Mystery diner’s anniversary treat

AMY and Mark Barnard saved R1 000 during their first year of marriage to treat themselves to a special anniversary supper at The Chef’s Table in Umhlanga‚ north of Durban.

But the cash-strapped teachers who were literally counting the costs in the back of their minds while ordering three-course meals ended up not paying a cent for their supper on Sunday evening.

That is because an anonymous couple paid the Barnard’s R900 restaurant bill and a R300 tip to the waitress.

Amy Barnard’s post on Facebook detailing the generous act, which reduced her to tears, attracted close to 500 likes in the first 30 minutes.

Barnard said that when they had called for the bill‚ the waitress said it had already been settled. “I thought she was joking and then wondered if our family had paid,” she said.

“The waitress said that a couple seated a few tables away had paid and even left her a sizeable tip so we didn’t have to pay a cent.

“We wanted to thank them but they had already left.”

The benefactor, who signed as “SP”, penned a note at the back of the bill saying: “Thank you for bringing forth your light for the world to see. May fortune favour you both in your endeavours.”

Mark Barnard’s hearing impairment has contributed to their financial struggles.

“Mark is almost completely deaf and, due to prejudice, he struggled to find a full-time job last year‚” Barnard said.