17-year-old Andrew, a spoiled rich kid accustomed to having his way, often mistreats others. After seeing him mock a flight attendant, his father decides it’s time Andrew learns a lesson in respect. “Can you move it faster?” Andrew grumbled impatiently as he maneuvered past an older man being assisted by a young flight attendant. The man had trouble walking, but Andrew didn’t think twice before mocking him and rushed to his seat. As the plane took off, Andrew, a frequent flyer since childhood, lifted the window shade, feeling bored and eager to return home after his first semester at boarding school,
“You’re not returning to the boarding school. You’ll attend public school and work for a living during the break.” “Work? Are you kidding?” Andrew was shocked. “No, I’m not kidding. You’ll work as a janitor in my cleaning services company!” “A JANITOR? No way, Dad. I can’t do that!” Andrew protested. You don’t have a choice. I’m cutting off all your privileges – bank cards, laptop, car, phone, and even your branded clothes. You’ll wear simple clothes and earn your living,” Steven declared firmly. “I should’ve spent time teaching you some manners instead of only making money after your mother died,” Steven continued. “It’s high time you learned how hard it is to survive in the world. It’s now or never…You must stop looking down upon others and learn to respect people. But Dad, why a janitor? My friends will laugh at me,” Andrew protested, distressed. “This is the consequence of your actions, Andrew. You need to learn respect,” Steven replied firmly. “And if you quit the job, you’ll lose all privileges!” Defeated, Andrew began his job at the airport the next day, embarrassed about becoming a janitor for his dad’s cleaning company. He struggled with basic tasks and wasn’t familiar with even holding a mop. “How silly! That’s not how you hold a mopstick,” laughed his supervisor, an older woman. Stop laughing! I’m not used to this,” Andrew snapped. “And do your job, or I’ll get you fired!” You won’t,” the woman retorted. “I know your dad well. He wants me to straighten you out. Now, work! These floors won’t mop themselves!” Andrew sighed and began mopping clumsily and slowly. “Even sloths are faster. Pick up the pace; there’s lots to do!” the woman instructed. Andrew grumbled and cursed while sweeping and mopping the lounge. His hip ached, and he was exhausted from lifting heavy buckets of water. Constantly monitored by the older woman, he couldn’t even rest. As he disposed of litter in the food court, a passer-by hit him with an empty plastic bottle. “Hey, watch it, dude! How dare you throw that at me??” Andrew yelled. The guy, wearing headphones, ignored him and walked away. Andrew ran after him, demanding an explanation, but the man pushed him onto the floor, calling him a “filthy janitor.” Embarrassed and surrounded by laughing onlookers, Andrew was then scolded by another man for not putting up a caution sign on the wet floor. Apologizing, Andrew promised to rectify his mistake. Just as he thought he could finally rest, a woman with a young boy approached him. “Hey you, janitor, come here,” she snapped, demanding Andrew clean up her grandson’s vomit. “WHAT??! Are you kidding me, lady? I cannot touch that…Eeewww! No way!” Andrew recoiled in disgust. “It’s your job, and you must do it,” she insisted. “Don’t tell me what my job is. I am not touching that thing! I feel like throwing up…it stinks….” Andrew protested. “If you don’t clean it now, I’ll report you and get you fired!” she threatened. How Andrew wished he’d never seen a day like this. He looked around for his assistant, but she was nowhere in sight. Andrew wiped his tears and donned gloves to clean the vomit. He mopped the floor, feeling disgusted and helpless. The rest of the day was no better. Whenever Andrew tried to rest, his assistant assigned him more tasks. “Give me a break, lady…I’m tired,” he begged. “I’m a human, not a robot. I need to breathe.” “We are here to work, not rest,” the assistant insisted. “Clear the bins now…Up! Up!” Exhausted, Andrew dragged the bins outside and hurriedly cleaned the lounge. Climbing stairs for escalator duty made him dizzy. Desperate for a break, he found a quiet spot and sat down, his head in his hands. Suddenly, a woman kicked him in the back. “Get out of the way, you lazy fool,” she sneered. “I’m going to report you for sleeping on the job.” “I was not sleeping,” Andrew retorted. “I’ll make sure you get fired. How dare you back answer me?” she stormed off. Tears gushed into Andrew’s eyes when he understood this was what his father had tried to teach him. He now understood how much it hurt to be mistreated by people who thought they were better than him. Andrew cried into his palms and looked up at the crowd when a woman’s silhouette drew his attention. He rose and immediately ran after her when he recognized her. “Hey there, wait a minute,” he shouted, tapping the woman’s arm. She turned around and was stunned as he panted and puffed, holding his knees, looking up at the flight attendant he’d mocked on the plane the previous day. “Hey!” he said. “You? Oh god, not you again! What are you doing here in a cleaner’s uniform? You work here?” Her hand went up to her mouth in shock. “I AM SORRY FOR MOCKING YOU YESTERDAY!” said Andrew. “I treated you so badly. I insulted you. But you still served me with a smile. I’m so ashamed of myself, and I promise I’ll not be rude to anybody again. Please forgive me, alright?” The stewardess was stunned by the boy’s words and his sudden change of heart. “I’m glad you’ve realized your mistake,” she said, smiling. “But I still don’t understand what you’re doing here.” Andrew refused to reveal anything and smiled, disappearing from the flight attendant’s sight to finish the day’s pending work. Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.