Student’s Good Work> Anthology of English essays - Billy the Boss  

Ho Yuen Cheung (F.2D)

Billy was a selfish boss. He often gave his staff lots of work but not enough wages. He was indifferent too. When one of his staff needed maternity leave, he did not allow it. If his staff couldn't finish their work, Billy scorned them without asking why. It had been difficult for his staff to stay or for Billy himself to hire anyone else.

One day, Billy had a stroke. He needed to go to the hospital for physiotherapy
because of his impaired ability of speech. In the hospital, he met the pregnant staff
who resigned. When they came across each other in the corridor, they stared at
each other.

The staff member couldn't bear the standstill. Although she hated the boss, she was also shocked to find him in such a wretched state. It was thus she gave a book to the boss. "Look what you have become. Read it and reflect on yourself."

Billy didn't care about the book, and he buried the book under a pile of unsigned
documents next to his bed. A few weeks of physiotherapy went by. He leafed through
the book out of boredom.

"A Chinese boy who caught bone marrow cancer heard from a donor from Taiwan…”

"The same old story,“ He thought.
After the rehabilitation, he went straight back to work again. He resumed scorning his staff for being lazy and not being able to finish their work on time. One day, he was furious to the point of fainting, and fell down.

When Billy woke up, he was in the hospital. The doctor said his condition was critical. Billy only had a few days left. Confounded and lost, Billy started to take that book seriously.

"Despite the earthquake in Taiwan, the donor was willing to continue his operation to donate his bone marrow to the Chinese boy in need. Finally, after 24-hour delivery, the Chinese boy received his treatment.”

The book made Billy realize that even if he didn't have much time left, he could still make a meaningful change by being selfless. Billy talked to his family, who fully supported his decision to sign the organ donation card.

A couple of months later, a man sent flowers and a thank-you card to Billy's company,
which was about to disintegrate. The staff, who were packing, were curious. They
took a look at the card, on which some lines went:

"Thank you for your donation. Without your heart, my husband couldn't have
survived. Our entire family is heavily indebted. We will name our son, who is to be
born four months later, after you as a token of gratitude."

When the staff finished reading this thank-you card, they were pleasantly surprised.