Today’s story is about a man who decided to teach his son a lesson after he saw him mock a boy whose mother cleaned toilets at his hotel.
Andrew Fleming was a wealthy businessman who owned a luxurious chain of hotels in New York. However, life had never been easy for him, and at the time, when most children started school, Andrew had to work multiple jobs to support his family.
His mother had died of cancer, and his father had a lung disease that necessitated costly treatment. So even though Andrew was not well-versed in bookish knowledge at a young age, he knew how to make money, his way around things, and how the world worked.
Andrew’s son mocked a boy whose mom cleaned toilets | Photo: Shutterstock
Thankfully, that experience served him well when he decided to start his own business, and the man now owns several hotels that serve one of the most renowned celebrities of all time.
However, it is said that to gain something, you must first lose something. And like the proverb, Andrew had lost something too in the process of building his large business.
Unfortunately, he and his wife had been so focused on making money for their son so he didn’t miss out on anything, they had forgotten their responsibility to shape their child’s character and teach him the value of respect for others.
So it wasn’t surprising that their 10-year-old son, Ethan, looked down on those who weren’t as wealthy as him.
Ethan was an arrogant child | Photo: Pexels
One evening, after escorting some guests out of his hotel, Andrew saw his son talking to a boy he’d never seen before.
“Just stay away from me. Don’t you dare come closer!” Ethan threatened him. “My dad owns this hotel, and your mom is just the toilet cleaner!”
Andrew’s heart sank when he heard his son’s remark. “Ethan!” Andrew cried. “What are you doing there?”
“Oh, dad!” Ethan turned around to look at him, his face beaming with a smile. “How was your day? Mom dropped me off here because she had some work!”
Andrew’s gaze fell on the boy standing behind his son, and he noticed the boy’s eyes had welled up. Andrew knelt in front of him and politely asked, “If you don’t mind, would you please excuse us for a moment?” The little boy nodded then ran away.
