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Server got a $10 tip from a party of 21. TikTok users increased it to thousands in a few hours.

It’s not a secret that servers are typically underpaid and make most of their money from tips, which means if people don’t tip, the server is losing money on that table. That may sound confusing if you’ve never waited tables, so I’ll try to explain since waiting tables helped put me through college. The federal minimum wage for tipped workers is $2.13 an hour. If you have to Uber to work, you’re starting your shift in the hole.

So when customers don’t tip, it’s even harder to recoup that money lost just getting to work. A table being occupied by non-tippers takes away the opportunity for the server to earn a tip from a different customer who could be seated at that table. Working as a server is a constant numbers game to make sure you leave your shift with enough money to meet your needs for the day.

So when a large party is seated in your section, you’re hoping the gratuity will offset the amount of attention the table will take. But sometimes large parties don’t tip or don’t tip well, and that’s exactly what happened to a TikTok creator who goes by Spotlight Shanell.

Shanell was serving tables one day when a party of 21 sat in her section. After waiting an extended amount of time for the remainder of the party to arrive, they were served their food and paid the bill, which ended up being $351.11. At a standard 18% gratuity, the tip should’ve equaled $63.20, which is clearly printed on the receipt the customer signed, but the tip Shanell received was $10. Out of frustration, she took to TikTok to complain, but what happened next was an act of true community.

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Grandmother of nine spends spare time knitting tiny graduation caps for babies leaving NICU

Linda Clark, a 70-year-old grandmother from Knoxville, Tennessee, has dedicated her spare time to knitting and crocheting hats and blankets for cancer patients, the elderly in senior living facilities and premature babies at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. Her passion began a decade ago when she found a preemie hat pattern and a basket of red yarn in her late mother’s apartment in Phoenix. A note on a small card revealed that her mother had been making hats for premature babies with heart defects. Clark decided to continue her mother’s project and started making and sending hats to society for babies with heart issues. She told USA TODAY, “I thought a part of her was with me while I was doing that.”

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‘Rainbow Bridge’ poem has long comforted grieving pet parents. Finally, the author is revealed.

For grieving pet parents, few words come closer to providing some sort of comfort than those of “Rainbow Bridge.” After all, the poignant and wildly popular poem offers a slice of hope, promising a reunion with our furry loved ones in a magical paradise of the afterlife. Even for those who aren’t so theologically inclined, the imagery can be soothing after irrevocable loss.

For so long, “Rainbow Bridge” has seemingly existed as its own entity, being handed out by vets or shared in condolence cards and online sans a credited author. However, thanks to the tireless sleuthing of historian and author Paul Koudounaris, that mystery has been solved.

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Want to be an excellent conversationalist? You should know the 43:57 rule.

When we think about gifted conversationalists, we’re more likely to think of great talkers—those who wow us with their insights, wit, and charm. However, communication experts believe that if you want to make a great impression on someone, knowing how to listen goes a long way.

Those of us who love being verbose may think the world loves us because of how well we can talk. But the person sitting in front of you has a lot to say, and nothing makes them feel better during a conversation than your undivided attention.

As the old saying goes, we never quite remember everything someone has said to us, but we’ll never forget how they made us feel. When you actively listen to your conversation partner, they feel that you value them and are receptive to their needs. It also eases any feelings of conflict or resentment.

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Friends throw epic America-themed party to celebrate their friend gaining citizenship

A group of friends are going viral on TikTok for an epic America-themed party thrown for a friend who gained her citizenship. And honestly, in a time when we’re so divided, it’s refreshing to see something everyone finds hilarious and heartwarming.

The clip shows a house full of partygoers surrounded by red, white and blue decorations, not to mention Smirnoff Ice jello shots (classic) and a cake that reads, “Sharon in the US Slay.”

And slay they did.

Everyone came dressed up as a symbol of America, from Rosie the Riveter to Ronald McDonald, but the particular fan favorites were Mount Rushmore and a bald eagle.

Judging from the flood of comments on TikTok, the party was a total success.