Poem: Shade of Sleaze

The CEO and the Child

Once upon a time there lived a CEO. The CEO’s childhood wasn’t rosy. A ragged house made of hay, a sick mother, and a drunkard father. And soon a fairy tale came alive when the CEO was chosen by the school to be sent to a top university utilizing the school’s trust. But alas the choice was withdrawn when a rich father donated a huge sum for the school infrastructure manipulating the prestigious offer in favor of his Child. Well that’s how the game of corruption got played with some shiny notes.

But the story doesn’t end here. The Child joined the university on the so-called scholarship to study with other brilliant students, while the CEO took up a labor job in a garment factory.  The CEO worked hard to earn two-meal a day, while the Child partied his college days away with lavish food and drinks on the bay.

Two years went by, and it was time for the Child to say goodbye to the party scene. Graduation arrived and the child donned the graduate cap though the marks were nothing colorful. Unemployed with no real skills, the father comes to the play again. Through the father’s connection, the Child gets the role of an Assistant Garment Inspector of a top cloth line. And that's how the game of favoritism began.

On the other side of the social spectrum was the CEO. His hard work was never noticed, until after a year, when a huge fiasco made the top management of the garment company to visit the manufacturing site. It was a pure corduroy garment manufacturer; however at that point 68% of its produced goods were rejected in the market due to mix of different linen in the material. The management had come to the plant to check the origin of the problem and to find a fix to it.

Days went by but no solution and the company was on a losing proposition. Half of the workers left the premises witnessing the gory chances of being jobless while the CEO stayed. Then once, the CEO after a late shift was leaving for home but saw a little girl carrying a doll wrapped in a silk robe sneaking into the premises. Curiosity gripped the CEO enough to stay back to see what she does. The little girl stealthily moved to the factory garbage dump and left her doll on top of one of the machines. Her hands explored the contents of the dump and soon a smile hits her face. A big slice of bread in her hand, she happily danced toward the exit of the plant's premises while grabbing the doll on the way. Well that's how the CEO realized the true joy of living – being content with what one can get their hands on.

The doll's dress got caught in the iron splinters of the machine and a long silk thread treaded the machine. The little girl with one tug got rid of the silk thread that was slowly unweaving the robe and left the thread dangling on the machine. The CEO lightly caught hold of the girl, and the management was informed of the cause of the linen mixture. But the revelation was done after making a deal with the management securing the little girl's education and life overall. The CEO was rewarded and was promoted to be a part-time Strategic Invigilator of the manufacturing plant, and the part-time Garment Inspector of its cloth line. Stay with a company in its bad days and earn the glory in its good days.

Stepping into the office as a Garment Inspector, the CEO recognizes the Assistant GI — the Child, who bullied the CEO even prior to the university corruption episode. Nodding with a smile the CEO greets and continues with the job demands. And that's when the Child realizes the importance of acceptance. Never take an advantage of the position to bully someone, you never know what the future holds. On the other hand, the CEO understands that a work ambience is a team work. You need to forgive and forget to co-exist together.

Today, the CEO has taken up the role of the CEO of the clothline after completing the necessary educational requirements sponsored by the company, while the Child remains the Assistant Garment Inspector. The father bought the Child's education and a career start but failed to imbibe the importance of knowledge and skills. In short, money can buy a life but not the value of life. It's not money but one's own hands that builds destiny. And the key to be happy is to co-exist and help each other in the journey called life.

It’s been a while

Since we shared a smile,

It’s been a while

Since we walked a mile.