We decided to give everyone a trip to a spa resort instead. I take it you'll pay the cancellation fee? I was told that over the phone by a man I went to school with, Mark.
As I heard what he had to say, I thought, I knew this is how Mark has always been. Since the beginning, he has been playing pranks on me that are really aggravating. However, I can now finally exact revenge on him because someone told me the truth.
My old classmate, Megan, went out of her way to visit and tell me everything, and for that, I am immensely thankful. That’s why I dropped a bombshell on Mark right away. There’s no reservation.
What, really? The voices of the other persons listening on Mark's phone were startled. A second later, Mark and his group were clueless.
At the time, they were unaware of the repercussions of their last-minute cancellation, and when they stormed inside the restaurant later, they had no idea what was in store for them. Matthew Carter is my name. I work as a normal employee at a food firm, and I'm 40 years old.
I was raised in a quiet town with a natural and healthy environment. I have always led a stable and unremarkable existence. I've never really experienced the highs and lows that others claim life is full of.
I never had any significant setbacks because I was good at studies and sports. As a result, my life has been somewhat uneventful. I was frequently jealous of those around me since I was leading such a life.
“Everything you do, Matthew, is excellent! You have such talent. You're capable of managing things with minimal effort.
” To be honest, though, I've never valued that sentiment. People who aim high, fail, and learn from their mistakes, in my opinion, are more radiant. I believe that my life will always be boring and uninteresting.
However, I came to the realization that I was a huge fish in a small pond one day when I assisted an old neighbor. I came to that realization because, although he raises cattle and grows crops on his livestock farm, he frequently lacks the necessary staff. As a result, neighbors and idle youth frequently provide a hand.
“Thank you, Matthew, for your assistance. Take this, please, as a thank you. I've packed you some beef from our farm.
” He gave me a large box of meat as payment one day after I helped him. When I asked my parents, who own a barbecue restaurant, to prepare the beef, it turned out to be really wonderful. Even though I wasn't a big fan of meat, that was a pivotal event in my life.
There are many delectable local specialties in my hometown, particularly the pork. I wanted to spread the word about this amazing meat as widely as I could when I grew up. I therefore relocated to New York City as an adult, where I worked for a food firm and researched strategies for promoting the unique goods from my region.
It was late morning, almost noon. While working in the accounting department, I got up from my desk to head to the restroom. Even as I mentally juggled calculations, I noticed some employees from another department having a serious conversation in the hallway.
They seemed troubled about something. “Looks like there's going to be a party soon, but they're short on beef for the menu. Oh, the annual anniversary event!
Since we're in the food business, they probably want the dishes to be top-notch. ” Exactly! The usual supplier that provided high-quality meat went out of business.
Apparently, they were frustrated about not being able to get the necessary ingredients. Since my company is relatively small, even someone like me overhears this kind of news quickly. That closeness also makes it easy to approach co-workers in other departments.
I thought about my hometown and decided to speak up. “Hey, if you'd like, I can introduce you to some livestock farms and butcher shops from my hometown. I know a few, so I might be able to help.
” The employees I spoke to lit up with joy. “Is that true? That would be a huge help!
It's been tough trying to find a new supplier. ” They seemed to be more troubled than I had imagined, and they shook my hand enthusiastically. Even for a small company's party, it was a founding anniversary, so it mattered for the company's reputation.
They must have wanted to prepare as well as they could. Seeing their brighter expressions made me happy, too. “All right, I'll quickly share the contact info now.
Do you have something to write it down with? ” After giving them a few phone numbers and email addresses, I went to the restroom and then returned to my work. As soon as I finished the rest of my tasks, it was time for a break.
I checked my phone and was surprised to find several emails from people back home. “Wow, they were fast. They've already contacted this many people?
” Muttering to myself, I scanned through the emails and noticed one from a familiar shop. “So they even reached out to that butcher shop I gave them the contact info for, just in case. But I hope nothing goes wrong.
