A HEARTWARMING STORY OF SUCCESS
Every morning, the CEO of a large bank in Manhattan walks to the corner
where a shoe shine is always located.
He sits on the couch, examines the Wall Street Journal, and the shoe
shine gives his shoes a shiny, excellent look.
One morning the shoeshine asks the Executive Director:
- What do you think about the situation in the stock market?
The Director asks in turn arrogantly:
- Why are you so interested in that - that topic?
"I have a million dollars in your bank," the shoeshine says, "and I'm
considering investing some of the money in the capital market."
- What’s your name? –Asks the Director.
- John Smith H.
The Director arrives at the bank and asks the Manager of the Customer
Department:
- Do we have a client named John Smith H.?
- Certainly –answers the Customer Service Manager–, he is a highly
esteemed customer. He has a million dollars in his account.
The Director comes out, approaches the shoeshine, and says:
- Mr. Smith, I ask you this coming Monday to be the guest of honor at
our board meeting and tell us the story of your life. I am sure we will
have something to learn from you.
At the board meeting, the Executive Director introduces him to the
board members:
- We all know Mr. Smith, who makes our shoes shine in the corner; But
Mr. Smith is also our esteemed customer with a million dollars in his
account. I invited him to tell us the story of his life. I am sure we
can learn from him.
Mr. Smith began his story:
- I came to this country fifty years ago as a young immigrant from
Europe with an unpronounceable name. I got off the ship without a
penny. The first thing I did was change my name to Smith. I was hungry
and exhausted. I started wandering around looking for a job but to no
avail. Suddenly I found a coin on the sidewalk. I bought an apple. I
had two options: eat the apple and quench my hunger or start a business.
I sold the apple for two dollars and bought two apples with the money.
I also sold them and continued in business. When I started accumulating
dollars, I was able to buy a set of used brushes and shoe polish and
started polishing shoes. I didn't spend a penny on entertainment or
clothing, I just bought bread and some cheese to survive. I saved penny
by penny and after a while, I bought a new set of shoe brushes and
ointments in different shades and expanded my clientele. I lived like a
monk and saved penny by penny. After a while I was able to buy an
armchair so that my clients could sit comfortably while cleaning their
shoes, and that brought me more clients. I did not spend a penny on the
joys of life. I kept saving every penny. A few years ago, when the
previous shoe shine on the corner decided to retire, I had already saved
enough money to buy his shoeshine place at this great location.
Finally, three months ago, my sister, who was a whore in Chicago,
passed away and left me a million dollars.
