Eric, unhappy with his predictable life, runs his father’s company into the ground with his arrogance and horrible attitude toward people.
But what happens when a beggar changes his ways about life?
Eric was sitting in the darkness of his upscale apartment, his face briefly illuminated by his phone as he scrolled through emails with disdain.
He longed for adventure and the mysteries of ancient civilizations rather than the cold, corporate world he was shackled to following his father’s death.
“I hate this,” he muttered under his breath.
Since he took over his father’s company, his passion for exploring caves and ancient tombs was reduced to dust, and he had turned bitter, his anger often misdirected at those around him…
As he approached his towering office building that morning, he tried to muster pride in its imposing stature, yet felt disconnected and resentful.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice the beggar sitting on the sidewalk near his building and accidentally knocked over the poor man’s box of coins.
“Don’t worry about it, sir,” the beggar offered meekly. “I’ll pick it up.”Eric felt terrible for the beggar for a tiny sliver of a moment.
He considered reaching into his pocket and giving the person some money. But when the breeze turned and he got a sniff of the man’s odor, his entire demeanor changed.
“You’re gross!” he exclaimed. “Look at my shoes! Your stuff has made them dirty, too!”Eric watched as the man refused to respond and picked up his coins with his fingers in dirty cut-out gloves.”Do you even know how much they cost?” he yelled.
“Well, that’s more than you’ll ever make in a lifetime! I don’t want to see you here next time.”
Eric grimaced as he walked away, the wind returning the man’s smell to his nose.
When he opened the door to the office building, he didn’t bother to acknowledge the onlookers exchanging uneasy glances at him.
“Mr. Stanton, is everything alright?” Tennessee, his secretary, asked as he marched through to his office.
Still consumed by his new source of anger, Eric didn’t spare her a glance.
When he got into his office, he sighed as he closed the door. “I hate people,” he muttered under his breath.
Right then, the chair at his table turned, revealing one of his best employees. “Good morning! I came in early to catch you, Mr. Stanton!” Lucretia said from the chair.
“I’ve been trying to meet with you for two weeks!” “Just get out of my office,” he replied. “Mr. Stanton,” she continued, “I’ve been working on this project for a long time.
Just give me a chance to present it. I’m going to give you the short version.”Eric sighed and sat down as Lucretia hurried to stand across from him.
He tried to focus as Lucretia presented her project, but his encounter with the beggar lingered in his mind.
”So, this could increase our capital by 70%,” she said as she finished. “Great, why don’t you run the company then?” Eric snapped, his patience worn thin.
“Since you know so much!” “Sir, I-I just thought this project could help,” she replied, taken aback.Eric dismissed her efforts.
“I need results, not dreams. Bring me something concrete. And one more thing, Lucretia. Never come into my office and sit around like this again.
If you want to see me, you must schedule an appointment with my secretary. Understood?” He thought Lucretia would leave; instead, she stood her ground.
“I’ve been waiting for you for two weeks, Mr. Stanton,” she said, sounding bolder.Eric had to admit, he liked this. He liked the change in her attitude – she was trying to stand up to him.
He could count the number of people who stood up to him on one hand. But he also just wasn’t in the mood to deal with any of it. “Get your things and get out!” he demanded.
As the door closed behind her, Eric sat with his feet on the table and took out his phone to browse the internet again.
There were new articles about oracles that he wanted to read. Two of his old classmates had published their papers on the existence of oracles in ancient communities.
“I should be the one exploring, researching, and publishing,” he said aloud, slamming his hand on the table.Eric continued reading through the day, only stopping to take two phone calls. He ignored every call and message sent through from his secretary.
And left every email unread.When the day was finally over, he packed up his bag and left for the day. As he was leaving his office, Tennessee called out to him.
“Oh, Mr. Stanton!” she said, jumping up from her desk. “Make it quick,” he said. “The office is out of coffee, and the water guys won’t come back and fill the water filters until our account has been paid.”
“So?””Sir, the problem is that we ran out of coffee,” she said. “And the water supplier—” “Well then! If everybody wants to drink water, they must bring some from home.
And as for the coffee, a recent study has shown that the average office loses two hours of productivity per day at the coffee machine.” Eric looked at her with his eyebrows raised.
“Any questions?” “Yes!” she exclaimed. “The office is supposed to have a positive atmosphere.””I agree,” he said. “Go look for a way to do it for free, Tennessee. Right, goodbye.”
“Mr. Stanton,” she said, interrupting him again. “You forgot to sign for my vacation. I’m planning to take a week off next month. My sister is having a baby, and I wanted to ensure everything is in order before your schedule becomes too hectic.”
“Vacation? Now? Tennessee, we’re in the middle of crucial projects. I cannot have my key players disappear when things are this intense. Postpone it or something.” Eric began to walk to the door, ready to leave the day behind him, but Lucretia approached him.
