Posted on 02/26/2013 5:48:40 PM PST by nickcarraway
Jhaqueil Reagan started at Papa Roux restaurant on Monday after making quick impression on co-owner Art Bouvier, who picked him up three miles into his walk. And now business has doubled.
An Indianapolis teen was intent on walking 10 miles in freezing conditions for a job interview.
Then a kind stranger offered him a lift — and a job. And as a result, the good Samaritan has seen his business double.
Jhaqueil Reagan set of early Friday morning on his journey to another part of the city for a 1 p.m. job interview at an Indianapolis store. It was roughly a 10-mile trip, and Reagan did not have the money for the bus. He often had to walk long distances, so it was no big deal.
"If I say I am going to be somewhere, I am going to be there," the 18-year-old Reagan told the Daily News on Tuesday.
Papa Roux is a new New Orleans-style restaurant in Indianapolis.
A few miles into his journey, Reagan stopped in the parking lot of Papa Roux restaurant to ask how far he was from his destination. Co-owner Art Bouvier told him he was still six or seven miles away.
Reagan kept walking, but 15 minutes later, Bouvier spotted him from his car and offered him a lift. He was, after all, going in the same direction.
"I picked him up because he was legitimately walking another seven miles in the slush," Bouvier told The News. Bouvier drove Reagan to his job interview, but he said he knew immediately he wanted to hire him for himself. It seemed obvious: Anyone willing to walk 10 miles for a job must be worth it.
"My motives were purely selfish, he just looked like a good candidate for employment," said Bouvier, who opened the New Orleans-style restaurant with his wife six years ago after his parents moved to Indianapolis after losing everything to Hurricane Katrina.
Art Bouvier outside of Papa Roux.
Reagan stayed at a friend's house after the interview so he didn't have to make the long walk home.
"It went OK, it was just another interview," he said. "They didn't look too enthusiastic about anything. I kept an open mind and tried to make a good impression."
He had certainly made an impression on Bouvier. Reagan was offered an entry-level job at Papa Roux that night - with pay approximately 20 percent above the $7.25 per hour minimum wage in Indiana.
Reagan was shocked, to say the least. He started his new job Monday, working as a busboy and server among other duties.
One month short of his 19th birthday, Reagan is unsure what he wants to do with his life but plans to attend college soon. After being unemployed for four months, he is just happy to be making some money.
Jhaqueil Reagan had a job interview 10 miles away, but ended up finding a job in surprising fashion.
"It's going well, this week I am learning the basics of everything, I am basically training," Reagan said. "He had a fantastic first day and showed up for a second," Bouvier said.
Bouvier downplays what he did for Reagan, but people have noticed.
A Facebook post telling his story has more than 15,000 "likes" and the media attention has led to a whopping increase in business. He didn't necessarily need any additional help when he hired Reagan, but his staff of 20 is under siege this week. Bouvier believes twice as many people are coming to the restaurant.
"I need a bigger boat, for sure," he said, evoking the famous line from "Jaws."
How many people these days would complain if they had to drive 10 miles.
Awesome.
I would walk 500 miles.
http://www.vevo.com/watch/the-proclaimers/im-gonna-be-500-miles/GB0308800330
February 26th, 2045 “Chief Executive Jhaqueil Reagan announced his restaurant chain would be opening at 200 new locations. ‘We are just about saturated in the United States’ he said ‘so these will open primarily in Africa and Asia.’”
I don’t know why the kid was shocked at this. Many of us reward hard work. I remember kids used to come to my door selling things and I’d buy something even though I didn’t want it just because the kids themselves were out selling and not relying on their parents to do it. If I see someone trying and working hard, it goes a long, long way with me.
I was impressed with the history of the restaurant owner. He got flooded out in Katrina, and instead of waiting for a FEMA trailer and govt cheese, he headed north and used his cooking skills to build a Cajun restaurant business here in Indianapolis.
then the MSM in obamaville took hold of it...what a laughing stock our very own media is...
The Daily Mail is becoming to the US what Radio Free Europe was to the Eastern bloc during the Cold War.
right you are...
I’ve gone to read the Daily Mail before I hit Fox News lately..and I was an addict of FOX at one time...no longer..
I must be rascist also,I was hoping he would be amish,But hes only a white boy,so of course he would have a work ethic.
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