Apex Trucking picked up and delivered airfreight all over the greater Seattle area. Drivers were particularly efficient and conscientious, known for their dependability, speed and accuracy in coding and labeling packages that would travel world wide. Their gleaming white and blue cargo vans and cab-over box trucks set standards emulated by every other company in the city. It was as modern, and up-to-date a trucking company as could be.
But Joe, the southern-bred office manager/dispatcher/boss was anything but that. Mired in the corporate perspective of yesteryear Joe had a reputation for overworking and underpaying the drivers who labored under his dictatorial oppression like peons in a king’s court. And Joe liked it that way.
Jon Henry was a model employee. His performance was stellar. He was truly the best driver in the company. He also had a healthy growth of whiskers slowly working themselves into a full, quite impressive bushy beard. And Joe didn’t like it. Tuesday afternoon he called Jon Henry into the dispatcher’s office and let him know his beard had to go. “It’s just not professional.”
“I like my beard” said Jon, “and I don’t plan on shaving it off.”
“Suit yourself” said Joe, “but if that beard isn’t gone by Friday you’re fired!”
Friday afternoon arrived and as the drivers were clocking out Joe approached Jon and let him know he was fired. Then Joe asked the strangest question. It seems another driver had let Joe know he wasn’t going to make it in on Monday for work. Joe asked Jon if, even though he had been fired, would he mind coming back in Monday to fill in for the driver who would be out. Jon gave an even stranger answer. He said “sure!”
On Monday Jon was there, beard and all, filling in the entire day for the missing driver. At the end of the day Joe approached him. “Maybe I can get used to the beard” he said.
On Tuesday a bearded Jon returned, and stayed at his job. The beard was never mentioned again.