Last evening, the Monks accompanied Sensei to a famous Tea House upon a hill.
The Tea House was picture perfect. It had beautiful zen gardens, cosy wooden tea huts and a clear stream that gurgled as it flowed outside the huts. White winter flowers were scattered everywhere. The scent of fresh pine filled the air.
In this setting, the Monks and Sensei were treated to steaming exotic teas and small nibbles. The person serving them was dressed in a black Nehru jacket worn over black trousers. He narrated his story to the Monks and Sensei.
“About 20 years ago, I began working here as a server. The place was as beautiful and famous then, as it is now. Each evening, we would have enchanting people coming here to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. Among the visitors, there always came a man dressed in a black Nehru jacket and black trousers. For 20 years he came every day, around 5 pm. He would order the most expensive white tea. And for some reason, I became his designated server. He was a very difficult person. He found fault in the hotness of the water, the way I held the cup, the manner in which I tilted the kettle to pour into the cup, the way the leaves were arranged in the cup and so on and so forth. An hour later, he would leave without any tip for me. All my server friends were tipped handsomely by other guests, but this man never even smiled. And for some reason, I got used to him. I would strive my hardest to make him happy. And of course, in doing so, I became The Master of Teas and Ceremonies of this Tea House.”
The server stopped, gulped and gazed into the scenery for a minute. Then he began speaking again.
“One day, after the man left, as I opened the wooden box in which we presented our bills to our customers, I saw a visiting card. It was of a lawyer. On it, the man had written ‘Call him’. I called the lawyer who summoned me to his office. There, after seating me, he told me, ‘The man whom you served for 20 years is the owner of the Tea House. And he has bequeathed his property to you.”
The server stopped speaking, and then quietly bowed to everyone and left.
Sensei clapped three times and said, “Just do what you are supposed to do with your heart and soul. You will be rewarded when you least expect it.”
*****