Hotel doormen have many stories to tell, but this one is very special.
The Doorman at the Hotel
There was no job in the whole town with worse pay than that of the doorman at the hotel, but what else could he do? He had never really learned to read or write, nor had he ever learned another trade. The reason he got the job was because his father had been the doorman of the hotel before him and his grandfather before him.
For decades the hotel had been passed from the hands of the fathers to their sons, and so had the job of the doorman. One day the old hotel owner died and his ambitious, entrepreneurial son became the new director. He decided to modernize the business.
He had the rooms remodeled and, when everything was finished and ready, he called all the employees together to give them their new instructions. The doorman received the following orders: “Beginning today, you will give me a weekly written report of all your work. You will make a note of all the couples that come as our guests each day and survey every fifth couple, asking them how they enjoyed our service and getting any suggestions they may have for improvement. Once a week you will submit your report and evaluation to me personally.” The doorman began to tremble. He had always been a willing worker and was eager to please, but __
“I w-w-w-would love to comply with your wishes,” he stuttered, “but I can’t read or write.”
“Oh, that’s a pity. I guess you will understand that I can’t afford to hire another person for this task. Nor do I have time to wait for you to learn to read and write. So, unfortunately __”
“But Sir, you can’t just put me out on the street! I have worked here all my life, just like my father and grandfather before me!”
The director didn’t let him finish his plea. “I understand, but unfortunately I can’t do anything for you. Of course you will receive some compensation, enough to help you get by until you find another job. I’m sorry. I wish you every success.” Without another word, he turned and walked away.
The doorman felt like his world had come to an end. He had never foreseen that this could happen. He went home and, for the first time in his life, he was unemployed. What to do? Then he remembered how when beds or cupboards were broken or loose in the hotel, he would quickly fix them with a hammer and nails. He thought he could do something like that as a temporary job until he found something better.
He looked around the house for some proper tools, yet without success. He would need a toolbox with a complete set of tools and figured he could use part of the compensation money for that. Since there was no hardware store in his town, he would have to ride his mule for two days to get to the next big town to buy his supplies. “Oh well,” he thought and began the long journey.
When he returned home, he brought a fine toolbox and an assortment of tools with him. He had not yet taken his boots off before the doorbell rang. It was his neighbor.
“Would happen to have a hammer I could borrow?”
“Well, I just bought one, but I actually need it myself so I can work. I just lost my job.”
“I understand, but I would bring it back tomorrow morning.”
“Okay.”
The next morning, the neighbor returned as promised and rang the bell. “Um, listen. I still need the hammer. Would you please sell it to me?”
“Sorry, I really need it myself so I can work and the next hardware store is a two-day mule-ride from here.”
“Maybe we can do business together,” suggested the neighbor. “I would make it worth your while. I’ll pay for your traveling time, plus the price of the hammer. You don’t have a job at the moment, so you have time. Right? What do you think?”
Realizing the neighbor was offering to pay him for four days of work, he accepted. Upon his return, another neighbor was waiting for him and said, “I understand you sold a hammer to _.”
“That’s right…”
“Well, I need a few tools too. I would be willing to pay you for the four days travel plus a little above your costs for each tool. Obviously, not everyone can afford to be away for a four-day shopping trip.”
The ex-doorman opened his toolbox and let his neighbor choose some tools. He took out a clamp, a screwdriver, a hammer and a chisel, paid for them and left.
“Not everyone can afford to be away for a four-day shopping trip.” The words rang in his ears. Maybe there were others who felt the same and would be glad to pay him to do the shopping.
On his next trip, he decided to use some of his compensation and buy extra tools. In this way, he hoped to save traveling time.
Soon everyone in the area knew of his enterprise, and more and more people decided not to go to town themselves, and preferred to pay him to go for them.
So the tool salesman made his way to town once a week to do the shopping for his customers.
He quickly realized he could save even more traveling time and earn more money if he had a room to keep his tools in. So he rented a small storage shed in town. In time, he widened the door and added a window with a display. He transformed the shed into a hardware store; the town’s first!
His customers left happy and came back. Before long, he didn’t need to travel anymore. He bought so much from the hardware store in the neighboring town, that they gladly delivered everything he needed directly to his door for free.
More and More Customers
After awhile, shoppers began to come from other towns and his success emboldened him to branch out. One day he got a bright idea and asked his friend, a metal worker, to make hammer heads for him, and then he thought, why not the pliers, clamps and chisels? Later screws and nails followed in rapid succession.
In just 10 short years, as a result of his honesty and hard work, he became a hardware millionaire and one of the most influential businessmen in the region.
His influence was so great he decided to donate a new school to his little town. In addition to reading and writing, this modern school would teach up-to-date skills and the arts.
When it was finished, the mayor and the superintendent organized a ribbon cutting ceremony for the school’s dedication and a gala dinner in honor of the town’s benefactor.
Just before dessert, the mayor made a toast and handed the businessman the keys to the city. The superintendent embraced him and exclaimed:
“It is with tremendous pride and gratitude that we ask that you do us the honor of being the first to sign the school’s charter.”
“The honor would be all mine,” the man answered. “Nothing would make me happier, but unfortunately, I can’t read or write.
I’m illiterate.”
“You?” asked the mayor in amazement. “How did you build this industrial empire from the ground up without being able to read or write? I wonder what heights you could have attained to if you had learned those skills too!”
“I can answer that question for you, sir,” he answered quietly.
“If I had been able to read and write, I would still be the doorman at the hotel!”
Source: “Let Me Tell You a Story: Tales Along the Road to Happiness” by Jorge Bucay, adapted
Possible lessons:
Within every crisis is a hidden opportunity
Our knowledge is limited, wisdom and experience are important
Sometimes opportunity knocks. What do we do with it?
Never give up, keep going forward, stay optimistic
Und nicht zuletzt: Nie mit Lernen aufhören. Stillstand bedeutet Abstieg. Vorwärts bewegen bedeutet Leben.
