Johnny, a grocery store clerk, loved his job at the grocery store. He enjoyed working with people and knew most of the customers by name. They all appreciated his helpful and friendly attitude. However, his boss, Mr. Terrell, was a sour and harsh man who prioritized profit above all else.
One day, Johnny’s kindness set Mr. Terrell off. It all began when a disabled customer with a prosthetic leg and crutches entered the store. Johnny noticed the man’s struggle with the crutches, the shopping cart, and getting items from the shelves. Johnny rang up other customers’ groceries and kept an eye on the disabled man.
About 20 minutes later, the disabled man was in line in front of Johnny. With a smile, Johnny greeted him and asked if he was a veteran. The man explained that he had served in the Middle East, had a prosthetic leg, and used crutches for a few months due to ulcers on his stumps. Johnny empathized with him and offered to help with his groceries.
Johnny packed the man’s groceries into bags and saw him struggling to carry the bags and manage the crutches. He asked the other customers to wait for a few minutes and followed the man to the parking lot. There, Johnny placed the man’s groceries into his trunk and bid him farewell.
Upon returning to the store, Johnny found Mr. Terrell waiting for him, angry and questioning his absence. Other customers spoke up in support of Johnny’s kindness, which briefly appeased Mr. Terrell. However, at closing time, Mr. Terrell called Johnny into his office, handed him a pink slip, and a check, and informed him that his actions had cost the store money. Johnny was fired without room for argument.
Johnny, aware of his mother’s financial dependence on him, knew he had to find another job immediately. The next morning at 7 am, Johnny was at the bus stop, waiting to go into town to search for work. A car pulled up, and to Johnny’s surprise, it was the disabled man from the grocery store the previous day.
The man offered Johnny a ride and inquired why he was no longer working at the store. Johnny explained that Mr. Terrell had fired him for being away from his till. Feeling responsible for Johnny’s situation, the man insisted on helping and asked where Johnny wanted to go. Johnny expressed his intention to look for work downtown.
The man revealed that he owned a game development company and, intrigued by Johnny’s passion for video games and ideas, offered him a job. Johnny accepted the offer, and a week later, he began working at the man’s company. Johnny was not only earning significantly more than he had at the grocery store but also doing something he loved.
Under the guidance of his boss and mentor, the man with a prosthetic leg, Johnny thrived at the game development company. He returned to school and took night courses at a local college, and with his mentor’s help, he became the best developer in the company, earning five times his previous salary. Johnny’s life had taken a remarkable turn, all thanks to a kind gesture he had shown to the disabled man at the grocery store.
