The company director fired me in front of everyone. Two hours later, he called and said, “Dress nicely and meet me by the lake. Don’t tell anyone we’re meeting.” When I arrived, he asked me to take a photo with him… and the next morning, that photo was hanging on the door of his office

Then he looked toward the photo hanging on his office door.

“And that picture is staying there until the end of the day.”

I laughed.

“People are thinking terrible things.”

He laughed too.

“I know. But at noon, I’m going to tell them the truth.”

When I walked out of his office, the same people were staring at me again.

Only this time, I wasn’t embarrassed.

Karen was no longer there.

And strangely enough, years later, I still keep that photo from the lake.

Not because I’m standing beside my former director.

But because that was the day I lost my job…

and the next morning, I discovered that he hadn’t really fired me at all.

He had only removed me long enough to find out who he needed to protect the company from.