Man Insults Driver During Business Trip Until He Finds Out Who He Really Is — Story of the Day

For Brian, the people around him don’t deserve respect. To him, being a flight attendant, waiter, or driver is suited only for lesser beings. But his arrogance is about to jeopardize his lavish lifestyle. A single encounter with a driver will change his life forever.

Brian moved through the flight, from the indulgent first-class to the stark contrast of economy, with a commanding presence. As he navigated the aisle, he encountered a passenger struggling with his luggage, blocking Brian’s path.

Without a hint of patience, Brian forcefully nudged the man aside, causing him to stumble and his belongings to spill out. “Excuse me,” Brian said, more as a command than a request, barely acknowledging the man’s frustration before continuing on his way to the exit.

At the airport, Brian searched for his chauffeur, his impatience growing. When he finally spotted José, the driver holding a crudely made sign with his name, Brian didn’t hide his annoyance.

“Clearly, punctuality isn’t your strong suit,” he snapped, handing over his suitcase with disdain.

On their drive, Brian kept on being rude. He made unkind jokes about José’s job and where he came from, saying mean things about the ‘kind’ of work ‘people like José’ do. José stayed calm and didn’t answer Brian; he just kept driving.

“Got nothing to say? That’s what I thought,” Brian sneered when José didn’t reply.

“We’ll be there soon,” José said after a while, keeping his voice steady even though Brian was being difficult.

“About time,” Brian muttered under his breath, his mind focused on the meeting he had with a business investor. It was a big deal because his family’s house and his daughter’s favorite treehouse in their backyard could be lost if things didn’t go well. As Brian got closer to the meeting place, he felt nervous, knowing how much was on the line.

When Brian walked into the room, he immediately felt uneasy because of all the empty chairs. He started to walk back and forth, feeling anxious because he couldn’t control what was happening, and the sound of the clock ticking made him even more nervous.

Then, José walked in, and he wasn’t the investor Brian was expecting to see.

“José…” Brian stammered, facing the man he had underestimated.

“Late start to a very important discussion,” José noted sharply.

Brian swallowed the lump in his throat, his own words tasting bitter as he began to speak.

“José, I… I’m sorry for what happened earlier. I—”

“Never considered that the world doesn’t revolve around you, Mr. Thompson?” José said. “Sit down, Mr. Thompson. We will talk about your future, my investment, and perhaps… your redemption,” he proposed.

“Thank you,” Brian accepted, genuinely grateful for the opportunity.

“Your behavior was unacceptable, Mr. Thompson,” José began. “You lack respect for hard work and for those who are building the very foundations of our cities—the immigrants. If you want any chance at salvaging this deal, you’re going to have to make amends in a way that truly matters.”

“Anything, please,” Brian said.

“Well then, you will spend a day laboring on a construction site to understand the value of hard work,” José demanded, setting terms for Brian’s redemption.

Brian didn’t want to do it. But here’s the thing, he didn’t have a choice. If he wanted to save his home and provide his family with a good life, there was no other way out.

“Thank you, José. I’ll do it. And I—I will change,” Brian replied.

At the construction site, Brian, now in steel-toed boots, was a far cry from his usual self, taking orders from the foreman.

He struggled with the unfamiliar weight of a wheelbarrow, and the other workers quietly laughed and made jokes about him not being used to this kind of work.

“Hey, Brian, make sure you don’t strain yourself,” one worker teased, causing others to laugh at him.

“Wouldn’t want to chip a nail, huh?” another added as Brian’s frustration grew.

But Brian didn’t snap at them. Instead, he kept working hard.

As Brian reached for a bag of cement, it slipped, prompting more jeers. “Hey, Thompson, ever heard of gravity?” a worker joked.

Then, when the person in charge gave Brian the wrong instructions to mix cement, a kind worker named Carlos stepped in to help him. “They’re messing with you because they know you aren’t used to this kind of work,” Carlos told Brian and showed him the correct way to mix cement.

Seeing Carlos’s kind and helpful nature, Brian’s anger subsided. “Thank you so much,” he told Carlos gratefully.

But it seemed like fate had decided not to put an end to Brian’s trouble. At day’s end, he faced a new challenge: his hotel reservation was canceled, leaving him stranded. Carlos noticed his distress and offered a solution.

“The hotel messed up my reservation. Now I’ve nowhere to stay,” Brian confessed.

