one cheesy essay

One’s Definition of Success

Jack snorted as he saw two dandy businessmen walking out of the elevator snobbishly; ignoring those blue-collar workers—like him—who greeted them. If it was not for his wife and children, he would not work in a successful yet immoral multinational company like Smithson Corporation. He detested the “fake” and “evil” acts of the upper-class workers—president, directors, top-level managers—of the company, who thought that wealth and power were the vital elements of blissful lives. Jack always thought that success—at least in today’s culture of flash and extravagance—was often associated with financial wealth and materialistic acquisition. He believed that for most people, success was defined by their economic status and the amount of money they could accumulate over time, but he did not see success as being that narrowly defined. He might not have that much money, power, or the luxury, but he did have the heart, which according to him, was the most important element of success. He did not regret—not even once—his way of life.

The voice of a heated argument of a young lady and the businessmen brought Jack back from his trance. The girl was very appealing; she wore a smart-casual outfit and was clutching a white map, which he soon discovered as a pile of business files. Jack was still sweeping the floor, but his mind was not there anymore; he was trying to hear what they were talking about. “No, Honey. No agreements since you declined my offer. I was generous enough; I wanted to give you a lot of money and a success in this business deal. Once again, all you have to do is ‘entertain’ me. Do we have a deal?” Jack heard the gray-haired man smiled mockingly. Anger just rose inside of Jack; he had never been this infuriated.

“No. This is a business meeting, Sir,” replied the brown-haired lady, still showing them the same expression—poker-faced. “He gave you an excellent deal. This is Jakarta, a modern-city, you are too conservative. You have a stunning face and an excellent body, no doubt about that; such a waste if you do not use them properly. I will give you an extra. How is that?” The other man—pale-skinned and bulky—stepped forward and grabbed her by the waist. She was trying to pull away, but compared to his beefy shape, her lean figure seemed so frail. Jack looked around, and no one was brave enough to help the woman, who looked like she had given up. It all seemed like a slow-motion for Jack; he could not think properly. He felt like his body has minds on its own; he tossed the broom away and walked towards his successful yet depraved bosses.

“What kind of people are you?” Jack snapped. More than ten pairs of eyes gazed at him. Some looked at him with awe; the others were flabbergasted and thought he was ridiculous. “Well, well. Do you have a problem?” asked the gray-haired, less bulky man. He looked at the janitor as if he was a powerless object who could do nothing to harm him. “You are just a janitor here—a failure. Don’t ever interrupt us, or do you want to get fired? You do remember that you are working for us, do you? We pay you.” The other man demanded, looking at him scornfully. Without thinking twice, Jack threw two punches to both men, taking hold of the lady’s hand and yanking her to stand behind his back. “I resign. I am different from everyone else; in my eyes, you two are immoral, not successful.”

Everyone was taken aback. From the corner of Jack’s eyes, he could see that his former employers were also quite appalled by his act. He never regretted his life, and he would keep it that way. He believed that he had done the right thing, and there was no turning back. He then walked out of the Smithson Tower with his right hand still clutching the lady’s wrist and a relieved heart. The lady did not stop thanking him, and he kept saying that he just did what he thought was right. She went to hail a taxi, but just before she went inside, she turned back and said, “You are not a failure, Jack.” Jack thought about it for a moment and agreed; he might not have the money, but he had helped someone who needed a help. He believed that God had given him—everyone—the duty of helping each others, and he had succeeded in one. He was one step ahead of the others. What a great start, he thought positively.


P.S: Due tomorrow. I am such a procrastinator, I know. I am kinda late, yes, but I need help.