Mujer No Falta Un Día Al Trabajo En 47 Años, Es Recompensada Con Un Caramelo

Su Último Día

Entra en el despacho del director con una sonrisa radiante. Después de cuarenta y siete años de servicio, por fin se jubilaba. No sabía qué plan de jubilación le tenía preparado la empresa y sólo podía rezar por lo mejor.

Abuela y con gente que sigue dependiendo de ella, esperaba que su trabajo la honrara como es debido. Pero su corazón se rompió cuando vio la recompensa que le dieron.

Un Agradecimiento

Con lágrimas contenidas, Lashonda Michaels aceptó la bolsa de regalos de su jefe.

Intentó mantener la sonrisa, pero no lo consiguió. ¿Cómo podían hacerle esto?

Nunca se había dejado llevar por las emociones. Pero no podía creer que después de todo lo que había hecho y dado, esto era todo lo que recibía como agradecimiento.

1984

Lashonda sólo tenía 20 años cuando se presentó a las puertas de su KFC local en Memphis, Tennessee, en busca de trabajo.

Corría el año 1984 y la joven Lashonda sólo quería encontrar una forma de llegar a fin de mes.

Nacida como Lashonda Deshawn Michaels, era la primogénita de una familia de seis hermanos. Cuando su padre fue encarcelado, poco después de que ella cumpliera diez años, Lashonda supo que su vida nunca volvería a ser la misma.

Su Madre

La madre de Lashonda, aunque era la mujer más dulce que Lashonda conocía, tenía sus vicios.

Saltaba de un marido a otro, teniendo con ellos al resto de los hermanos de Lashonda.

No importaba que estos hombres la maltrataran o que la utilizaran por el poco dinero que tenía. Ella siempre parecía ajena a sus defectos hasta que era demasiado tarde.

Una Noche Terrible

Lashonda aún recuerda el día en que perdió a su madre, la única proveedora de su familia.

Acababa de cumplir veinte años y tenía toda la vida por delante.

Pero una larga noche de discusiones entre su madre y su actual novio acabó con una bala gastada, que se cobró la vida de su madre. El terrible final había llegado.

Las Secuelas

Aunque nadie lo mencionó en el funeral, Lashonda sabía que todas las responsabilidades que su madre había asumido antes recaían ahora sobre ella.

Todavía era joven, sí. Pero había que pagar las facturas de la casa. Algunos de sus hermanastros estaban todavía en la escuela secundaria, mientras que otros acababan de empezar el instituto.

Todos necesitaban el billete de autobús, comida, ropa y comodidades cotidianas. Lashonda tenía que dar un paso adelante.

Sola

A la tierna edad de veinte años, Lashonda pisó las frías e implacables calles de Memphis, Tennessee.

Dejó a un lado sus sueños y aspiraciones y decidió que encontraría un trabajo para cuidar de sus hermanos pequeños.

Nadie de su extensa familia le había prometido ayuda en el entierro de su madre; todos se limitaron a ofrecerle falsas condolencias. Por lo que Lashonda veía, estaba completamente sola.

En Busca De Trabajo

Iba de negocio en negocio con su certificado de GED, preguntando si podía encontrar trabajo. Estaba dispuesta a todo.

Habría hecho de todo, desde barrer oficinas hasta ir a buscar café o preparar comida.

Habría lavado coches en la calle o incluso se habría convertido en repartidora si fuera necesario. Cualquier cosa era válida en ese momento.

Una Época Diferente

Pero Lashonda aprendió pronto que nada bueno era fácil.

Ninguna empresa o negocio estaba dispuesto a contratar a una chica de veinte años con su tono de piel y su nivel educativo.

Eran otros tiempos y Lashonda lo sabía. Estaba en triple desventaja y lo odiaba. Pero eso fue hasta que vio la oferta de trabajo de KFC publicada en el periódico local.

El Anuncio En Cuestión

El anuncio era bastante sencillo. Un nuevo restaurante KFC acababa de abrir en la ciudad y estaba contratando personal.

Querían de todo, desde cocineros hasta limpiadores y expertos en cajas registradoras.