“Hey, why don’t you come over to my place? It’s not much, but it’s warm and safe,” Carlos suggested.

“Thank you, I’d like that,” Brian replied. No other hotels were accepting bookings, and he was really hungry and tired after a day of strenuous work at the site.

Carlos’s simple home was a big change from Brian’s fancy place. When they walked into Carlos’s lively home, Carlos was eager to introduce Brian to his family and have him stay for dinner.

Amidst the homemade placemats and mismatched chairs, Brian felt an unfamiliar sense of belonging.

“Carlos tells us you are very successful,” Carlos’s father mentioned respectfully.

“Work keeps me busy,” Brian replied, feeling his standard response fall flat in this warm, familial atmosphere.

“Family keeps us busy,” Carlos countered, earning nods of agreement.

During dinner, Brian was moved by how close the family was. Despite the cramped space, the shared laughter and stories around the modest dining table filled him with a longing for something money couldn’t buy.

“Why do you all live here in such a tight space?” Brian asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

“It’s not that simple, amigo,” Carlos explained, highlighting the challenges they faced as immigrants. “This is what we can manage, and being together like this is enough for me.”

And for the first time in his life, Brian realized he had been focusing on the wrong things in life. This is what mattered. The real wealth was having your loved ones around.

The next day at the construction site, Brian invited Carlos over for dinner to thank him for his kindness. But things took a sour turn when Brian found Carlos’s work area vandalized. Someone had purposely ruined everything, leaving Carlos stunned.

Now, Brian understood why the other workers had been smirking at him earlier that day. At first, Brian thought they might have tampered with his work. But it turned out that they disliked Carlos just because he was an immigrant — something that Brian, too, had practiced in the past.

“I don’t understand,” Carlos said, devastated that his hard work was reduced to nothing.

“Those jerks,” Brian muttered, angered by the blatant attack on Carlos’s livelihood. He knew Carlos’s job at the construction site was what kept the man’s family afloat.

“Look, we’ll figure this out, okay? We can clean this—” Brian started, but Carlos cut him off, “Clean this? There’s no time. They want me gone.”

“Carlos, you’re not alone. I’ll make it right.”

As Brian tried to salvage Carlos’s project, Carlos expressed his fear of losing his job. Feeling guilty, thinking that Carlos was attacked because he tried to help him, Brian attempted to take the blame, but Carlos insisted, “No, you didn’t do this.”

However, when José arrived at the site, Brian took full responsibility. “Whatever you see here, it’s on me. Carlos tried to cover for my mistakes.”

José wasn’t sure what to believe, so he asked Brian to come to his office.

In the office, José revealed he knew the truth. “I looked into it, Brian. Carlos was being framed. Your sacrifice saved him.”

He was impressed by Brian’s honesty. “You’ve shown yourself to be a man of integrity. I see now that you are someone I would be proud to call my partner.”

Brian was so glad for the man he’d become. He knew he had made some mistakes before, but now he wanted to do better.

A few weeks later…

“Brian!” Carlos’s voice cut through the crowd, his brown eyes sparkling with joy.

Turning, Brian, his wife, and his daughter all saw Carlos. “Hey, Carlos,” Brian greeted his old mate respectfully. “This is my wife and daughter. Honey, Liza, meet my friend, Carlos.”

They shook hands, and then, to everyone’s surprise, Brian gave Carlos a big hug. “It’s so good to see you,” Carlos said, giving Brian a friendly pat on the back. “Mi casa es tu casa, amigo. Come on, dinner’s waiting for you all.”

“Thanks, friend,” Brian replied with a smile.

As they walked through the airport, Carlos talked about what’s been happening in his life, his family, and the simple joys of everyday living. Brian felt a deep appreciation for the friendship they had kept alive.

“What about you? How have things been on your end?” Carlos asked Brian as they drove to Carlos’s house.

“I’m doing much better now, thanks to friends like you,” Brian replied with gratitude.

When they got to Carlos’s place, Brian realized nothing had changed. The place still felt warm and welcoming to him. “Remember, you’re always welcome here,” Carlos said as he welcomed them in.

Thanks to Carlos and José, Brian learned a lesson and changed for the better.

Always remember that it’s crucial to respect everyone and the work they do. Any job that helps you take care of your family and put food on the table is honorable and something to be proud of. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You deserve respect for your hard work.

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This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.