The IT guy, Jacob left last month: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. He left without an exit interview, and he didn\u2019t seem very pleased with the way the situation played out. You could never tell if Scrooge cared or not. His demands have never wavered. He expected perfection and when mistakes were made, they were approached as catastrophic affronts to the sustainability of the business, even if that wasn\u2019t the reality.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Scrooge, not missing a beat, and never altering his demanding demeanor, laid the responsibilities that were, up to last month, Jacob\u2019s, at the feet of poor old Bob; with, the expectation that Bob would be able to produce more. Bob was ever the diligent worker, and he never complained, regardless of how much unwanted attention and responsibility was forced onto him. As the holidays approached, Bob was looking forward to the respite from work, even if it was for a day. He was going to spend time with his family. You see, Bob\u2019s daughter Grace fell ill and since Scrooge didn\u2019t believe in offering benefits, the burden of keeping her well fell on Bob\u2019s shoulders.<\/p>\n
Just as he did the best that he could for Scrooge, he did the best that he could for his family. The problem was that Christmas is tomorrow and there has been no mention of him getting the day off. At about 1 p.m., after he had eaten the soup his wife had made (the same soup he had been eating for five consecutive working days), he went to Scrooge.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Scrooge, I was wondering if I could have the day off tomorrow for Christmas?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Bob,\u201d Scrooge answered immediately, \u201cWe just can\u2019t afford it if you missed any time. It\u2019s not fair or convenient to the business for you to miss any time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Mr. Scrooge,\u201d Bob pleaded, \u201cMy wife is making a roast and I am hosting Christmas.\u201d He went on to observe that it was only one day a year.<\/p>\n
\u201cBah! Humbug.\u201d Scrooge crowed, \u201cIt\u2019s a poor excuse for picking a man\u2019s pocket every twenty-fifth of December! You\u2019d better be here in the morning, or you can find yourself another job.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bob, not wanting to put his job in jeopardy dejectedly answered, \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bob went back to work and toward the end of the day, Scrooge emerged from his office, put on his coat and meandered over to Bob\u2019s desk with a box. He stopped, placed the box on the desk and placed his hand upon the box.<\/p>\n
\u201cBob,\u201d Scrooge started, \u201cI was thinking about your request for time off, and I wanted to tell you that since Jacob left, we just can\u2019t have anyone missing any more time, so just tell your family to come after you get out of work.\u201d Bob was upset, but said nothing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m headed to my club, I need you to stay tonight and install this new router.\u201d Scrooge tapped the box, \u201cI\u2019m having trouble streaming in my office and want this installed and working before you leave for the day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without saying goodbye, the old miser walked out the door and shuffled up the street toward his car. Bob felt crestfallen. He knew his brother and his family would be at the house when he got home, but not wanting to disobey Mr. Scrooge\u2019s demands. He stayed until just after 8 p.m. making sure that the router was installed properly and that it did, indeed provide Mr. Scrooge\u2019s office with the wireless signal he demanded.<\/p>\n
After he finished with the router, he locked up the office and meandered down the street toward his car. Since Scrooge has kept both parking spots in front of the office for himself, Bob had to walk a half a mile to the parking garage. As he made his way there he went into the store to buy his family their Christmas roast. Knowing he wouldn\u2019t be around to enjoy the company of his loved ones, he could at least get a beautiful roast.<\/p>\n
He started pricing the meat and realized that he couldn\u2019t afford a roast that was big enough for eight people. He checked his balance, and when the numbers came up on the screen he felt like he wanted to cry. He picked up a small roast and a large chicken, paid, and left for his home.<\/p>\n
When Bob got home, his entire family was there. The sadness he was feeling melted away and the Christmas spirit that had escaped him returned with aplomb. His brother\u2019s family had arrived a few hours before and so, after tucking their children in for Christmas, the adults sat around the Christmas tree telling stories and laughing, stuffing stockings, and putting out gifts. Bob didn\u2019t know exactly how to explain that his boss wouldn\u2019t give him the day off, but waited to reveal this sad truth for after the pleasantries of the evening were finished.<\/p>\n
As he got ready for bed he shared the news with his wife.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat Scrooge is a real piece of work,\u201d his wife proclaimed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a real piece of something,\u201d Bob returned.<\/p>\n
The couple talked about it a bit more, said goodnight, and went to sleep.<\/p>\n
—-<\/p>\n
