LifestyleA man repays his debt 15 years after skipping a bar bill

A man repays his debt 15 years after skipping a bar bill

Tourists fled from an Italian restaurant 15 years ago (illustrative picture)
Tourists fled from an Italian restaurant 15 years ago (illustrative picture)
Images source: © Adobe Stock
ed. IR

7:02 AM EDT, November 2, 2023

It took 15 years for a man who dashed from a bar in Trento, Italy, leaving his bill unpaid, to return and make amends. The bar owners were astonished.

For Italian restaurant owners, customers leaving without paying the bill is a constant nuisance. This season was no exception. The owners of the Simposio restaurant in Trento, Northern Italy were taken aback when they received an unexpected letter from the seemingly remorseful culprit, ago.

Tormented by guilt, the man finally confesses

Italian media outlets have published the content of the letter: "15 years ago on a Saturday night, I visited your place. Alongside a few friends, we had a few glasses of wine. Just for fun, we decided to leave without settling the bill. (…) Today, I can approach you with my head held high" - the note reads. The man also enclosed an amount equivalent to four times the cost of a glass of wine, covering his friends' share of the bill. It seems, from the look of it, that it totaled 30 euros (approximately $34).

The man confessed that guilt had been gnawing at him for years, but he only now chose to admit his transgression. He wrote, "We did harm to both you and ourselves by becoming thieves. That's why I never returned to your place since that day. Today, I apologize to you and hope to make things right." He stated that he included extra money to cover the debt his friends had left behind.

Shock and disbelief among Italians

This act of atonement moved the proprietors of the Italian establishment. They declared it as one of the most memorable days in their 18 years of business. "We await you with open arms and a glass of fine wine, to thank you in person," they expressed in the media.