For over three decades, Thomas Dawson worked on Mr. Bennett’s vast farmland — through harsh winters, scorching summers, and countless harvests. He was known for his quiet dedication, his weathered hands, and his unwavering loyalty. But after thirty long years, Dawson felt a deep emptiness growing inside him. One afternoon, with the courage that only time and reflection can bring, he walked into his employer’s office and said softly, “Boss, I think it’s time for me to leave the farm.”
Mr. Bennett looked up, visibly surprised. “Leave? After thirty years, Dawson? Why now?”
The old farmer sighed. “I’ve worked my whole life here, sir. And what do I have? You change cars every year, your house keeps getting bigger… and I still pay rent. I’m getting old. Maybe it’s time I do something for myself — something that matters.”
The words hung heavy in the room. Bennett leaned back, his eyes thoughtful. “I understand, my friend. You’ve been my right hand for decades. It breaks my heart to see you go.” Then, after a long pause, he added, “But before you retire, I’ll ask one last favor. I’m leaving for the States with my wife — we’ll be gone a few months, until harvest season. Please take care of this last planting season for me. After that, you can retire peacefully. Deal?”
Dawson hesitated, then nodded. “Alright, boss. But after this, I’m done for good.”
“Fair enough,” Bennett said with a faint smile. “Here — take my company card. Buy only the best supplies — the finest seeds, fertilizers, treatments. Don’t worry about the limit; there isn’t one. Let’s make this the best harvest the farm has ever seen.”
As the dust settled from Bennett’s departure, Dawson poured his heart into the fields. But one afternoon, a coworker approached him with a tempting offer. “Hey, the boss gave you the company card, right? No limit. Listen — we could buy the cheap stuff and keep the rest. Last year, good materials cost two million. If we buy the cheap ones, we’d only spend four hundred thousand. Think about it — that money could change our lives.”
Dawson stayed silent for a moment, staring out at the fields that had shaped his life. Then he said quietly, “My parents taught me one thing — never take what isn’t yours. I’ll do what’s right, even if no one’s watching.”
His coworker scoffed. “Then you’re a fool.” He walked away muttering, leaving Dawson alone with the weight of his choice.
Weeks passed. Dawson used the company card exactly as instructed — investing in top-quality materials, just as Bennett asked. The harvest that year turned out to be the most abundant in the farm’s history.
When Bennett returned months later, he wasn’t alone. With him was his lawyer — and a surprise Dawson never expected. “Thomas,” Bennett said, smiling warmly, “I watched every transaction while I was away. You could have taken advantage, but you didn’t. You proved once again that integrity still matters. That’s why I’ve decided to retire too — and the farm… is yours now.”
Tears welled in Dawson’s eyes. The man who had worked humbly for decades finally reaped the reward of a lifetime — not through greed, but through honesty.
Sometimes, doing the right thing truly does pay off in the end.