” The email that caught my attention was from Mark, a former classmate of mine. We had known each other during middle and high school, but he had a pretty annoying personality. For some reason, he always seemed to have it out for me, constantly bothering me.
He never went too far since he's a bit of a coward, so I didn't let it bother me, but others might not feel the same way. Thinking about Mark targeting my company made me uneasy. Mark, infamous as a troublemaker in our small town, better not cause problems for my co-workers.
A few days later was the long-prepared company anniversary party. was held. Unlike something a big corporation might do, we reserved a modest hotel.
It's a small place but fairly well-known. Many people enjoyed the food prepared by our company. Every year, our CEO would encourage participation, saying, "The company anniversary party is the face of our business, so I want as many of you as possible to join.
I'm sure it'll be a great time. " For that reason, the party was held in the hotel's banquet hall, but I ended up running into an old classmate there. When I saw his familiar face, I couldn't help but frown.
Not wanting to get involved, I tried to look away and make myself scarce, but he noticed me. "Hey, you work for this company! What a coincidence!
" Ignoring him wasn't an option once he spoke to me. Reluctantly, I responded to Mark, "Yeah, I work in accounting. " "You still have the same dull face, huh?
Accounting suits you; such a boring and gloomy job. " Mark's words weren't just insulting to me but also belittled my co-workers, which made me angry. Seeing him here made it clear where the party's meat had come from.
The only consolation was that, despite Mark's bad personality, the meat quality was good. The butcher shot back home was rumored to have poor customer service, but the quality of the products themselves was reliable. Because of that, I could vouch for the quality of the meat he provided.
Thinking about this, I glanced at Mark's hands and saw a large plate piled high with food. It seemed he had grabbed everything from the nearby table. "Your food's not bad considering how small your operation is," he said, eating messily and dropping bits of food onto the floor.
Annoyed, I decided to say something. "Your manners are terrible. You're not a kid anymore, so stop making such a mess.
" "What are you, my mom? " he replied. I sighed internally; even though I scolded him, he brushed it off.
I walked away from him. If I stayed any longer, I'd lose the motivation to enjoy the party. But Mark started hitting on female employees and making unreasonable demands to the staff replenishing the food.
Finally, I decided enough was enough and made the call to kick him out. "Hey, stop bothering everyone else, you're leaving the venue. " "What are you talking about?
Hey, don't pull me! " I grabbed his arm and forced him out of the venue. Mark, dragged out of the banquet hall against his will, naturally gave me a resentful glare, but this was non-negotiable.
"I appreciate that you took the last-minute deal, but you're still technically an outsider. There's no next deal, is there? " "Yeah, but what's the big deal about that?
Nobody from your company said anything. " Mark didn't seem to realize that he had made others uncomfortable; they didn't speak up because they felt indebted. "Either way, don't act out anymore.
You're leaving now. " "Got it? " He looked clearly dissatisfied, but I wasn't going to back down on this.
Just as I was about to press in further, he seemed to remember something. "Oh yeah, about the class reunion, I've got something to tell you. " Hearing this, I mentally pulled up my schedule.
Every year around this time, there was always a class reunion, but this year, the usual café where we held it was temporarily closed, and I was wondering what would happen. "Wasn't the old man who runs that café unable to work because of his back pain? " "Exactly, that's why we're in a pinch.
So your family runs a barbecue restaurant, right? Set it up for us. " Not wanting to trouble my company further and feeling indebted for Mark's help with the party, I decided to accept his request to quickly get him to leave.
"All right, I'll let my parents know. " "Thanks! Friends are the best, aren't they?
" Mark suddenly brightened up and started walking home. His cheerful stride was a stark contrast to the dissatisfaction he showed earlier. Believing that one hassle was taken care of, I let out a sigh.
Little did I know that this conversation would lead to another problem later on. A few weeks later, on the morning of the day Mark had made the reservation for the class reunion, I was driving back to my family's home in the countryside. Since it was just after sunrise, it was still too early for the reunion, but I headed to the barbecue restaurant.
