Jack, a 10-year-old boy, felt unhappy that his mother worked seven days a week to provide for their daily needs. So he decided to take matters into his own hands by going to his mother’s work and talking to her boss in hopes of making her feel better.
Jack was a 10-year-old boy who lived with his single mother, Debra. He never knew his father, and so it was his mother who played the role of mother and father to the young boy.
Debra worked seven days a week as a housekeeper for a large corporation. She chose not to take any days off in order to earn more money to provide for Jack’s daily needs.
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This hardworking mother never showed it, but working every day of the week was exhausting for her. Cleaning a multi-story building was no easy feat, and her body suffered from it.
One day, Jack saw his mother sitting on the porch, crying. He watched her through the window and heard her talking on the phone with her friend. “I’m so tired, Emily,” Debra cried. “I want to rest, but I can’t. I barely make enough to take care of Jack and pay the bills. I can’t afford to take days off,” she told her friend.
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Jack was sad that his mother couldn’t rest because of him. He blamed himself and wanted to help her. So the next day, after school, he went to his mother’s work.
“Hello, Jack. Are you looking for your mom?” the receptionist asked him as soon as he entered the building. Jack shook his head quickly.
“No, ma’am. Don’t tell my mother I’m here. I’m here to see her boss, Mr. Jefferson,” Jack told the woman.
The woman was surprised, it showed on her face. Nevertheless, after Jack’s incessant pleading, she decided to call Mr. Jefferson to inform him of his unexpected visitor.
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Mr. Jefferson allowed the woman to take Jack to his office and when Jack arrived he suddenly felt nervous.
“To what do I owe this pleasure, young man?” Mr. Jefferson asked Jack. He told him to sit on the sofa in front of his table.
“Sir, my name is Jack. My mother, Debra, works here as a cleaner,” Jack said, clearing his throat. “I came to ask if you could give my mother some paid vacation days. She refuses to take a day off even when she’s tired because she says she needs the money to take care of me,” Jack explained.
Mr. Jefferson was surprised to hear this. “I know your mother works hard, Jack, and we are grateful for her service. I am surprised to hear that she wants to take a day off but refuses to do so. Are things difficult at home?”
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Jack nodded. “It’s just my mother and I at home. It’s always been that way because I never knew my father. Over the years, my mother has worked hard to pay our bills and take proper care of me. Yesterday, I heard her crying on the phone, complaining about her body hurting. I feel uncomfortable, sir,” Jack cried.
At that moment, a young voice spoke from inside the room. Jack had not noticed earlier that Mr. Jefferson’s daughter was there. She was Jack’s age.
“Dad, I know what he’s talking about. You’re like his mother. You’re always at work and you spend little time with me. You’re rarely home! Jack would like to spend more time with his mother too,” she told her father.
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Mr. Jefferson realized that his daughter had a lot of common sense. He blamed himself for devoting all his time to his work and thus neglecting his family. He promised to help Jack and his mother before sending him home via the office driver.
The day after Jack’s surprise visit, Mr. Jefferson called Debra into his office. “Your son came here yesterday and he said some surprising things,” he told her.
Debra noticed he was hiding a bouquet of flowers.
Debra looked at him nervously, curious as to what Jack could have said to merit a meeting with the CEO of the company. “There’s no other way to say it, but you’re fired, Debra,” Mr. Jefferson said.
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Debra’s face fell. She was pale and began to panic. “Sir, no! I don’t know what my son said, but he’s just a boy. I’m so sorry for what he said. Please don’t fire me. I really need this job,” she pleaded.
“Don’t be silly, Debra,” he replied. “You’re one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met! I’m not going to fire you for no reason. Yesterday, your son visited me and my 10-year-old daughter was there. They both made me realize some things.”
“Our children won’t be young for long, and I think it’s important that we give them some attention and time. I’ve decided to take my family on vacation, and I want you and Jack to come with us. Of course, the vacation will be fully paid for,” Mr. Jefferson revealed. “What do you say?”
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Debra was at a loss. She had just lost her job and couldn’t afford to go on vacation. She worried that she wouldn’t have money for their daily expenses.
“I appreciate your kindness, sir, and I would also like to spend time with my son, but I can’t afford not to have a job right now. Please, sir, if you could give me a chance, I would like to keep my job,” Debra pleaded again.
“That’s not possible, Debra. You don’t belong in the corporate world. I want to invite you to work for my family. You and Jack can live with us. We have a cottage in our backyard that would be perfect for you two,” Mr. Jefferson offered.
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“You only need to work a few hours a day, then you can retire to the cottage where you and Jack can spend more time together. You have raised a very kind young man who truly cares about his mother – you should cherish him!”
At that point, Mr. Jefferson pulled out a bouquet of flowers. “This is from your son,” he said, smiling and handing it to Debra. “Go home and have a nice day with him.”
Debra couldn’t believe it. For the first time in years, she and Jack were able to go on vacation. They went to the Bahamas with Mr. Jefferson’s family, all expenses paid. When they returned, they moved into their new country house, located on a luxurious estate they had only seen in magazines.
What can we learn from this story?
- Even the hardest working people can get tired. Debra refused to take a day off because she had to work to pay the bills. She cried from exhaustion, but she pushed through the next day and went to work anyway. It’s important to pay attention to your body, because not taking care of yourself can lead to more costly complications.
- Our children deserve our love and attention just as much as our work. Debra and Mr. Jefferson couldn’t spend time with their children because of their jobs. Ultimately, they both realized that family should always come first and their lives shouldn’t revolve solely around their jobs.
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