At the Flavors of the World restaurant, I often hear diverse languages. Amanda, a regular, impressed me with her perfect pronunciations in various languages. Her boyfriend, Andrew, constantly corrected her with his inaccurate versions.

One Friday, Amanda ordered confidently in Italian: “Buonasera, potrei avere gli gnocchi alla sorrentina, per favore?” Andrew corrected her, “It’s ‘guh-nocky.’ Honestly, Amanda, you sound ridiculous.” This pattern continued, with Amanda shrinking each time.

When Andrew’s parents joined them one evening, the tension peaked. Amanda, trying to order in Mandarin, faced Andrew’s mocking correction again. Frustrated, I addressed Andrew in Mandarin, asking him to stop being rude. Amanda, grateful, responded fluently.

Andrew’s parents seemed bewildered by the confrontation. Amanda stood up for herself, declaring, “I’ve spent years studying languages. Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t make it wrong.”

The following Friday, Amanda returned alone, looking liberated. She shared that she had broken up with Andrew and was pursuing a job as a translator. Her confidence and joy were back, showing that sometimes, a small act of kindness can restore someone’s self-esteem.