To be honest, our place isn't very busy; we run it more for the community and as a hobby than for profit. Because of that, it's rare to get large group reservations, so I knew they'd need my help. That's why I left the city in the middle of the night and drove for hours in my car.
When I arrived at the restaurant, as expected, my parents were busy. "Mom, Dad, I'm here to help! " "All right, thanks.
There's an apron over there, so get changed. " Both in their sixties, my parents responded with their usual curt remarks. Even though it had been a while since we had seen each other, they've always been like this, so I didn't think much of it.
I kept the greeting short and headed into the kitchen. After putting on the apron, I got straight to work. As I expected, preparing meat for 30 classmates was no easy task.
Barbecue restaurants might seem simple, but there's actually a lot to do: plating the meat, preparing sauces, ensuring hygiene and safety, and keeping all the tools and rules in order. Rushing to get everything ready in time, I barely noticed the hours pass, and soon it was time for the reunion. "We'll take care of the rest, so go wait in the dining area," my mom instructed.
Following her directions, I changed out of my apron and moved to the front of the restaurant to wait for my classmates. But no matter how long I waited. .
. No one showed up. Feeling a bad premonition, I decided to try contacting Mark on my phone, but for some reason, I couldn't get through to him at all today.
Just as I was growing suspicious, a woman arrived at the restaurant. It was my classmate, Megan Anderson. "It's been a while, Matthew.
" "Yeah, it has. Now that I think about it, you didn't come last year, did you? " She was my classmate in both middle and high school.
I remember hearing that she worked for a travel agency overseas since she couldn't attend the reunion last year due to work. It must have been two years since we last met. "How's your work?
" I asked. "I'm good. I just wrapped up a significant project and returned to America with my senior co-workers.
" "That's good to hear. " I didn't have too many memories of spending time with her. The only thing that immediately came to mind was working together on the student council Safety Committee.
She was someone with a strong sense of justice, keeping track of suspicious activity reports and notifying teachers if anything seemed off. For some reason, though, she didn't look well. Worried she might not be feeling good, I asked, "Megan, what's wrong?
If you're not feeling well, you didn't have to push yourself to come. " "I'm fine, but more importantly, I got an email saying that Mark and the others are heading to a hotel. Did you know about this?
" "What? " The unexpected news left me dumbfounded. Apparently, they were on a train headed to a spa resort hotel.
The email said the reunion was being held there. "What the heck? " Hearing this shocking news from Megan, I was completely confused.
When I went back into the restaurant to tell my parents, I found them looking distressed. With a bad feeling in my gut, I spoke up, "Did Mark and the others cancel at the last minute? " "You guessed it.
We just got a call about it. Even if it's a cancellation, we've already prepared everything. What are we supposed to do?
" Hearing what they said, I held my head in frustration. I couldn't believe Mark could be so inconsiderate. "What should we do with the barbecue sets we had prepared for 30 people?
I never thought Mark was a great guy, but as a business owner himself, he should understand how much damage a last-minute cancellation causes. I can't believe they'd do something so inconsiderate. " "I'm sorry I didn't catch on sooner," I muttered in anger.
Megan, who had followed me into the restaurant, apologized. She had no way of knowing about Mark's scheme, so it wasn't her fault. In fact, she had come to inform us, so I didn't feel even a trace of blame toward her.
"No, Megan, this isn't something you need to apologize for. You went out of your way to come here, right? " "Yes, I tried calling, but I couldn't get through.
" Now that she mentioned it, I realized I hadn't been checking my phone because I was so focused on helping out. When I took it out of my pocket to check, I saw several missed calls logged; every single one of them was from Megan. "Sorry, I was too focused on helping in the kitchen to notice.
" "It's fine, don't worry about it. By the way, if it's okay, would it be all right to bring my co-workers here? " Shaking her head at my apology, Megan glanced at the meat in the kitchen and continued, "Some of the people I work with are nearby.
They're big eaters, so I think they could handle enough for 30 people. Oh, and of course, we'll pay for everything we eat. " "That would be a big help, but are you sure?