Scrooge, was sitting alone, as was his custom at a table in his club\u2019s bar. His scowl was a solid deterrent to keep people away. He sipped his scotch and water and sat there watching the television that was mounted above the bar. The financial news was on. As the stock prices raced by and the attractive, yet muted 30-something gave the audience the recap of the money that had been made and lost during the day\u2019s trading, his concentration was broken.<\/p>\n
All of a sudden a man was standing, drinkless, in front of his table. \u201cHello Mr. Scrooge.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?!\u201d the ill-tempered codger snapped.<\/p>\n
\u201cMerry Christmas.\u201d the man said joyfully.<\/p>\n
\u201cBah!\u201d Scrooge responded sharply.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy name is CEONAME, and I\u2019m with COMPANYNAME, and it\u2019s come to my attention that your IT administrator, Jacob, is no longer with your company. I was wondering if you had a few minutes to talk about how my company can help you manage your…\u201d<\/p>\n
Scrooge responded, \u201cLet me stop you before you go any further. I wish to be left alone. I don\u2019t know how you know my business and I don\u2019t care, I\u2019ve got it handled.\u201d<\/p>\n
The conversation went on like that for a few minutes and CEONAME left his card on the table and wished Scrooge a merry Christmas. Scrooge predictably scoffed at the sentiment. In solitude he finished his drink, paid the bill with no tip, and left the club.<\/p>\n
When he got home, he locked the door behind him and put on his dressing gown and nightcap. Just as he was getting comfortable in his bed, he heard a tapping, which he ignored. A minute later a banging came from the front room. He got up to investigate, grabbing his cane. Discovering nothing, he returned to his bedroom, only to find Jacob sitting at the small writing desk he had up against the far wall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell are you doing here?!\u201d Scrooge said aggressively.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not here, Mr. Scrooge. I\u2019m not. I am a figment of your imagination.\u201d Jacob stated matter-of-factly.<\/p>\n
Scrooge charged at him and swinging his club to accost the intruder only served to break the lamp on the desk.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow now!\u201d said Scrooge, \u201cWhat do you want with me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMuch\u201d Jacob replied, \u201cbut first I have to see that you believe in me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBelieve in you?\u201d Scrooge said, \u201cHumbug, I tell you! Humbug!\u201d<\/p>\n
Just then Jacob let out a wail that got Scrooge\u2019s attention. He then asked Scrooge to check his account balances, and after a little back-and-forth, Scrooge placated the spectre. The look on Scrooge\u2019s face was of pure terror.<\/p>\n
He began to plead, \u201cMercy, dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour life is tied to your business, Scrooge, but your repulsive avarice has left you exposed; left it exposed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacob walked up to a terrified Scrooge. \u201cHear me! Tonight you will be haunted by three spirits.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThree spirits?\u201d Scrooge asked, terrified.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, without their visits you can\u2019t expect to understand the danger your belligerence has caused.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just then, the room was silent. Scrooge was horrified. He turned every light on in his house and turned on the television. After at least an hour of trepidation, he finally started to get tired, and even though his home was lit up like a jack-o-lantern on Halloween, he dozed off on his sofa.<\/p>\n
—-<\/p>\n
\u201cWake Up!\u201d the spirit shrieked.<\/p>\n
Scrooge arose from his peace-less slumber quickly and alertly. He took a swipe with his cane, but was rebuked by the large ethereal man standing before him. The ghost was around six-foot-four, but had a golf shirt embroidered with Scrooge\u2019s company\u2019s logo on it tucked into a pair of khakis. Its hair was seemingly an ethereal mist that looked like there was smoke coming up from his glasses. His eyes were ominously white behind thick black glasses.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you the Spirit, sir whose coming was foretold to me?\u201d Scrooge asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am. I am the Ghost of Christmas Past.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLong past?\u201d asked Scrooge who was trembling with fear.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, man, your past,\u201d the spirit returned<\/p>\n
The spectre put his hand on Scrooge\u2019s reluctant shoulder and led him to the door of his home. Instead of opening the door, they traveled through it only to find on the other side a vision. The vision was of Jacob talking with Bob. They were talking about how Jacob had went to Scrooge, and asked him to consider getting on a firewall installed on the business network.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou would have thought I asked him to go steady,\u201d Jacob started, \u201cHe screamed at me and told me that if I don\u2019t do my #$%^*& job and stop coming to him for money, I won\u2019t have a job to come to.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember that. He was asking for too much money!\u201d Scrooge said defiantly.<\/p>\n
