The whorehouse doorman

In that town there was no other job worse seen and worse paid than that of a brothel porter... But what else could that man do? In fact, he had never learned to read or write, he had no other activity or trade. In fact, it was his job because his father had been the doorman of that brothel before him, and before him, his father's father. For decades, the brothel had been passed down from father to son, and the doorman's job as well.

One day, the old owner died and a restless, creative and enterprising young man took over the brothel. The young man decided to modernize the business. He modified the rooms and then summoned the staff to give them new instructions. To the doorman he said: "From today on, in addition to being at the door, you will prepare a weekly report for me. You will write down the number of couples entering each day. One out of every five, you will ask them how they were treated and what they would correct about the place. And once a week, you will present that report to me with any comments you think are appropriate.

The man trembled. He had never lacked a willingness to work, but...

-I'd love to satisfy you, sir," he stammered, "but I... I can't read or write.

-Oh, I'm so sorry! As you understand, I can't pay someone else to do this and I can't wait for you to learn to write, so....

-However, sir, you can't fire me. I've worked at this all my life, just like my father and grandfather....

He did not let him finish. -Look, I understand; however, there is nothing I can do for you. Logically, we will give you an indemnity, that is, an amount of money so that you can subsist until you find another job. So I am sorry. Good luck to you.

And, without further ado, he turned and left. The man felt like the world was falling apart. He had never thought he would ever find himself in such a situation. He arrived home, unemployed for the first time in his life. What could he do? Then he remembered that sometimes, in the whorehouse, when a bed broke or a closet leg was ruined, he managed to make a simple, temporary fix with a hammer and nails. He thought this could be a transient occupation until someone offered him a job. He looked around the house for the tools he needed, and found only a few rusty nails and a dull pair of pliers. He had to buy a complete toolbox, and for that he would use some of the money he had received. At the corner of his house he found out that there was no hardware store in his town, and that he would have to travel two days by mule to go to the nearest town to buy. -What difference does it make, he thought. And he set off.

On his return, he was carrying a beautiful and complete toolbox. He had not finished taking off his boots when there was a knock at his front door; it was his neighbor.

-I came to ask him if he wouldn't have a hammer to lend me.

-Look, yes, I just bought it, but I need it for work. Since I've lost my job...

-Well, but I would return it to you very early tomorrow morning.

-All right.

The next morning, as promised, the neighbor knocked on his door.

-Look, I still need the hammer. Why don't you sell it to me?

-No, I need it for work and, besides, the hardware store is two days away by mule.

-Let's make a deal," said the neighbor. -I'll pay you for the two days there and two days back, plus the price of the hammer. Anyway, you're out of work. What do you say?

Actually, this gave him work for four days... He accepted.

On his return, another neighbor was waiting for him at the door of his house.

-Hello, neighbor. Did you sell a hammer to our friend?

-Yes...

-I need some tools. I'm willing to pay you for your four-day trip and a small profit for each one. You know, we don't all have four days to do our shopping.

The former doorman opened his toolbox and his neighbor picked out a pliers, a screwdriver, a hammer and a chisel. He paid him and left.

-We don't all have four days to do our shopping...," he reminded.

If this was true, many people might need him to travel to bring tools. On the next trip he decided that he would risk some of the compensation money by bringing more tools than he had sold. In the process, he could save time on travel.

Word began to spread through the neighborhood and many neighbors decided to stop traveling to do their shopping. Once a week, the now tool salesman would travel and buy what his customers needed. He soon realized that if he could find a place to store the tools, he could save more trips and make more money. So he rented a store. Then he enlarged the entrance to the store and a few weeks later added a storefront, so the store became the first hardware store in town. Everyone was happy and shopped at his store. He no longer had to travel, because the hardware store in the neighboring town sent him his orders: he was a good customer. Eventually, all the shoppers from smaller towns farther away preferred to shop at his hardware store and save two days' travel time. One day, it occurred to him that his friend, the lathe operator, could make hammer heads for him. And then, why not, he could also make pliers, tongs and chisels. Later came the nails and screws... To make a long story short, I'll tell you that in ten years that man became a millionaire toolmaker, based on honesty and hard work. And he ended up being the most powerful businessman in the region. So powerful was he that one day, at the beginning of the school year, he decided to donate a school to his town. -In addition to reading and writing, the most practical arts and crafts of the time would be taught there," he thought.

The mayor organized a big party to inaugurate the school and an important tribute dinner for its founder. At dessert, the mayor handed him the keys of the city and hugged him and said:

-It is with great pride and gratitude that we ask you to grant us the honor of placing your signature on the first page of the school's honor book.

-The honor would be mine," said the man, "but I can neither read nor write. I am illiterate.

-You? -You can't read or write? You built an industrial empire without knowing how to read or write? I am amazed. I wonder what I would have done if I had known how to read and write.

-I can tell you," replied the man calmly. -If I had known how to read and write... I would be the doorman of the whorehouse!