" Her suggestion was like a lifeline, but I worried it might burden her. Then she said something I wasn't expecting. "It's no problem.
I've always wanted to repay you, Matthew. " I had no idea what she meant, so I scratched my head, thinking, Did I do something? But nothing came to mind.
Noticing my confusion, Megan chuckled and began to explain in detail, "Didn't we work together on the committee when we were students? " "Oh, you mean the student council Safety Committee? " Her words brought back nostalgic memories of my school days.
As I reflected, one specific memory stood out in my mind. It took a while, but I figured she might be referring to that event. "Remember the time when a middle-aged man was walking around the school with an axe and we were unsure what to do?
" "Oh yeah, that was terrifying! When I first saw him, I couldn't believe my eyes. Worried that something serious might happen, I asked Mayan to go fetch a teacher.
But Mark and a few other boys ran into the suspicious man on their way home and started messing with him. I don't know what they said, but they ended up making the man angry, and it turned into a dangerous situation. That's when you jumped in between them.
I've never felt as scared as I did at that moment, but I was so relieved when you stopped that man from swinging his axe in front of me. Matthew, it was incredibly challenging to calm the furious man down until the teacher and police arrived. Thankfully, it turned out that he was on his way to do farm work, but the thought of what could have happened if he had been a bad person still sends chills down my spine.
" "I've always wanted to repay you for what you did back then, so this is a good opportunity," she finished her story with a smile. I couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. Now that I think about it, she's always been someone who values gratitude and loyalty.
"Well, I'll take you up on that then. " Feeling a little shy, I looked away as I responded. After that, Megan gave.
. . me a few phone numbers, which I used to call her co-workers.
My parents and I divided the work, calling everyone to explain the situation and taking new reservations. Thanks to her suggestion, we avoided any losses. But what should we do about Mark and his group?
Apparently, while we were handling everything, Megan had called the hotel to check on their reservations. She shared what she found out; I just confirmed that Mark's group didn't have their reservation accepted by the hotel. Looking happy, Megan went on to explain the situation.
It seems they’re infamous for making reservations and canceling at the last minute. The staff must have found them suspicious and decided not to proceed with their booking. "I see; that's a relief.
" I felt a bit better—not just because the hotel avoided any losses, but also because it eased my frustration. Oh, and the hotel they tried to book is run by my family! Apparently, they were already cautious about Mark.
"Really? That's the first I've heard of it. Didn't you say back in school that your parents were regular office workers?
" "Actually, they started running the hotel after I became an adult. Oh, by the way, my parents mentioned that your company had a party at our hotel recently. " I was momentarily confused, but Mayan's explanation made sense.
I never would have guessed the hotel where we held the anniversary party was connected to you. Mayan relieved, I felt a slight mischievous urge, so I decided to call Mark, who likely didn't know any of this yet. When Mark picked up, he immediately spoke in a mocking tone, "What's this?
Are you calling to whine? " It seemed he still didn't realize his reservation had been dismissed. Faking surprise, he added, "All right, we changed it to a spa resort trip for everyone.
You're covering the cancellation fee. " Okay, of course, I wasn't surprised; I had already expected him to say that. I just replied to Mark, shaking my head in disbelief, "There's no reservation.
" "What? Really? " After that, I could hear not just Mark's voice, but also those of other classmates who seemed to have been eavesdropping.
I wondered how many people were on the other side of the speaker. Mark may have been close with them during our school days, but if they were still hanging out with him as adults, they clearly hadn't matured. Later, I learned that more than 20 classmates had been with Mark at the time.
It seemed they couldn't refuse his strong-armed orders and ended up going along with his antics. Even the three or four classmates who had often hung out with him back in the day later regretted their behavior, admitting they had taken things too far. However, at that time, I didn't know any of this, so I just assumed a few of his troublemaking friends had joined in before they had a chance to come to their senses.
I ended the call and turned off my phone. Getting back at them gave me a small sense of satisfaction. A few hours later, the people Megan had introduced arrived, which was a big help.