El corazón de Lashonda latía en sus oídos mientras leía el anuncio varias veces, sabiendo que su vida estaba a punto de cambiar. No podía llegar a la ciudad lo bastante rápido.

Ir A La Ciudad

Después de asegurarse de que sus hermanastros ya estaban en la escuela, Lashonda tomó dos autobuses para ir a la ciudad.

Buscó por los alrededores hasta encontrar el KFC en cuestión.

Pero, al igual que ella, había muchas personas buscando trabajo. La mayoría le doblaban la edad, lo que le hizo preguntarse si conseguiría un puesto en el restaurante.

Mantener El Optimismo

A pesar de todo, una Lashonda esperanzada siguió adelante.

Conseguiría un trabajo aunque fuera lo último que hiciera ese día. Todo dependía de ello.

Esbozó su mejor sonrisa antes de entrar en la sala de entrevistas. Ya había estado en muchas y sabía exactamente qué esperar. Les sorprendería con su presencia.

Hora De La Entrevista

Lashonda respondió a todas las preguntas de la entrevista lo mejor que pudo.

No se inmutó ante ninguna pregunta y no entró en pánico cuando algo la pilló desprevenida. Lo tenía todo bajo control.

Así que cuando oyó que el gerente la llamaba por su nombre al final del día mientras esperaba en el aparcamiento del restaurante, rompió a llorar, pensando que sus problemas se habían acabado.

El Comienzo

Al día siguiente, Lashonda empezó a trabajar como cocinera.

Su jefe le dio dos pares de uniformes y le pidió que se sintiera orgulloso.

Como no tenía mucho dinero para comprar cosas como zapatos y productos para el pelo, utilizó lo que le dejó su madre. Esperaba poder ocupar el puesto vacante de la difunta.

Su Primer Día

Y así fue como Lashonda empezó a trabajar en KFC, preparando comidas para todos los que agraciaban el restaurante con su presencia. Tuvo suerte de que su madre le enseñara los fundamentos de la cocina y los aplicara a su puesto actual.

El trabajo era bastante sencillo. Lashonda se presentaba a las 8 de la mañana y empezaba a preparar pollo y galletas. Al mediodía, pasaba a las hamburguesas.

Era un sistema de sonido, y a Lashonda le encantaba. Pero eso no significaba que sus problemas se hubieran acabado de repente.

Salario Mínimo

En todo caso, su trabajo le planteaba otro problema.

Su salario mínimo en aquel momento era de apenas dos dólares, y todo se evaporaba en el momento en que el dinero caía en sus manos.

Después de pagar todas las facturas de servicios públicos y reponer la despensa de la casa, apenas le quedaba dinero para el mantenimiento diario de ella y sus hermanos. Necesitaba una forma de salir de este sistema de subsistencia.

En Busca De Una Salida

Lo primero que pensó Lashonda fue en buscar otro trabajo mejor pagado.

Pero no podía negar que el restaurante tenía un seguro médico excelente, que había salvado a sus hermanos en numerosas ocasiones.

Pidió horas extra a su jefe, y aunque eso le vino de maravilla, le abrió otro problema que tendría que manejar.

Necesita Ayuda

Este problema vino de la mano de una niñera.

Ninguno de los hermanos de Lashonda había cumplido aún los quince años, y el mayor sólo tenía catorce.

Había cogido un turno extra de seis horas en el trabajo, con la esperanza de ganar algo de dinero extra para estabilizar las cosas en casa. Pero sabía que no podía dejar solos a sus hermanos.

Una Niñera

Tendría que encontrar una niñera que los cuidara o perdería las seis horas extra que su jefe le había ofrecido. Por supuesto, Lashonda encontró la manera de sobrellevarlo.

Salía de casa todos los días, asegurándose de haber preparado dos comidas para sus hermanos.

También le dejaba al mayor una serie de instrucciones, entre ellas asegurarse de que cada uno de los pequeños estuviera en la cama a las nueve y de que él hubiera cerrado las puertas antes de acostarse. LaShonda no sabía lo que le esperaría.

En Movimiento

Aunque el primer mes de este acuerdo fue problemático, Lashonda y su pequeña familia se acostumbraron a sus papeles e hicieron que funcionara.

