Linda worked her entire life as an accountant for a major firm, and she was still the best employee at her age. But she wanted to retire, something the director refused. She asked for an extended vacation, which was denied, and that’s when she finally decided to quit. However, the director showed up at her doorstep with a shocking suggestion.
“Mr. Salinger, I’ve been working for over 40 years. I think I have earned my retirement by now,” Linda told her boss in the accountant firm she had dedicated her life to.
“No, Linda. We can’t do that yet. You can’t do that to us. You can’t leave the company without a proper replacement for you. It’s just not possible,” Mr. Salinger replied, shaking his head at her suggestion.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Although Linda was the best employee in the firm, she truly needed to retire now. It was harder for her to learn all the advanced computer programs coming out now, and focusing on a screen was damaging her eyesight. She had headaches all the time and tired quickly. It was time for her to rest, especially because she had missed so much of her life working there.
Her firm demanded the most out of everybody that worked there. Linda was a hugely ambitious woman who wanted the very best for her family. Therefore, she invested double the hours and worked to become the number one employee in the company. And she had kept that spot for decades.
But now, the director, Mr. Salinger, told her to stay, and she complied again with his orders.
***
Unfortunately, Linda was overwhelmed with work and sad that Mr. Salinger had not supported her retirement. Her children and husband, Thomas, noticed this and decided to plan several weekend outings.
Linda spent time with her grandchildren at barbecues, the Richmond County fair in their hometown in Staten Island, and they even spent some time in New York visiting touristy spots.
One weekend, her husband surprised her with several tickets for a planned trip to Europe in the summer. They were interchangeable, so all she needed was to arrange her vacation time at work to enjoy it fully.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
That was the perfect solution. If Mr. Salinger wouldn’t let her retire, he had to give her a decent vacation time this year. After all, she had not taken a long break for many years. She was due.
***
“Absolutely not! That’s too much time. We need you here, Linda. I thought we had already discussed this,” Mr. Salinger stated, throwing some papers on his desk and looking at Linda in disappointment.
“Mr. Salinger, I’m due for a long vacation after all my years of hard work. We talked about retiring and you told me you couldn’t allow it. A vacation is only a month. That’s nothing,” Linda countered, her hands together in a begging gesture.
“I already told you my answer. It’s final!” her boss said and started typing on his computer, which was usually her cue to leave. But Linda had had enough. She looked at her boss’s face and felt a deep sadness. After all these years, this was how he treated her.
“Fine. I quit then. Effective immediately,” Linda said in the calmest voice possible. She didn’t have time to enjoy watching Mr. Salinger’s jaw hit the floor as she stormed out of his office. She went straight to her desk and picked up a few of her trinkets, photo frames, and purse. She was done.
“Linda! You can’t leave! You can’t quit!” Mr. Salinger yelled as she approached the elevator. The entire office turned to look at them in curiosity.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
“Goodbye, everyone!” Linda waved to her co-workers. “I’m officially retiring today!”
“FINE! GO THEN! WE CAN HIRE ANYONE TO DO YOUR JOB! IT’S THE EASIEST IN THE COMPANY! GO! YOU UNGRATEFUL OLD WOMAN!”
Linda’s co-workers had started to applaud but stopped when Mr. Salinger began yelling. She paid him no mind. She got in that elevator and left with a smile. She was free.
***
A month later, Linda was busy in her room trying to decide what to pack for Europe. She and her husband were leaving in a few days and would be traveling for at least two months. It was going to be amazing, but she needed to have wardrobe choices.
The doorbell rang. She walked to the door and was surprised to be greeted by Mr. Salinger’s saddened eyes.
“Mr. Salinger, what are you doing here?” she asked, shocked by his visit.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Linda, I’m here because we need you. The company needs you. We hired a younger person, and she doesn’t know how to do anything. We’re desperate without you,” Mr. Salinger begged, his face showing his anguish.
“I thought anyone could do my job,” Linda quipped.
“Please! Don’t make me beg. We need you back. I can offer you a raise and that vacation time you asked for,” Mr. Salinger insisted, looking like he was about to bend to his knees.
But Linda shook her head. “There’s no money in the world that will make me go back to work, Mr. Salinger. I asked for very little from you over these decades. I was the best employee, and you still treated me like trash. I wasted so much time and missed many milestones in my family’s life. Now, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I now know that work doesn’t matter. Spending time with your loved ones does. Goodbye, Mr. Salinger, and good luck,” she added calmly.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Mr. Salinger’s shoulders hunched, and Linda closed the door on his face.
What can we learn from this story?
- Don’t waste your whole life on a job. The truth is that a company will replace you easily if something happens, so don’t dedicate your life to it.
- Treat your employees well. Some employers don’t learn how valuable their employees are until it’s too late.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about an older woman who spent Christmas alone when her children discovered she was a cleaner.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
My SIL Called Me Cheap for Giving Her Son an ‘Embarrassing‘ Handmade Gift
My SIL Called Me Cheap for Giving Her Son an ‘Embarrassing‘ Handmade Gift
Delve into my jaw-dropping tale about an arrogant sister-in-law (SIL) and her new husband who thought I was their doormat. My story has a shocking revelation with a juicy twist that left my SIL at my mercy! You won’t want to miss what I said that had her and her husband groveling!
A woman looking surprised while talking on the phone | Source: Freepik
I never imagined my brother’s legacy would be entwined with 3D-printed wooden toys and heartfelt craftsmanship. Yet, here I was, on the eve of my nephew Alex’s third birthday, assembling his gift in the quiet of his backyard, under a canvas of stars.