The preserved barbecue meat, though plentiful, was mostly eaten by them. In particular, Robert Johnson from Mexico had a massive appetite and devoured several servings of barbecue. Megan joined them as well and helped finish the remaining meat.
"Megan, you're not eating much; you should have more! " "Robert, you're eating way too much! " "I'm eating a normal amount, so stop piling meat on my plate!
" Although Robert was said to be in his 50s, he looked as young as Megan and was a vibrant man with his muscular large build. It seemed he needed to eat a lot to maintain his physique. I never imagined I'd get to eat such delicious meat.
"Coming to America was totally worth it! " "I'm glad to hear that! It was worth introducing you to it," I replied.
Robert and the others seemed to really enjoy the barbecue served at our restaurant. For a moment, I wasn't sure how things would turn out, but I was truly glad that Megan had returned to America. After the meal, Megan's acquaintances expressed interest in the meat they had eaten.
Seeing this, my parents took the opportunity to explain all about the locally raised beef. While neither of them is particularly interested in the restaurant's profits, they are more than happy to support anything that helps promote the local community. "The beef we serve here comes from cattle raised by local farmers.
The feed is mixed with special fertilizers, which gives the meat its refined flavor. " Robert and the others listened intently to my parents' explanations. If this connection could lead to the local specialties becoming more well-known, I'd be thrilled.
While working in the city, I've been learning various strategies for promoting local specialties, but nothing had really clicked. I hoped this encounter could be the spark for something meaningful. As I watched the scene in front of me, Mark suddenly showed up at the restaurant.
It seemed the other classmates had left. With his face red, Mark stormed in, yelling, "Matthew! You set us up!
We got turned away at the hotel! What's going on? " He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Megan in the restaurant.
"Don't tell me you knew all along my reservation would be rejected, didn't you? You kept quiet on purpose! " It seemed he had somehow learned that Megan was the daughter of the hotel's owners; her presence at my restaurant must have fueled his belief in some kind of conspiracy.
"So this is the real you! I bet you've always looked down on people dumber than you. You always got good grades on tests and probably thought everyone else was an idiot!
" "That has nothing to do with this! What are you even talking about? " I was so sick of being compared to you by teachers and parents.
They always told. . .
me to study harder like you. I had enough of Mark's ranting and turned my back on him, but he quickly moved to block my path. "I've hated your smug face ever since we were kids," I said.
Then he grabbed a small bottle from a nearby table—it was a bottle of barbecue sauce. Realizing what he was about to do, I flinched, but before it could hit me, Robert stepped in and caught the bottle, standing in front of me. Robert spoke to Mark in a low voice, "You've been making a racket for a while now; it's embarrassing for a grown man.
" "What did you say? " Mark replied. "Basically, you're just jealous, aren't you?
Putting others down because they have something you don't—that's not cool. " Hearing those words, Mark glared at Robert, veins bulging on his forehead, but he quickly averted his eyes. He must have been intimidated by Robert's imposing physique.
When Robert took a step forward, Mark flinched and backed away. "Just watch! I'll team up with the others and flood this place with bad reviews!
" Muttering bitterly, Mark left in a hurry. This is a small-town barbecue restaurant, not a high-end spot in the city. Most of our customers are locals, so bad reviews wouldn't affect us.
Mark's actions were pointless. Letting out a sigh, I turned to Robert and apologized, "I'm sorry, Robert. That was such an embarrassing display from someone I know.
" "Don't worry about it. You treated me to delicious barbecue, and it’s some of the best I’ve had. Still, if this is a local business, I'll hold off on promoting it too much.
" Robert smiled and sought agreement from the other diners. Everyone in the restaurant nodded firmly. Seeing their reaction, Robert winked at me and added some reassuring words, "If you ever need help, just let me know.
I've got your back. " Afterward, Robert and his group politely thanked my parents for the meal before leaving. As the saying goes, "birds of a feather flock together.
