The humiliation was public and brutal. Mr. Sterling, the hotel’s newly appointed and notoriously cruel general manager, had been terrorizing the staff all morning. When he found a scuff mark near the elevator, he decided to make an example of Sam, the quiet elderly man who had been mopping the floors.
“You’re done,” Sterling spat, adjusting his silk tie. “Pack your bucket and leave. I want someone young and competent in here within the hour.”
Sam sighed, leaning the mop against the wall. The reception staff watched in horror, too afraid to speak up. “Are you sure you want to do that, Sterling?” Sam asked, his voice surprisingly authoritative.
“I’m the Manager. I do what I want. Now move!”
Sam didn’t move toward the exit. instead, he walked calmly behind the front desk. “Hey!” Sterling yelled, chasing him. “You can’t go back there!”
Sam typed a code into the main terminal—a code that only one person possessed. The screens above the reception desk flashed red, then displayed a photo of Sam in a tuxedo with the caption: Samuel Vance, CEO & Founder.
The color drained from Sterling’s face. He had been so busy yelling, he never checked who actually signed his paychecks.
“I decided to go undercover to see why our turnover rate was so high,” Sam said, locking Sterling’s access card with a single keystroke. “Now I know. You’re not firing anyone, Sterling. But you are being escorted out.”
Security stepped forward, but this time, they weren’t coming for the janitor.