Las semanas se convirtieron en meses, los meses en años y, antes de que Lashonda se diera cuenta, era una mujer casada, con hijos y un marido cariñoso.

Pero su lucha aún no había terminado. Aún tenía muchos problemas por delante.

Making Decisions

It all began with a phone call on a late Monday afternoon. One of Lashonda’s friends had seen her husband walk into a motel with a woman that wasn’t Lashonda.

Lashonda didn’t know how to handle the situation. She wanted to throw aside her apron and rush to the motel to confront the man.

But she couldn’t just leave her post unattended. What should she do? Was a cheater worth her job?

The Confrontation

Lashonda’s heart raced as she stood outside the motel, her hand tightly clutching the piece of candy she had received as her retirement “reward.”

She took a deep breath and pushed open the door, ready to face the truth.

Inside the dimly lit room, she found her husband, Samuel, standing awkwardly, his eyes widening with surprise as he saw her. But it was the person sitting on the bed that surprised her the most.

The Mistress

The woman, Candesha, looked equally shocked as she saw Lashonda enter the room.

Her face flushed with embarrassment and guilt, but she quickly composed herself and stood up, defiance in her eyes.

Lashonda’s body quivered with a mixture of anger and hurt. “Samuel, how could you? After all these years, the sacrifices I made, and the loyalty I showed, this is how you repay me?” That was what she wanted to say, but the words never passed her lips. What would she do?

Caught Off Guard

Lashonda couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

She couldn’t believe that her husband, the man she trusted with her life, cheated on her with her best friend.

She had thought of every possible scenario, but this was the last thing on her mind. How could the two pillars in her life do something like this to her?

What To Do?

Lashonda didn’t know what to do. She was frozen in place, wondering what the best route would be to take.

If she divorced her husband for his sins, she’d be back at square one. But this time, she would have more mouths to feed.

Could she do that at her age? Was she still capable of pushing herself to that extent?

He Decided To Speak

Samuel quickly pulled a sheet over himself and turned to his wife.

A bunch of words were leaving his mouth, but Lashonda didn’t understand a word he was saying.

Was he apologizing? Was he accusing her? Her mind was just too cloudy to make sense of what was happening around her. Could she even snap out of it?

Snap Out Of It!

Lashonda wanted to believe that he wanted to fix things. That he had a valid reason for betraying her in such a horrendous way.

But she couldn’t put herself in the position to listen. So she just turned on her heel and walked out the door.

However, her problems weren’t over yet. Her husband wanted to be heard, and he wouldn’t stop until she listened.

Getting It Out

As Lashonda rounded a corner, Samuel grabbed onto her arm and pulled her back. That was when she finally managed to snap out of her trance.

She turned to her husband and said the words she couldn’t say earlier.

“Samuel, how could you? After all these years, the sacrifices I made, and the loyalty I showed, this is how you repay me?”

Samuel’s Defense

Samuel stammered, desperately trying to find the right words to explain himself. “Lashonda, I… I don’t know what to say. It was a mistake. I never meant to hurt you. But you work too much.”

Lashonda’s eyes filled with tears as she listened to his feeble excuses.

She had given everything for their family, sacrificing her dreams and enduring hardships, only to be betrayed.

Anger

In that moment of pain and betrayal, Lashonda’s hands balled into fists.

She was ready to fight Candesha and Samuel. With a sudden burst of anger, she threw Samuel’s own shoes at him.

“Is this what my loyalty and dedication earned me, Samuel?” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. “I deserve better than this. I deserve respect and faithfulness.”

Disrespected

“And you, I thought we were friends? How could you take a husband and father away from his family?” LaShonda couldn’t believe that Candesha, her friend of nine years, would do this to her.

She had just about reached the end of her tether.

Not only was she working her fingers to the bone for long hours, but her husband and friend were disrespecting her all this time.

Candesha’s Apology

Candesha, the other woman in the room, stepped forward, her voice filled with remorse. “Lashonda, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know y’all were still together. He lied to me too. I had no idea.”

Lashonda’s anger shifted momentarily as she looked at Candesha.

She was also lying to her now. How could she not know that they were still married? At this point, Lashonda’s blood was boiling.

