Looking out the window, Alex felt an odd wave of melancholy, as if a serious problem was gnawing at him from within. A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Yeah, it's open! Oh, it's just you, Vince. You don't need to knock. What's the status of the two distribution centers? I've been hearing reports about staffing issues."
Standing before Alex was his right-hand man, the one person supposed to have all the answers.
"Well, how can I put this, Mr. Sterling? The truth is, we're severely shorthanded. I'm trying to figure out exactly what's going on, and as soon as I have a lead, I'll give you a full report."
Alex didn't care for the answer.
"No, if a problem needs fixing, it needs a personal touch. I'll figure out the best move, but for now, let's take a drive over to the Department of Labor's career center."
Taken aback by the request, Vince asked, "What are we doing there? Are you seriously planning to audit the labor market yourself?"
Alex didn't like being questioned.
"I believe I told you where we're going. I want the car ready and out front in five minutes."
He added, "And keep your opinions to yourself. I'll decide how we proceed from here."
Vince headed downstairs, leaving Alex alone in his lavish executive suite. He found himself wondering why people had become so complacent. As he turned the possibilities over in his head, one thought took root:
"It's all about the money. Take Vince, for example—he draws a massive salary, so he doesn't exactly break his back for the good of the company."
No, that kind of work ethic didn't sit well with Alex. He was a wealthy man—a millionaire, to be blunt—but he still valued every cent. If there was an opportunity to increase margins, he didn't let it sit on the back burner.
Settling into the backseat, Alex pulled out the morning paper and started scanning the classifieds for some reason. Vince noticed but pretended to be focused solely on the road. As they drove past the town square and then the city park, Alex saw crowds of young people, all in their early twenties, seemingly content to lounge around without a care for their futures. The light turned red, and Vince braked to a halt. Alex leaned against the window and spoke up.
"That's how they waste their lives. No responsibilities, parents doing everything for them, and then they're completely unprepared for the real world."
Vince wasn't sure whether to engage or stay out of it. Ultimately, he decided to chime in.
"You're right, Mr. Sterling. They don't have any goals—not yet, anyway. Maybe they'll find some in time. But that's the key, isn't it? The drive to improve, to grow. Unfortunately, the priorities of today's youth have shifted. They're more interested in chasing cheap thrills and doing nothing."
Alex nodded in agreement.
"I'm with you on that. They've lost their compass."
Turning into the lot in front of the unemployment office, Vince got out and opened the door for his boss. Alex squared his shoulders and headed for the main entrance, but he was immediately met with an unpleasant surprise. A security guard stepped into his path and growled, "Appointments only. Let me see your ticket."
Confused, Alex snapped, "I'm just here to look at some information. I'm not even looking for a job."
Glancing at Vince, he added, "Find out what's going on here and explain to this guard that he's making a mistake."
Vince stepped forward, hands raised in a placating gesture, and approached the guard.
"Look, buddy, let's keep this civil. No need to start trouble."
He led the guard off to the side, and Alex couldn't hear what was being said. But two minutes later, Vince returned with a smug grin.
"Mission accomplished, boss. The fortress has surrendered."
Alex gave him a sharp look.
"Let's just go, wise guy. Always has to be a performance with you."
Inside, the place was buzzing. Alex wondered if it was some kind of special event drawing people from all over the city. But no, it was just a typical day; he had simply forgotten what it was like. It had been at least seven years since he'd set foot in a place like this, back when he was first starting the business. A lot had changed since then, especially the attitude of employees toward their duties. However, most of the staff at the center were the same, save for a few personnel changes. Spotting a woman he recognized in the hallway, Alex stopped her.
"Hello. How's the labor pool looking? Are you seeing shortages in any specific trades?"
Gesturing to the crowded hall, the woman replied professionally, "As you can see, the numbers aren't dropping. Everyone's looking for work, or looking to switch fields for better pay. But what brings you here, Mr. Sterling? Don't tell me you've decided to sell the business and join the working class?"
Alex laughed at the joke.
"No, things are fine on that front. I just wanted to see if the talent pool is really as shallow as I've been told. I have a suspicion someone's been pulling my leg."
Alex shot a stern look at Vince, who actually winced as if he'd been hit by a cold draft. The woman shook his hand and headed back to her office. After standing in the hall a moment longer, Alex turned toward the exit.
"I need to make one more stop. I need to pick some things up—my wardrobe is overdue for an update."