”Sir, I have an idea about that marketing strategy that you asked me to look over,” she said.”Tomorrow! The working day is over!” Eric barked. “Will you make an appointment for me?” she asked. “Sure,” he said sarcastically.
“Bye!” Eric stepped out of the building into the city’s bustling energy. He went to a cafe and grabbed a sandwich for dinner.
As he was about to make his way home, he realized he had left his phone in his office.He marched back to the building he loathed, ready to run in and get his phone before anyone could speak to him.
In his hurry, Eric’s foot caught an uneven crack in the pavement, sending him stumbling forward and at the feet of the beggar he’d run into that morning.”You again!” Eric snapped, frustrated. “Find somewhere else to beg!”
The beggar, unfazed, warned Eric in a chilling tone, “Tomorrow, you won’t recognize yourself. Everything will change.” Why does he always hide his face? Disturbed but dismissive, Eric hurried home, trying to shake off the encounter.
The next day, Eric felt oddly different, his usual stern demeanor replaced by an uncharacteristic agreeableness. Tennessee asked for vacation approval, and to his surprise, Eric readily agreed.
“Yes, of course!” Eric found himself saying, despite his inner resistance. What was happening?
Tennessee was thrilled. She pushed for more, hinting at office amenities, and Eric, against his will, promised upgrades like a new coffee machine.
Why am I unable to speak my mind? In his office, Eric was confused about what was happening to him.
When Lucretia entered and presented a revised project, Eric, despite wanting to reject it, praised it instead. “This is great,” he said, shocking himself.Lucretia left, pleased, while Eric was left questioning his own behavior.
“What’s wrong with me?” he wondered, realizing the beggar’s words might be coming true. He couldn’t even say ‘No’ anymore. So, Eric put tape over his mouth.Later, he confronted the beggar.
This time, the poor man removed his hood, and Eric was shocked to notice the man looked just like him. In fact, it was like staring into a mirror. “Impossible,” Eric said.
“I am losing my mind.” “I always thought to myself,” the beggar replied. “How do people end up living like this? And now I know.
Terrible deeds are to blame. Greed ruined you, my friend.””No, No!” Eric exclaimed. “I’m a good person!
I am a good man, so what you’re saying is impossible.” “Most people are good. You focus so much on not spending money on the people who matter that you’ve lost all your humanity.
Soon, your people will turn their backs on you.”Eric ran away, listening to the man’s voice ringing loud and clear.
The next day, Eric felt normal again, but when he got to work, it was too quiet. Then, Tennessee told him everyone had quit because of the bad work conditions.
Eric saw an email from all the employees saying they had resigned. He was shocked and realized he had made big mistakes.
Eric tried to talk to Colin and Lucretia, the last two employees at the office other than Tennessee, but they were leaving, too. They were unhappy with how Eric treated them and didn’t want to work for him anymore.
Eric felt ashamed and tried to apologize to everyone, promising to pay them and give them bonuses if they stayed.
But it was too late.Eric then talked to Tennessee, asking for another chance. He admitted he was greedy and didn’t care about his employees’ growth.
He asked for forgiveness and wanted to know how to make things right. “I’ll give you another chance and help you, sir,” she said.
“Now, pull yourself together.” She pushed a large book into his hands. “This book contains all your employee’s addresses and contact details. You’ll go to every one of them and apologize personally.””That sounds fair,” he agreed. “I’ll do that. Will you come with me?”
“Yes, but on one condition,” she said. “You are going to take a paycheck to every single one of them. Show them that you’re human and that they matter to you.
Show them that you’re committed to making amends.”Eric agreed and started his journey to make things right. Weeks later, the office became lively again as employees returned.
Eric felt better knowing he was fixing his mistakes. He had also started weekly team meetings, where he ensured that the boardroom was stocked with snacks and refreshments for everyone. During a meeting, Eric admitted his past mistakes and promised to do better.
He handed out bonuses to show his gratitude.”I was blind to the impact of my decisions, and I let the pursuit of success cloud my judgment. But I’ve seen the consequences, and I’ve felt the loss. And now, I want to make amends.
”At the end of the meeting, Eric asked Lucretia to be his second in charge.
“Oh my god! Really? I-I don’t know what to say,” she said, thrilled and nervous. “But do you accept?” he asked. “Of course I do!”Eric went home that evening, thinking about the beggar.
In fact, the more he thought about the man, the more convinced he was that the beggar was an oracle – just like in his ex-classmate’s published papers. It was the only explanation of how the man had changed his behavior – from how he spoke to how he carried himself out.
”I wonder where he is now,” Eric asked himself as he sat back in his silk sheets. “I would take him out for a meal if I see him again.”
But Eric also knew that he would probably never see the man again – not while the man could change his face to match whomever he crossed paths with.
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