John and Bobby joined a company together just after graduating from college the same year. Both worked very hard. After several years, however, the boss promoted Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary employee. John was very unhappy, He went into the boss’s office and declared that he would stop working for the company. He complained that the boss didn’t know how to use his employees and did not value hard-working staff, but only promoted those who flattered (讨好) him.
The boss knew that John had worked very hard for the years. He thought for a moment and said, “Thank you for your criticism, but I have a request. I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave. Perhaps in time you’ll change your decision.”
John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find out whether there was anyone selling watermelons in the market. John went and returned soon. He said he had found one man selling watermelons. The boss asked how much per kg? John shook his head and went back to the market to ask and returned to tell the boss that it was $ 1.2 per kg.
The boss told John to wait a second, and he called Bobby to come to his office. He asked Bobby to do the same thing. Bobby went, returned and gave the boss the following information.
“There is only one person selling watermelons. They are sold at $ 1.2 per kg, $ 10 for 10 kg, and the man has 340 melons in all. On the table there are 18 melons. Every weighs about 2 kg. They were brought from the South two days ago, fresh and red, good quality.”
John was very impressed and realized the difference between himself and Bobby. He decided not to leave the company but to learn from Bobby.