The spirit said nothing and put his hand on Scrooge\u2019s shoulder again. They walked back through the wall they had just come through and this time it was a school. It seemed to be sometime in the 1960s. There was a little boy who was trying to open a padlock with paperclips.<\/p>\n
As the lock sprung open, Scrooge growled, \u201cTommy Hulse!\u201d<\/p>\n
The boy opened the locker that was being protected by the padlock and took out a small bag.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was him!\u201d Scrooge screeched. He got emotional and explained that he had brought his dad\u2019s watch into school the day before Christmas and he had kept it in the bag. When he returned to the locker that day, it was open and his father\u2019s watch was gone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI bet he skinned your hide,\u201d the spirit said arrogantly.<\/p>\n
Scrooge, despondent, looked at the spirit, \u201cHe died soon thereafter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy time is running short, Scrooge. Let us go,\u201d the spirit said, as he put his hand on his shoulder and walked through the wall.<\/p>\n
He was back in the front room of his house. No one else was there. He called out to the spirit but nothing answered. Just then there was a banging coming from the bedroom. He went to investigate and there was a larger spectre standing in front of his bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cScrooge!\u201d the new ghost bellowed. Scrooge turned around and shut the door, only to turn around to see the giant ghastly man. This spirit was nearly seven-feet tall, his head was covered in a hood. He couldn\u2019t make out any of his features, except two glowing eyes that seemed to puncture a hole through him.<\/p>\n
\u201cScrooge! I am the Ghost of Christmas Present.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo! No more hauntings!\u201d Scrooge plead. The ghost lifted his right arm and snapped his ethereal fingers. The snap was the loudest noise the miser had ever heard.<\/p>\n
Scrooge, who had closed his eyes to avert his gaze from the newest spirit, opened them and found himself alone in a dark room.<\/p>\n
\u2018Where am I?\u201d Scrooge called out. No answer.<\/p>\n
He noticed a light coming from an adjacent room. He made his way toward it. As he entered the doorway he could see the ghost standing over what looked to be Jacob, his former IT administrator. Jacob was typing at a computer.<\/p>\n
\u2018Come, Scrooge,\u201d the spirit said in his baritone tenor.<\/p>\n
Scrooge walked over and looked on the screen. It was indeed Jacob, he was typing in a chat on his computer. He began to read:<\/p>\n
When I bailed on old man Scrooge, I left a hole in the network. Tomorrow, I am going to go in and put this ransomware I just purchased. When he gets back from his Christmas break, he\u2019ll have a surprise waiting for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is this? What is ransomware?\u201d Scrooge asked the spirit timidly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t tell you that, but I can tell you that it is not good for you or your company.\u201d The ghost replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell him to stop! Tell him to stop!\u201d Scrooge began pleading.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one can hear you, Scrooge.\u201d The spirit said as it walked out of the room.<\/p>\n
Scrooge followed, but as soon as he got into the next room, there was no one there. He turned around and seemed surprised to be in his office. He walked through his office door to see the spirit standing over Bob\u2019s desk. Bob was sitting at his desk working away, gently sighing every once in a while and checking his phone repeatedly. All of a sudden his desk phone rang.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello.\u201d Bob answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cMerry Christmas to you too…Mr. Scrooge needed me to work today, so I am…Well I have my brother and his family…She\u2019s doing well…It\u2019s okay…I\u2019ll think about it…Have a merry Christmas.\u201d Bob hung up the phone and went back to doing what he was doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a good worker.\u201d Scrooge admitted to the spirit.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just couldn\u2019t give him the day off for Christmas?\u201d the spirit asked directly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026I…We\u2019re so short-staffed as it is\u2026\u201d Scrooge stammered. Bob\u2019s cell phone rang.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey…What?!…I\u2019ll be right there,\u201d Bob stood up with a panicked look on his face. He put his coat on and walked out the door without turning his computer off.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is he going? Where is he going, spirit?\u201d Scrooge plead.<\/p>\n
The spirit again snapped his fingers and the pair were standing in the waiting room of a hospital. Bob was standing at the desk filling out paperwork. A doctor came up to him and started to talk. Bob\u2019s face succumbed to the pain of the situation.<\/p>\n
Scrooge started in, \u201cWhat is it? What has happened? Tell me what has happened, please?\u201d<\/p>\n
The ghost looked at Scrooge with his searing red eyes and said, \u201cHis little girl is ill, Scrooge. I\u2019m sure you knew that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes…Yes, but what has happened to her?\u201d<\/p>\n
