At 17, Andrew was accustomed to a privileged lifestyle, often forgetting the importance of treating others with respect. His attitude shifted after his father witnessed him mocking a flight attendant.
“Can you hurry up?” Andrew complained, trying to pass an elderly man being assisted by the attendant. He rushed to his seat, ignoring the man’s struggles. As the plane took off, Andrew, eager to get home after his first semester at boarding school, opened the window shade, feeling restless.
Looking to pass the time, he reached for his tablet, leaving his bag sticking out of the overhead bin.
The same flight attendant who had been helping the elderly man approached him. “Excuse me, sir,” she said, “Your bag isn’t properly closed.”
“Why are you telling me? Just fix it,” Andrew responded, barely glancing up.
The stewardess quietly closed the compartment and moved on. Still irritated, Andrew ate peanuts, then tossed the packet aside in disgust, summoning the attendant again. “These peanuts are terrible! Get me something better!” he demanded, throwing the packet at her.
“Please calm down, sir,” the stewardess replied, maintaining composure.
“I’ll act however I want!” Andrew snapped. “You’re here to serve me, so do it.” His rude comments caught the attention of nearby passengers.
The elderly man seated next to Andrew, the one he had mocked earlier, spoke up. “It’s not right to treat her like that,” he said. “She’s here to assist, not to be disrespected.”
Andrew ignored him, snapping his fingers at the stewardess. “Bring me another snack!” he ordered.
With tears welling up, the stewardess walked away. “Your parents would be ashamed of you,” the elderly man muttered.
“Mind your business, old man!” Andrew shot back. “I paid for this flight. I deserve better service!”
When the stewardess returned with pretzels, Andrew swatted the tray away. “I asked for something better!”
A woman behind him scolded him. “Show some respect! Her job is hard, and she deserves courtesy.”
Andrew’s father, Steven, who was seated a few rows behind, overheard the commotion. As Andrew’s insults grew louder, he realized his son was the one causing the disturbance.
“Is this how you behave?” the woman said when Andrew refused to apologize.
Andrew’s eyes widened as he saw his father approaching. “DAD?? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” he gasped.
Steven, equally shocked but angry, replied, “I had to take this flight unexpectedly. I couldn’t believe my son was behaving like this!”
Andrew stammered, “But… dad…”
“Enough! Apologize to her right now!” Steven commanded. “We’ll talk about this when we get home.”
Reluctantly, Andrew apologized to the stewardess, though he didn’t feel remorse. Back at home, Steven confronted him.
“You made quite an impression today,” Steven said sarcastically. “I sent you to a prestigious school to learn, not to be arrogant and disrespectful!”
Andrew defended himself. “She’s just there to serve. It’s not a big deal.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. No one should be treated poorly, no matter what their job is. Our wealth doesn’t give us the right to belittle others,” Steven said firmly.
“Does that mean I’m not going back to boarding school?” Andrew asked, already dreading the consequences.
“That’s right,” Steven replied. “You’ll attend public school, and during breaks, you’ll work.”
“Work?” Andrew protested. “As a janitor?”
“Yes, work,” Steven confirmed. “You’ll work in my cleaning business during your breaks. I’m taking away your privileges—no bank cards, car, phone, or fancy clothes.”
Over the next few weeks, Andrew struggled with the grueling work. Used to a life of luxury, he found sweeping floors and collecting trash challenging. His supervisor, an older woman, didn’t let him slack off.
“Look at how you’re holding that mop!” she chided. “Pick up the pace!”
Frustrated, Andrew retorted, “I’m not used to this. Get back to work!”
“I’m not afraid of threats,” she replied. “Your father has entrusted me to help you learn. Now get to work!”
The physical labor drained him, and he often longed for breaks. One rough day, a passerby threw a bottle at him, calling him “just a janitor.”
Andrew tried to push through the humiliation, but one incident really made him reflect. While cleaning up a spill, a woman demanded he clean it, and he resisted.
“I’m not touching that!” he exclaimed.
“You have no choice,” she insisted. “If you don’t, you’ll be reported.”
Realizing how he must have made the stewardess feel, Andrew reluctantly cleaned up the mess, experiencing the unkind treatment firsthand. A transformation began to take place.
One day, while working at the airport, Andrew saw the stewardess he had wronged. He approached her with a newfound understanding.
“I owe you an apology,” Andrew said sincerely. “I was wrong, and I’m truly sorry for how I treated you.”
Her smile spoke volumes. “It’s good to see you understand now.”
Though Andrew didn’t have much more to say, he nodded and returned to his work, a changed young man, grateful for the lessons learned through hard work and humility.
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