O te alofa - i love you, too from Samoa

They came in to our free dental clinic, bent with age, dirty, shaking from palsy and belligerent that we might turn them down for reason of money, social status, religion or race.  We didn't but we did find out that they did not speak English and we had no interpreter there right then.  Also they did not know how to read or fill out the information forms so I did that for them, skipping all the questions that I could not manage with my meager Samoan.  Took them back to the operatory.  She was worried about his modesty (in Samoa it is very rude to let the bottoms of your feet show and that is exactly what was happening with the way the chair was situated).  So I got a lavalava and put it over him -- all the way down over the soles of his feet, gave him a pat and a smile.  He lay back, trembling.  He had never been to a dentist before and the smell told me that he needed to be there. She gave me a long look and a shy smile.  Still there was wariness. The dentist said that there were two teeth that absolutely had to come out since the decay was pouring toxins into his body. Then the shot to numb his mouth.  The poor old fellow -- his palsy really got going!  As the teeth were being pulled, I stayed there and held his hand and his wife touched his shoulder. Done!! then her turn. By now the whole room reeked of decay.  Hmm -- not too bad but lots of plaque that soon got the attention of the ultrasonic scaler.  Pieces of that stuff came flying out.  Sure glad to have on a face mask.As they leave, she stops me and tries to pay me with the equivalent of $2.00 US.  I refuse and she asks:  "Why you do dis?" My answer:  "O te alofa" (which means "my love to you")  She had tears in her eyes as she nodded and said quietly "Alofa" ("love"). Still old, still bent with age, still shaking and dirty but no longer belligerent.O te alofa   or i love you, too.