DETROIT (WXYZ) — At Hudson Cafe in downtown Detroit, every plate comes with a smile — but lately, guests say they have another reason to be happy.
That reason is 11-year-old James Murphy, a 6th grader who volunteers at the restaurant when he's not in school, winning over customers one table at a time.
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"He was so sweet, came to all our tables," Maria Distler said.
"Hard worker, didn't drop a drop of coffee," Jill Johnson said.
James is the youngest volunteer at the cafe, where his mother Jessica Byers runs the bar. When asked what he does there, James explained his routine with enthusiasm.
"I grab water from over there. I put ice in them. Grab a couple of straws. Fill them with water. And I go to the table and give them to the people," James said.
His mother says James chooses to be there, describing how he's been coming to work with his parents since he was born.
"He wants to come here. It's not something I'm making him do. He just loves to be with us," Byers said.
Byers believes the experience teaches valuable lessons about work ethic, while cafe owner Tom Teknos notes that James isn't on the payroll — his reward comes in life lessons and plenty of smiles.
"Always stays on top of his homework. And any days he has, he's always here. Gets at 6:30 in the morning. Never stops working. Helps out all the servers. He like our Hudson Cafe mascot," Teknos said.
James adds a personal touch that sets him apart: handmade thank you cards that he delivers to guests himself. The cards feature a figure wearing a Hudson Cafe shirt and holding pancakes.
"Super creative, made our day," Johnson said about receiving one of the cards.
While James's favorite food is sushi, at the cafe he prefers the Cinnamon pancakes, which he gets to enjoy during his visits.
Customer Elizabeth Forsythe was impressed when she learned about James's volunteer work.
"I had to ask what exactly he was doing. I asked if he worked here, he said yes, I'm helping my mom," Forsythe said.
Forsythe believes the experience is building James's confidence and giving him ideas about his future. For now, James's goal is to become a full-time artist.
When asked what he likes most about the cafe, James said it's about "helping people and having fun, basically, and showing my art to people."
But when asked what's more meaningful — working at the cafe or being with his mom — James's answer was clear: "To be with my mom."
"If there is one thing I did right in this world... it's him," Byers said.
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