The spirit lifted his arm again. SNAP.<\/p>\n
The pair were on the front lawn of Bob\u2019s house. A car pulls into the driveway. Bob\u2019s wife got out of the passenger seat. She had clearly been crying. Bob got out of the front seat and made his way around the car. His wife muttered something to him while he opened the back door of the car. Bob lifted his tired and weak daughter out of the car seat and followed his wife in the house.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot very Christmasy,\u201d the tall spirit said, mocking a relieved Scrooge.<\/p>\n
Before Scrooge could say anything else there was a huge bang and he was back in his home. Feeling tired and emotional, Scrooge sat down on the settee in his front room. He sat there in contemplation for a few minutes. He was worried about the virus that Jacob was going to unleash, he was worried about his business, and about Bob and his family. He realized that he hadn\u2019t treated these people with a lot of respect. Just as he was coming to the conclusion that he had to do something about it the room filled with a blinding light.<\/p>\n
Scrooge couldn\u2019t see a thing. All of a sudden there was a high-pitched scream that startled him further. He started to plead:<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease spirits, no more! I have learned the errors of my ways! No more, I beg you!\u201d<\/p>\n
A silhouette emerged in the light.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome,\u201d it screeched.<\/p>\n
Witless and afraid, Scrooge complied. The spirit was no more than a shadow that moved independently through the ether like bolts of lightning.<\/p>\n
Scrooge followed the spirit into the light and emerged in front of a Best Buy. There were giant \u201cChristmas Sale\u201d banners hanging from above the revolving doors. Scrooge walked into the store where he was confronted by himself. He was wearing a Best Buy shirt and tan slacks, staring aimlessly across the vast expanse of the retail establishment.<\/p>\n
From the side he spotted Bob walking up to his likeness.<\/p>\n
\u201cC\u2019mon Scrooge, get to work,\u201d Bob said as he walked by future Scrooge. He was older than he was by a few years and looked malnourished and feeble.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo! This can\u2019t be! I am an old man. I cannot work retail!\u201d<\/p>\n
As future Scrooge made his way toward the warehouse modern Scrooge followed. Two younger workers were standing near the loading dock as the Scrooges approached.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Grandpa? Don\u2019t remember where you should be?\u201d one of the young men said as the other laughed.<\/p>\n
Scrooge looked around helplessly as the two younger men continued to snicker and jest.<\/p>\n
Just then the light returned, covering everything. It brought Scrooge to a grave marked \u201cHere Lies Scrooge\u201d. Sensing his mortality Scrooge began to wail:<\/p>\n
\u201cStop! Spirit, no! Oh no! Your nature intercedes for me, and pities me. Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me, shadow! I will live an altered life!\u201d<\/p>\n
The light returned and Scrooge woke up. He wasn\u2019t on the settee or in the front room, but his bed. He leaped from the sheets.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what to do! I am light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy, I am as merry as a drunken man. Merry Christmas to everybody!\u201d Scrooge cried laughing aloud. Without getting dressed he grabbed his coat and rushed out onto the street. Dawn was just breaking. He saw a young man walking on the sidewalk, he stopped him and asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s to-day?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy today is Christmas, sir!\u201d the young man replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas day? Of course. Merry Christmas to you my fine fellow.\u201d Scrooge said with enthusiasm.<\/p>\n
\u201cA merry Christmas to you, too, sir,\u201d the man replied and walked on.<\/p>\n
Scrooge, went back in his home and started making calls, the first call he made was to Bob, telling him to take the day and spend it with his family; and, that he was going to get a significant raise. The next call was to Jacob, who didn\u2019t answer, but Scrooge left a voicemail that said he was sorry and would like to make it up to him. Finally, he called COMPANYNAME\u2019s CEONAME to tell him that he would be happy to learn more about how he could keep his IT safe and make his business more efficient.<\/p>\n
From all of us at COMPANYNAME, we\u2019d like to wish you a very merry Christmas and the happiest of holidays!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The IT guy, Jacob left last month: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. He left without an exit interview, and he didn\u2019t seem very pleased with the way the situation played out. You could never tell if Scrooge cared or not. His demands have never wavered. He expected perfection and when […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6966,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[124,344,73],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6960"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6960"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6960\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.datcomllc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}