Relieved that his boss was in the mood for some shopping, Vince didn't spare the engine, driving with a heavy foot. It seemed he was hoping to pick something out for himself as well, especially since Alex often gave him extra cash for such things. But his disappointment was palpable when the boss told him to pull over at a thrift store. These places usually stocked the cheapest, lowest-quality items. Vince's head slumped.
"Man... I thought we were going to the mall or at least a high-end boutique downtown. Mr. Sterling, what are we doing here? Are you going for a new look, or is this another one of your schemes?"
Ignoring the complaining, Alex walked up to the clerk and asked to see the cheapest tracksuit they had. Vince watched, unable to fathom what was happening to his boss. The man wasn't crazy, yet here he was buying clothes that were completely beneath his status. Still talking to the clerk, Alex barked an order over his shoulder.
"Take these out to the car as I hand them to you. And what are you staring at? Haven't you seen someone try on a tracksuit before? Remember, Vince, I'm still perfectly capable of deciding what I wear. If you want, you can pick something out for yourself, too."
Vince declined immediately.
"I think I'll pass on shopping here. I don't trust the quality, and I don't see the point in trading my tailored suit for cheap rags."
Alex didn't push it.
"Suit yourself, Vince. But don't say I'm stingy. You know I care about how my staff looks. As for these cheap clothes, I need them for the country house. I'm planning on doing some yard work this weekend and wanted to get my gear ready. Wait—did you think I was going to wear this to the office?"
Vince nodded vigorously.
"Well, yeah. I was actually picturing what the staff would say. Speaking of which, regarding those warehouses you mentioned this morning... we really should drop by. The employees haven't met you yet, and it's probably not a good idea to keep them in the dark about who the owner is."
Alex tossed the clothes aside and sat back in the car.
"You're right. I've wanted to meet the new hires for a while anyway. I'll check in on the HR department too, see how they're handling the staff."
Vince looked visibly uneasy at the mention of HR, but he didn't dare ask why his boss wanted to audit them. Clearly, things weren't as smooth as they seemed at those warehouses, a fact underscored by the crowds at the career center. But no one knew exactly what was going through Alex's head. He rarely revealed his plans, even to someone as trusted as Vince. He kept his cards close to his chest until the very last second. Though, he couldn't help a small comment about the warehouses:
"Alright, Vince. Tomorrow we'll go and see how my employees are actually working. I have a right to know where my money is going and whether it's being used for the wrong reasons."
Vince nodded in agreement.
"I'd do the same in your shoes, boss. No question. Anyway, let me get you home. I've got to head over to my mother-in-law's place; she's still struggling with that garden of hers."
Alex looked at him and said, "Fine, let's go, or we'll be here all day. Tell me—you don't think I'm just some out-of-touch millionaire who's run out of things to spend money on, do you?"
Vince nearly lost his grip on the steering wheel.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Sterling, but I have a very high opinion of you. You don't seem out of touch at all. Oh, boy, I'm rambling again. My mouth is my own worst enemy. Honestly, I won't say another word."
Alex just laughed.
"It's fine. You're just sharing your opinion. Remember, Vince, everyone has a right to their own perspective."
Sighing with relief, Vince hit the gas and made it to his boss's house in record time. Alex got out, but before heading inside, he dropped a parting shot:
"Don't come for me tomorrow. I'll call when I'm ready. And do me a favor—think about why we actually went to the unemployment office today. I never do anything without a reason. There's a deeper point to it, and if you figure it out, there are more perks in it for you. And if you show me some real results, I'll make sure it's reflected in your bonus."
Stepping into his apartment, Alex called out for his cat.
"There you are, hiding again. Come on, I've got something good for you to eat."
Despite his age, Alex was unmarried and kept his private life to himself. Suddenly, his phone rang.
"Yeah, Mom, I know. I haven't forgotten; I've been meaning to do it for a while. Of course, I'm about to feed her, I just got home. Who do you want me to meet? No, Mom, absolutely not. Look, we'll talk about this some other time."
That was the extent of the conversation, but he really wanted to talk about more—specifically, how to manage people properly. Lately, Alex had been relying on his employees' integrity, but it turned out he had been mistaken. The situation was forcing him to take matters into his own hands. Even Vince was starting to slack off, and Alex no longer saw him as the reliable assistant he once was. He had to trust his intuition and move fast.
The cat licked her whiskers, finished with her meal of smoked salmon.
