Richard had it all. A condominium that cost over a million dollars in the middle of New York City, a beautiful wife named Nancy, a maid named Lydia, that was young, pretty and very affectionate with Richard when Nancy wasn't around, a butler named Dale and a driver named Gordon. He ran a successful law firm that had just made him a partner about three years ago after ten years of working sixty-plus hours a week and a lot of weekends. He felt untouchable, nothing could go wrong in his mind so he exuded an air of confidence that made him certain that he was better than anyone around him. So with that kind of ego, he developed the habit of treating people with less respect
then he required when they were around him. He was rude, pushy, and sometimes just mean. He laughed and made jokes at those that were unable to support themselves or their families. He shook his head every time when he saw the public assistance line in the morning on the way to work. Standing in line for the free food for the poor and homeless. He would call them lazy and unmotivated. Saying they deserved no hand outs. He would sometimes yell "Get a Job!" as they drove by. Calling him insensitive doesn't begin to cover it. He didn't appreciate one bit of his success. He did not appreciate how lucky he was. He appreciated nothing. He felt since he had earned his success, that he had the right to act anyway he wanted. It was his right, and he earned it.
Richard got out of bed, and showered. Just then, he heard a knock and answered "Come in Dale." "Exactly on time, good." he added. The butler came in with Richard's breakfast, coffee and newspaper. When the butler went to leave, Richard didn't bother to say thank you, he just waved the butler away and said, "send Lydia in with my suits. Five minutes passed and he started to pace back and forth, he truly disliked waiting. After fifteen minutes of growing irritation, Lydia came in with perfectly pressed and very expensive suits and freshly shined shoes. She sat the items down on his bed and than shut the door and came to give him a kiss. He walked away from her and said in a very mean and sharp voice "your late." She started to try to explain but he held up his hand and said "I don't have time for your silly excuses, you failed to do your job, your fired." Her heart felt like it dropped and she stuttered "I thought you cared, I thought we had something!" She was starting to cry, he detested scenes like this and said "Like I said, your fired. Get your belongings and get out." She ran out crying, Dale came in immediately and said "Do you need my help sir?" "Yes. Get her and her stuff off my property now, and find me a new maid. Also, call my driver, tell him fifteen minutes out front, don't dare be late, no excuses or I'll fire him today as well." The butler, usually very reserved moved quickly out of the room and to the nearest phone, dialing the driver. The driver said he was out front already, one problem handled. Now all he needed was to deal with getting Lydia out and a new maid in - so he called a service company, got one hired that could start as soon a possible, he would just have to train her. Then he helped Lydia pack while she quietly cried.
When Richard got in the back of the car, he was already on the phone. With one hand gesture for the driver to go. Not even bothering to look up at him or say good morning.
When he got to the office his secretary said that the partners were waiting for him in a conference room fittingly named "The War Room." He wasn't worried at first, thinking they just wanted to get outstanding account updates. He walked in and said good morning to everyone. Jon, the main and first partner said "Have a seat." The tone in his voice was presented not as a request but, more as an order. Right at that moment Richard knew what was coming next. Jon continued, "you are being fired, effective immediately." "May I ask why?" said Richard. Jon said "your extra-curricular activities are not in-line with the type of organization we strive to be." Richard laughed, "This is a joke right? I'm being punk'd!" He laughed again. Jon continued, "extramarital affairs are against the core of family values this company is run by." Then it got quiet as Jon pushed the button and security came with all his belongings and physically escorted him out of the building.
Richard had no job and mountains of debt. He was in a daze when Gordon his driver, for the last time, drove him home. He explained to Gordon what had happened and apologized, but Gordon was the first to get let go. Richard looked for another job, but found that so many people were out of work, that they were willing to accept a lot less money then he was asking for. He ended up not hiring another maid, and had to let Dale the butler go as well. Within a month of getting fired and in the middle of losing everything, Lydia the ex-maid contacted Nancy his wife about the affair and informing her she was pregnant. Nancy left and filed for divorce. He put the condominium up for sale. The money from the sale just barely paid for the outstanding debt and the divorce. He literally had nothing left. Plus he gained two bills, spousal support and child support in a few months when Lydia had the baby.
So Richard stared at the cafeteria style food that sat in front of him from the free public assistance program. He was still in denial of how quickly his downfall had been. But he could not deny anymore that he was hungry and he was homeless. He had certainly lost it all a lot more quickly then he earned it. He didn't know what he was going to do. He literally had nothing. One of the volunteers walked by and he asked him "Excuse me sir, may I have a spoon? There were none left up front." The volunteer, Adam, according to his name tag on his jacket, smiled and said "Well i'll do better than just a plain old spoon, here is a plastic spoon and fork all-in-one, it's called a spork." He tossed it toward Richard and smiled. Richard caught it and thanked Adam. Adam walked away smiling and whistling a tune that Richard thought added an annoying quality to the atmosphere. Richard stared at his food again and then looked at the spork. Then he looked around the big cafeteria, at all the people - all types of people ended up here; the young, the old, couples without kids, couples with kids, kids of all ages; teenage runaways, and babies...even babies, that was the most heartbreaking to see. the babies with their mom's, some even looked like newborns, standing in a line for a meal, probably their first of the day, in the cafeteria.
Everyone, no matter how diverse the crowd, had two things in common. They were homeless and they were here for a free meal. Richard was learning that the homeless came from all walks of life and becoming homeless did not discriminate, it could come up on anybody at any time. He was living proof, he had gone from upper-class to this free food from the public assistance cafeteria. He also now realized how quick life can change and was sad he hadn't appreciated one bit how lucky he had been, and he hurt even more as he became one of the very people he had made fun of in the past. So Richard sat there and stared at the food that sat in front of him, took the plastic wrapper off the spork and began to eat. Next on his list, was standing in line at the public shelter for a bed so he wouldn't have to sleep on the street. If there was a next time, he vowed to himself, he would appreciate every second of it. He wished he could do it all over. Appreciation, he thought to himself. An important lesson he learned a little to late.