So Much Hatred

Lashonda felt she wanted to do something. Something that she would surely regret.

She had so much hatred and anger for her husband Samuel and her friend Candesha for their betrayal.

She already had so much going on in her life. Why did she have to deal with this as well? When would she get her break in life?

A Dark Future

What followed was a nasty divorce and child custody battle.

But even through these trying times, moments where Lashonda could have taken the day or week off to gather herself, she didn’t miss a day of work.

She couldn’t afford that. She needed to make sure everyone had a roof over their heads and food in their bellies. But everyone needs a break sometime.

Determined

She even showed up after her court hearings, wearing the same bright smile she had been wearing since her first day at the job.

If only her coworkers knew what was truly happening behind the scenes.

If only she knew how difficult it was for her to maintain that smile. But nobody saw what was going on inside her.

Rebuilding Her Life

Lashonda knew that her life would never be the same again.

She had to rebuild not only her own identity but also the lives of her children, who were caught in the crossfire of their parent’s failed marriage.

But that wasn’t the only thing that was lingering at the back of her mind. She would be retiring soon, and that would be where the problems truly began.

Pushing Forward

She moved forward with determination, finding strength in her years of hard work and perseverance.

Lashonda knew that she had a bright future ahead, and she would not let this setback define her.

She had done it once, and she would do it again. But at what cost? How would this affect her in the long run?

Never Missed A Day

Lashonda was hurting. But she wouldn’t let that come between her and her job.

She’d promised her boss to always clock in and aimed to keep that promise.

Even though there were days when she didn’t want to get up, she did. She pushed through, hoping it would be worth it in the end. But she would soon learn that it wasn’t worth it.

Not One Day

She never missed a day of work in the forty-seven years she worked at the restaurant.

By now, she’d worked as a cook, a cleaner and even managed the place on rare occasions.

She was sure the restaurant would grandly honor her. That was until she saw what they had in the bag for her.

Here To Say Goodbye

The day had started normally for Lashonda, who, after taking her grandkids to school, drove to town to see what her last day at KFC would bring.

She was excited, but at the same time, she was nervous.

This would be the end of one heck of a journey. And she wasn’t really sure she was ready for that.

A Sad End

She was in her sixties now.

Her hair had turned gray from all the years she’d spent working and taking care of everyone around her.

She still had a lot of things to do and hoped she’d receive a good enough retirement package to help her take care of her problems. She’d be left speechless soon enough.

More Than A Restaurant

Lashonda stepped into the KFC, where all her coworkers eagerly awaited her.

She was the oldest employee here and had taught everyone everything they knew.

For her, that shop had become a home, and it wasn’t just because she had spent the majority of her life in it. There was so much more to it than that.

Come And Go

She’d seen generations pass through the restaurant, watched kids grow into adults, and have their own kids who later grew into adults.

To her, this was more than just a place to grab a quick meal.

It was more than serving customers and cooking up meals. It was her history. The place that made her the woman she was that day.

Home

It was her home away from home, her constant in this turbulent ride we call life.

She’d always come here when things weren’t going her way, finding calm in her work routine.

But now she needed to turn in her apron and uniform. After forty-seven years of service, it was time to retire. She greeted everyone with stemmed tears before proceeding to her manager’s office.

Her Manager

The manager, Mr. Jefreys, had only been here for three years, but even he deeply respected Lashonda.

Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to look her in her eyes when she stepped into his office.

That was when Lashonda knew that things weren’t going to be as pleasant as she hoped they would be. What was he ashamed of?

Facing The Music

He shook her hand and asked her to take a seat. Fidgeting with his fingers, he thanked Lashonda for all she’d done, saying it had been an honor to meet and work with her.

Yet, Lashonda couldn’t help but feel like something was terribly wrong.

Mr. Jefreys was acting very suspiciously, almost like he was uncomfortable. What was going on there?

The Goodie Bag

Mr. Jefreys pulled open his desk drawer and fished out a goodie bag – the same kind the restaurant usually packed gifts for customers in.

He cleared his throat and pulled at his dress shirt’s collar as if he was burning up.

A trim line of sweat drew down his forehead. “Off the record,” he began. “I really did everything I could, Lashonda.”

