Imagine being the only person in your company who knows how to do something very important. Without your skill set, the company would not be able to function.

If you were fired, would you be upset, or would you be happy?

In this story, one employee is in this exact situation, and he’s not upset at all when he gets fired because he knows it’s really going to backfire for the company.

Let’s see how the story plays out.

Let me go? Fine. You’ll lose millions.

This was around 10yrs ago. I’ve always been very technical minded & was able to read blueprints, construct complex devices, weld (mig, tig, stick. Certified in fact among other things.)

I took a high paying job with a company that made several things for railroads. The job entailed most of my skills, I mentioned above.

It was a very small department, in fact there were only 2-3 of us. But we got along great & challenged each other. Which led to higher production. (Sadly the one other guy in my department left for a better job which left me by myself.)

My supervisor was great as well; liked to joke around with me, left me alone to focus on my work & had my back when I needed him. We actually assembled Signal Enclosures & Mast & Ladder Houses for railroads.

Big changes usually mean big problems.

Fast forward to 3yrs later & the owners buy a much bigger location & move the whole company.

As you might expect, several departments get shuffled.

Yep, my department gets folded into a completely different department that has no clue what I do.

At first, it was fine but it starts to go pear shaped pretty quickly.

He didn’t like his new supervisor.

My new supervisor seemed good at first. But I quickly realize he’s a “snake in the grass.”

For example, I had to help the prototype department assemble a new, lighter type of mast & ladder house. So I’m printing out issues & suggesting fixes, etc.

New supervisor is not happy. He keeps coming over huffing, groaning under his breath, standing over my shoulder, etc.

He finally interrupts and asks in an angry voice “How much longer will this take?!”

He wasn’t going to like the answer.

I respond “I have 4 more hours today. And eights hours everyday after that.”

He looks puzzled. So I explain “This is my department. This is where I work. These are my responsibilities. So if it takes two months, that’s how long it takes.”

Almost as if to get the last word in he says “You work where & when I tell you!” And storms off.

This is a huge mess!

Next day I’m called into the office & they force me to sign a letter that states, I now work in my new supervisor’s department.

Fine by me. I watch from a distance in my “new department” as all the stock, hardware, parts, orders, etc. of my “old department” begin to rack-up. And since I’m the only one that works in that department, or rather, used to work in that department…lol. Nobody is doing a thing about it.

After about 2 weeks, my old department is a disaster. With items being thrown wherever it would fit. Orders had began to miss deadlines and higher-ups wanted answers.

Sure enough, I get called into the office where the new supervisor blames me for everything. But wouldn’t let me get a word in.

The supervisor didn’t think this through very well.

Of course, they let me go without any reason or paperwork.

The look of relief on my new, ex-supervisor’s face when I walk out was priceless. He had no clue what was coming…

I leave with a smile plastered to me face. Because I knew something they didn’t; I was the only one that knew how to build the mast & ladder structures.

I relaxed at home for around 2 weeks because I knew I would be getting a call from them.

Here’s the fallout.

I ignore the first dozen calls.

Then I answer : “can you come back & build, train new hires, etc for your department?”

“Sure.” I say “for $20,000.” (Now that may seem like a lot but it wasn’t. They made millions from these. So there really was only one option; pay me $20k or lose millions.)

Long story short, they went back-and-forth with me but finally conceded.

I received $20k for two days work & they were helpless. The cherry on top was my new, ex supervisor was fired for being a nitwit & costing the company $20k.

He should’ve asked for even more. They would’ve had no choice but to pay it.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

This person shares a similar story.

I agree!

Another person loves one particular phrase.

Companies really don’t treat their employees like family.

He should’ve charged more.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.