laced with thyme, glistening sole fish and then for dessert we shared honeyed crème brûlée. 

The Ancient Romans would not have been pleased, we only toasted with water but it was such a joyous time the thought to order vino did not occur to us. Our conversation stretched on for hours. 

I asked Saint Anthony’s help for the most reasonable bill possible and the manager seemed to take a shine to us and spontaneously reduced the bill by 20%. We made sure to give our intrepid waitress a tip that would have been generous had we not gotten the discount. 

 Saint Anthony of Padua is the Saint to whom I have the longest devotion from early childhood to now, some four decades. And I hope to develop my devotion to him even more.

A very joyful and blessed feast of Saint Anthony to ye all. 

The classic painting was executed by Antonia de Pereda and is in the public domain.