Looking at the tracksuit he'd bought, Alex shrugged and muttered to himself, "Well, if the mountain won't come to you, you have to go to the mountain."
Whatever brilliant plan was forming in his mind remained a mystery. It was a good thing Vince hadn't caught on, or he'd have to change tactics on the fly. Alex tried on the suit one more time and walked proudly in front of the mirror.
"Perfect. Just right for a drifter."
The next day, he didn't head straight to the warehouses. Instead, he stopped by his house in the suburbs. Was he picking up tools for a "serious talk" with his staff? As it turned out, his goal was a disguise. Alex had decided to pose as a man down on his luck, even going so far as to scuff up the new tracksuit.
"Don't worry, you're going to serve a good purpose today."
Driven by his idea, Alex hitchhiked his way to the distribution centers. As soon as he stepped inside, he felt the tension. It didn't feel like a place of business; it felt like a high-security zone. A floor supervisor immediately hurried over.
"Are you looking to buy something?"
Shaking his head, Alex said, "No, I can't afford that right now. But I'm looking for work. I heard you're hiring pickers?"
The supervisor grimaced with disgust.
"Are you sure you aren't here for a handout? Fine, let me take you to HR, though I seriously doubt they'll hire someone like you."
Alex was in luck—Vince wasn't at the warehouse yet, or the whole operation would have blown up. The staff at this location had never seen the owner in person, so they had no idea who had just walked in. Knocking on the HR door, the supervisor told someone inside, "Got a candidate for you. Be careful, though—he looks like a vagrant."
Alex felt the sting of the insult but held his tongue; the experiment required it. The HR rep told him to take a seat.
"So, you want to work here? Do you have any idea how many people are applying? We don't just take anyone; we only hire the most experienced."
Alex was prepared. He produced a set of forged credentials for warehouse operations.
"I'm exactly the kind of person you're looking for."
The rep spent a long time looking over his papers before speaking.
"I still can't hire you. You have to understand, the pay here is decent, and we don't hire people off the street—especially not 'transients.' But look, we can always work something out. The 'processing fee' is five months' salary, cash upfront. Until then, I'm afraid you aren't what we're looking for. Good luck elsewhere."
Alex managed to leave the warehouse just before Vince arrived. Naturally, the HR rep told him about the "bum" who had come in.
"Good call kicking him out. Who knows what kind of germs he's carrying. There's too much of that going around these days."
An hour later, Alex appeared at the warehouse again, but this time he was clean-shaven and wearing an expensive suit. Seeing his boss, Vince immediately started groveling.
"Everyone, listen up! I'd like to introduce our owner, Mr. Alex Sterling!"
The employees started whispering as if they'd seen a ghost. The HR rep, in particular, looked physically ill. A person can feel danger coming from a mile away. But that was just the beginning; the boss had saved the best for last. Glancing at the people he'd just dealt with, Alex said:
"Vince, come with me. And bring the recordings from HR. They have cameras in there, don't they?"
Stunned by the request, Vince nonetheless complied, and half an hour later, he was in the manager's office. Pointing to a chair, Alex commanded:
"Put the disc in the computer and get the HR staff and the supervisors in here."
The office was packed with everyone involved. On the monitor, the footage played—without sound—showing the HR rep practically shoving a man in old clothes out the door. Looking at the rep, Alex asked:
"Does anything there look familiar? Look closely; you won't get a second chance."
The woman clutched her chest. "I didn't know you were coming by, Mr. Sterling..."
Sinking into his chair, the millionaire said sadly, "And after all that, people tell me we're shorthanded. You're driving them away yourselves because you won't process them properly. And that's despite the fact that he—that is, I—showed you his certifications. Sure, he didn't look great, but that's an easy fix. And then you have the nerve to ask for bribes? You should be ashamed. Remember this: you judge people by their abilities, not their clothes. Vince, I want the HR department cleared out. Replace the supervisors too. Then, go back to the career center and hire some honest, hardworking people. I don't care about their background, as long as they're ready to work."
Alex hadn't expected to be treated so poorly when he tried to get a job at his own company. It wasn't just about his disguise; it was about the fact that his subordinates had become arrogant and entitled.
After the radical shake-up, inventory loss dropped significantly, and the new employees worked with an energy that was a joy to watch. Alex didn't spare Vince, either, removing him from his position as assistant and driver. Instead, Vince was sent to the warehouse to work as a facilities manager. In the end, the millionaire had done what was right: he hired from the common people and sent his former staff to the unemployment line.
0 comments