My brother had left us too soon, with Alex missing out on knowing him as he passed before the boy was welcomed. However, his spirit lived on in the laughter of my nephew and the woodwork that filled their home.
A man working on a wooden project | Source: Freepik
Sarah, once my sister-in-law (SIL), now remarried to Dave, had always welcomed my handmade wooden toy gifts and furniture with warmth and adoration. I believed Alex loved his custom stuff, and his mother had always seemed grateful.
A little boy playing with wooden toys | Source: Freepik
But the atmosphere had shifted.
The day of the party, as I put the final touches on the handmade table and chairs set, I noticed Dave smirking.
A formally dressed man smirking arrogantly | Source: Pexels
Sarah approached me, and she rolled her eyes. Her words were laced with an unexpected chill as she said, “Really, another handmade gift? I’ve wanted to tell you this for years! All your ‘gifts’ are embarrassing. With your fancy job, you could splash some cash!”
“Don’t you think Alex deserves something… store-bought for a change?” Her tone was sharp, like a cold wind that you didn’t see coming.
A woman shouting at a man who seems confused and overwhelmed | Source: Freepik
Stunned, I struggled for words. “Sarah, I thought… Alex loves these. They’re made with—”
“Love? Love doesn’t fund a future, does it?” She cut me off, her gaze piercing. “We’re talking about his education, his well-being. Not some… cheap hobby of yours,” she dismissively waved her hand.
I felt a sting, a mix of disbelief and hurt. The conversation was abruptly interrupted by my mother, who, overhearing, stepped in with a stern reminder. “Let’s not forget the trust that’s been set up for Alex, thanks to his father. A trust that’s already shaping his future.”
A woman smiling and posing at an event | Source: Pexels
Sarah’s face flushed with embarrassment, a silent acknowledgment of her oversight.
I was so shocked that I walked out of the event but kept visiting my nephew. According to my mother, who remained behind, the rest of the party passed in a blur of forced smiles and uneaten cake.
A happy woman speaking on the phone | Source: Freepik
A few months later, my SIL, now expecting twins, called me speaking cheerily asking, “Could you make some duplicates of the stuff you gave us? We need two sets now for the twins.”
The audacity of her request took me by surprise. “After you called my gifts an embarrassment? Why would I—”
“It’s not like that,” she hurriedly explained. “I… We value what you do. It’s just that we need practical help now.”
A woman frowning while explaining something gesturing with her hand | Source: Freepik
It took me a while to formulate my response where I said, “No,” because I was still reeling from her words. Her previous plea and cheery demeanor were immediately drowned out by her change of direction when she suddenly and arrogantly mentioned Alex’s trust fund, stating:
“Okay, we’ll just use the trust to buy what we need for the twins!”
An angry woman shouting on a phone call | Source: Freepik
My SIL was referring to a $500,000 trust fund my brother had set up for my nephew! But there was one thing about it that she didn’t know and that’s when I dropped the bombshell:
“That fund? Accessing it for anything but Alex requires my signature. Surprised?”
An upset woman looking at her phone and holding her head | Source: Freepiks
The line went silent. The revelation hit her like a bolt from the blue. I could hear her whispering what I’d just said to her husband before dropping the phone.
An upset woman covering her face with her hands | Source: Pexels
Dave’s subsequent apology call was as empty as a hollow log and it was clear that he was making it to try and get back in my good books. I made it clear to Sarah that my role in Alex’s life was unchanged, but the trust, my brother’s legacy, was not a piggy bank for their whims.
A formally dressed man on a phone call while working on a laptop | Source: Pexels
This unexpected turn of events reminded me of the complex web of family dynamics, yet it also reaffirmed my dedication to Alex. Amid the swings and wooden toy playsets, my bond with my nephew remained unbreakable, a testament to a promise made to a brother lost too soon.
A happy man talking on a phone while riding in a car | Source: Pexels
Every handcrafted gift was more than wood and nails; it was a bridge between the past and future, a beacon of love and memory in a world that often forgets the value of simple, heartfelt connections.
A man posing with a little boy on his shoulders | Source: Pexels
In another tale of ungrateful family members, a woman taught her SIL a much-needed life lesson:
Imagine being at a fancy restaurant, celebrating your SIL’s bachelorette party, when suddenly, the night takes a turn. The scene: an upscale eatery, laughter fills the air, and then boom—a whopping $1,000 bill lands on your lap. The plot thickens as your SIL, Jenna, with a mix of entitlement and expectation, suggests you and your husband should cover the tab because, apparently, you’re rolling in dough and haven’t chipped in for her wedding!
A group of people having drinks at a restaurant | Source: Pexels
Caught off guard, but not out of the game, you hatch a plan. You pretend to agree, offering a faux apology to keep the peace, and hand the waiter a card you know won’t cover the bill. Fast forward, and the waiter returns, the card declined, leaving Jenna to awkwardly call her fia
ncé to bail her out. It’s a plot twist that would make a Hollywood screenplay jealous!
A woman tapping a card on a payment machine | Source: Pexels
But wait, there’s more! This incident isn’t just about a declined card; it’s a catalyst for change. Your husband, Alex, takes this moment to address long-standing issues of favoritism with his parents, leading to a family revelation and promises of better relationships. Jenna, embarrassed but enlightened, decides to work on her entitlement issues.
A man having a serious conversation on a phone | Source: Pexels
In the end, what started as a night out turned into a lesson in family dynamics, personal growth, and the power of standing together with your partner. It’s a story of unexpected twists, personal revelations, and ultimately, reconciliation and growth. A true rollercoaster of emotions, cunning plans, and the kind of family drama that’s better experienced in a story than in real life!
Leave a Reply