I was in a restaurant/club and someone I know…and trust, pointed out a man to me.  “See that man? He is a doctor, he puts people to sleep for surgery. He’s here every night, what a Lounge Lizard he is!”

Oh No…I replied…tell me his name so that I can make sure no one of my acquaintance uses him.

I even repeated this story as gossip (still didn’t know the man’s name)

So…. (here comes the part where I eat crow)

I was visiting that town a few days ago and I was in that very same restaurant in the lounge area.

The aforementioned “lounge lizard” comes over to my table.

In a very cultured, polite voice he says…”I see you are drinking red wine, would you like to try some of my private stock? It’s from Spain and it’s quite aromatic”

Yes, I replied, that would be lovely.

He had the waitperson bring me a glass of wonderful red wine. We engaged in conversation. He has the manners of an old-world courtly gentleman. 

There was no hint of inappropriate behavior at all.

A bit later, a man in a starched white jacket approached… “Doctor, I have your table and meal ready for you. Tonight I have prepared a steak with a wine mushroom sauce, fresh spinach, and potatoes for you.”

The gentleman (gee what happened to the Lounge Lizard?) introduces me… this is the chef of this fine establishment.

Would you like to join me in my meal? (You mean the chef personally prepares your food and serves you?)

So, I enjoyed a very fine meal and learned a very fine lesson.

Turns out the now, very fine gentleman was a kidney transplant surgeon. He now practices part time in sports medicine.

The man is seventy five years old.

He explained that he lives two blocks from the restaurant and  doesn’t cook.  So, he drops by every evening and the chef makes him something special. He has them stock his own special wine as he is a wine connoisseur.

I noticed that the gentleman treated the staff with utmost courtesy and respect. Well, they are probably close to being family if he eats with them every night.

So…I was wrong.

Wrong to take someone’s word criticizing another person. Wrong to repeat the story. Wrong to be in judgment.   I pass this story along to you so that you can benefit.

Let us not take in the words of another and start to judge. This is my way of publically asking for forgiveness. Forgiveness please for every time, I have repeated a story that was not uplifting.

As a matter of fact…this former ‘Lounge Lizard’ has exactly the kind of manners I would like to have in a Beloved. He gave me total respect without knowing anything about me. (Which is NOT what I had previously given him)

He seemed to just read my energy and know I was a good person. The bar has been raised!

Oh…and you can be sure I went straight to the first ‘perpetrator’ of the story and set him straight.