My Story

This week, our class talked about interviews. That made me remember this story.

My first job was as a secretary in a metal factory. My boss was from Taiwan. He was very old and he had never gotten married in his life. I still remember the first time he interviewed me.

He asked me this qusetion:"What do you think is most important in your life?"

I didn't know how to answer this question, but I said:"Now, I'm very young. I think my life will be very wonderful!"

He smiled and told me that I was like his old friend.

About three months later, on the last day of my probation period, my boss took me into his office. He asked me, "What did you think about your experience here?"

I said, "The job was easy for me and I thought that I could do a more challenging job even better!"

He asked, "Do you know why I employed you?"

I shook my head, no. He told me a story.

My boss said, "My father was very rich. He had three wives. My mother was the second, so my older brother bullied my mother and me. When I was a little boy, I studied very hard and my grades were very good. After the army, I went to the Universityon a scholarship. Before I graduated from the University, my mother died. That day was like the end of the world for me. The most important person in my life had left me. I felt very sad and I decided to study abroad in the USA.

Around that time, I fell in love with a girl and we decided that when we finished our studies, we would get married. We set the date on her birthday. I would wait for her under the 27th palm tree on the school street.

But on that day, I never saw her. I waited all day and all night. I was in a frenzy to find her, but I had no news of her. In the afternoon of the third day, I found her in the hospital. When I saw her, my tears couldn't stop!

The girl said, "Promise me that you won’t worry. Maybe one day we will meet again in the other place." Then she died.

She had been injured in a traffic accident on the day they had planned to meet.

Every day she went to work at a restaurant. On that day she had finished her work and hurried to meet her fiancé.

He couldn’t continue the story, but he showed me an old black and white picture of his girlfriend and him.

Oh My GOD! I could hardly believe it!

After one year, I left the company and went to HongKong. Sometimes I contacted him by phone call or Email. Occasionally, he visited me on a bussines trip. But, every year, on my birthday, he visited me and gave me a present.

In 2000, my husband came to China to marry me. We invited my old boss to our wedding party. He congratulated us and he promised that, if he had the time, he would join us. But on my wedding day, I have never saw him.

For a long time, I never received his phone call or Email and or any other news from him. One day, I received a phone call from a lawyer. Then, I learned that my old boss had died from heart disease. I was wordless for a long time. The lawyer told me that I was an heir in my boss’s will, but I didn't want to receive it.

I discussed this with my husband. Finally, using my boss's name, the legacy was donated to a benevolent organization and temple. I think that was the best choice for me. This taught me how important he was in my life.

Now, I live in the USA. Sometimes, I remember him and some things from the past. I think that one day, after I retire, I will become a social worker. That is my dream job because I will be able to help other people.

In this world, everyone has a different life and a different story. But the result is always the same. One day we will leave this world. I'm glad to share my story with you and I hope every one can learn to cherish. Cherish everyone. Cherish every chance and cherish every day.