Inside The Bag

Lashonda received the bag, her brows knitting together. She opened it and almost fell back at what she saw.

The bag contained two movie tickets, a KFC mug, chocolates, and candies. Lashonda moved the candy around, thinking there had to be more.

Surely the restaurant hid some check or something along those lines here.

That’s It

But there was nothing. After forty-seven years of hard work and dedication, with sacrifice after sacrifice, this was how the restaurant was repaying her.

Her eyes stung with tears, and she felt a sickness grow in her stomach. Her manager started talking, saying he tried to help her, but she couldn’t hear him.

A loud buzzing had taken her ears. She stood up, wiped her eyes, and straightened her clothes. She was going to make each of them pay.

A Storm Brewing

Lashonda stormed out of the manager’s office. The goodie bag was still clutched tightly in her hand.

Her emotions boiled inside her, a mixture of anger, disappointment, and betrayal.

How could they treat her like this after almost five decades of loyalty and hard work? How could they thank her by giving her something so meaningless?

Furious

As she walked through the restaurant, her fellow coworkers sensed the tension radiating from her. They stopped their activities and exchanged concerned glances.

Lashonda had always been the pillar of strength and resilience, but now she appeared shattered.

They couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to upset her so much. But they would learn the truth soon enough.

Unleashing the Fury

Lashonda made her way to the center of the restaurant, her voice ringing out with a force that silenced everyone.

“Is this how they repay me? Forty-seven years of dedication, and they give me a bag of trinkets?” Her words reverberated through the room, capturing the attention of every employee and customer present.

She was not going to let them do this to her.

Determined

The shock and disbelief on their faces fueled Lashonda’s determination. She continued, her voice steady but filled with pent-up rage.

“I’ve given my blood, sweat, and tears to this place. I’ve never missed a day, and this is what I get in return. Well, let me tell you, this isn’t over!”

Then she marched out, tears streaming down her face.

A United Front

Her outburst sparked a fire in the hearts of her coworkers.

They had all benefited from Lashonda’s wisdom and kindness over the years, and they couldn’t stand idly by while she was treated so unfairly.

One by one, they rallied behind her, voicing their support and vowing to take action.
Even if they had to down tools and take strike action, they were not going to leave her in the lurch.

Solidarity

The atmosphere in the restaurant shifted from shock to solidarity.

The employees formed a united front, refusing to serve customers until Lashonda received the recognition and compensation she deserved.

It wasn’t what she expected. But it was nice to know that there was still someone out there who had her back. Someone that cared about what happened to her.

They Were There

They didn’t care if they lost a day or even a month’s worth of pay. They didn’t even care if the uproar would cost them their jobs.

Lashonda meant a lot to all of them, and they wanted to show their undying support for her.

They wanted her to get what she deserved, and that wasn’t in the goodie bag.

The Power of Social Media

Word of the restaurant’s mistreatment of Lashonda spread like wildfire. Customers took to social media, sharing stories of Lashonda’s unwavering dedication and the injustice she faced.

The hashtag #JusticeForLashonda trended, attracting attention from local news outlets and putting pressure on the restaurant’s management.

But would that help? Would they do anything other than give a public apology?

Public Outcry

The public outcry grew louder by the hour, and the restaurant’s reputation was rapidly tarnished.

It became clear that they had severely underestimated the impact of their actions.

They would need to do more than just apologize if they wanted this to go away. They needed to ensure that the public knew Lashonda got what she deserved.

A Bittersweet Victory

Finally, Lashonda received the acknowledgment she had been fighting for.

The CEO personally visited the restaurant, offering a heartfelt apology to her in front of her coworkers, customers, and the media.

He presented her with a plaque of appreciation and a generous retirement package and publicly pledged to change the company’s policies regarding long-serving employees.

Justice

While Lashonda appreciated the belated recognition, the victory was bittersweet. She couldn’t forget the pain and disappointment she had endured.

However, her fight sparked a larger movement for justice and fairness in the workplace, inspiring others to stand up against similar mistreatment.

And in her mind, that was better than seeing them suffer because they were too afraid to fight back.

 

Disclaimer: To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.