Short stories

A Beggar's Treasure

(This is my take on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale The Golden Goose)

Once there was a logging company that ran seven days a week due to all of the orders of wood they received. With all of the commendations that the company received, the chairperson decided to test his employees on their customer service skills. He wanted to make sure that his company truly was what his employees assured him that it was and that he would be leaving them in capable hands. He was an ancient man lacking an heir, as he had not had the time to build a family of his own due to his devotion to the logging industry. As few people had seen him in person before, he dressed as a beggar sitting outside of the entrance to the company. His first test would be for the current CEO of the company, a man who was fairly young and arrogant. The chairman waited until his CEO left the building to go to lunch.
"Please sir," he started when he saw his target. "Please share your lunch with me, I have not had anything to eat or drink in so long."
The man in question looked down upon him in disgust. "Why would I share my lunch with you? A dirty old man like you would surely be kicked out any fine establishment that I frequent. Run along before I tell security to deal with you." The CEO scoffed and left the beggar in the wake of his pompous laughter.
The chairman shook his head in disappointment, his most promising employee had let him down.
His next target left not too long after the CEO. The woman was the current manager, one of the first people he had hired to work for his company. The woman was occupied with her phone and did not see him until he spoke.
"Please ma'am," he croaked. "Would you please spare some of your lunch? I have not had anything to eat or drink in so long."
The woman looked at him and grimaced. "Who let you skulk around here? Security should be taking care of you any time now." She walked away from him without answering his question. This disappointed the chairman greatly. The two people he had put an abundance of trust in, had not been who they showed him they were.
He decided that whoever came out of the building next would be the next person he asked. With little faith left in his employees, a young janitor walked outside with a small, wrinkled paper bag in his hands.
"Please sir," he wearily started. "Could you spare some of your lunch for a starving man? I have not been able to eat or drink in so long."
To his surprise, the janitor took a seat next to him. "I don't have much, but of course I can spare some." He opened his lunch bag and took out a sandwich. He split it in half before offering it to the beggar. "You know, I've been where you are now. It took me a while to get back on my feet, but someone took pity on me and helped me to clean up and find a job. I could help you do the same. I hear the chairman of this company is nice. He must be, as he allowed an ex-bum like me to work for him."
The mans words pierced his heart and pinned the chairman where he sat. The admiration and devotion in the man's voice stunned him. Here was a man who was working a low-level job and still appreciated what he was given, and was even kind enough to offer a beggar half of his food and his help. He cleared his throat and took the other half of the sandwich. "Thank you, kind sir. I appreciate it."
The janitor sat with him until his lunch break was over. He had talked to him as if he wasn't a beggar, like he wasn't the dirt beneath his feet. He decided that this man would be offered the position of his successor. The chairman went home to prepare for the next day, as two of his employees would be punished while one other would be promoted.
The next day, he visited the main building that held most of the employees and called a staff meeting. To the horror of the CEO and manager, he revealed what he had found. The two that had looked down upon him as a beggar were demoted and warned that if they did not clean up their attitudes, they would be left to find a different job. He looked for the janitor and when he brought him to the front, the janitor was pale and clearly worried. To his relief, the chairman smiled at him warmly.
"I would like to offer you the position as my successor. You showed me that you would care for the people in even the lowest of positions. I would be honored if you would accept my offer." The chairman looked almost worried that he would reject the offer.
To his surprise, the former janitor started to weep with joy. When he could speak clearly, he informed the chairman that with this new position, he could finally propose to his girlfriend with a ring that was worthy of a woman like her. He would be able to have his golden goose and live happily ever after.