" Watching their demeanor, I felt a deep sense of understanding; they truly reflected the kind of people Megan surrounds herself with. Six months later, I returned to my hometown to attend the funeral of an elderly neighbor who had passed away. That's when I learned a surprising fact about Mark: his butcher shop had gone out of business.
A new butcher shop had opened, and customers had flocked there instead. The locals had this to say: "Now that there's another butcher shop, we don't have to go to Mark's place anymore. If we don't have to deal with Mark, it's better to shop elsewhere.
" It seemed the new competitor had taken most of his business. When I visited the new butcher shop that had caused the stir, I found the service to be excellent. Nobody wants to be served by someone with a bad attitude.
Apparently, Mark had been complaining daily, saying, "Why did my shop have to go under? " But I felt it was an inevitable outcome. After attending the funeral, I helped out at my parents' barbecue restaurant.
To my surprise, the restaurant was unexpectedly busy. "Excuse me, if you don't mind me asking, why did you come to our place? " "Oh, it suddenly got a lot of buzz on social media as a great hidden gem.
Yeah, there's been talk about traditional crafts from this area too, so we decided to check it out. " It seemed someone had been promoting the area online. At the time, I didn't know who it was, but later, when I exchanged emails with Megan, the mystery was solved.
"It's been a while. I just wanted to share something I heard. Mind if I tell you?
" The email began with that and detailed what had happened after the reservation cancellation fiasco. It seems other classmates also thought what Mark did was wrong, so I went around asking them not to get involved in anything bad, and they understood. As an apology, they started promoting the area on social media.
Apparently, Megan had contacted our classmates after the incident. While I had been too busy with work and left the issue unresolved, she had taken the initiative to address it. Thanks to her efforts, the lively scene before me was also hers.
Even if Mark had left bad reviews, it wouldn't have mattered much, but Megan's kindness meant a lot to me. I made sure to reply to her email with a heartfelt thank you. "Thank you, Megan!
You really saved me. The local area is so lively now. I want to properly thank you sometime, so could you set aside some time for that?
" After that, I started emailing Megan more frequently. As we talked, I discovered that we shared the same hobbies and liked the same actors in movies. Back in school, we didn't have much contact, so I never thought we'd have so much to talk about in our personal lives.
It's surprising how everyone has sides you can't see on the surface. I never imagined that I'd have days where I could bond with her over shared interests. A few months later, while I was steadily handling my work, I received some news from Megan, who had become my pen pal.
It was about Mark. It seems Mark couldn't find a good new job. Maybe because of that, he got involved in some criminal activity, and people in town were talking about it.
Apparently, he had hit rock bottom and started doing shady part-time work. As a result, he ended up in trouble with the police. Given his past behavior, it was no surprise that his actions led to this.
Unlike Megan, who had unexpected sides to her personality, Mark seemed to lack any hidden depths. A year had passed since the reservation fiasco, and another class reunion was planned. This time, I visited the hotel Megan's family owned.
During the reunion, my former classmates sincerely apologized for the cancellation incident. I'm. .
. I'm so sorry about that time Mark pressured us so much that we couldn't say no and ended up going along with the prank. I really regret it; it was such a stupid thing to do.
They seemed genuinely remorseful, so I told them not to worry about it. If Mark hadn't instigated it, they likely wouldn't have gotten involved in the first place. This year's class reunion was held at the hotel owned by Megan's parents.
With everyone, including Megan, gathered together, we spent a peaceful time reminiscing about various nostalgic topics. It seems like our hometown is getting a lot of attention; I saw it on TV the other day. Yeah, it looks like the area is becoming more vibrant, and more young people are moving here.
As someone who has been thinking about ways to promote the local area for years, there’s nothing more gratifying than this. I never thought seeing new faces in my hometown would bring me so much joy. What's important now is to make sure this momentum isn't just temporary.
I felt determined to figure out what I could do to contribute to that. At the same time, I couldn't help but feel anxious. I've studied so much while living in the city, but I still can't make things work on my own.
Maybe I should have relied on others more. Was everything I've done pointless? When I expressed those doubts, Megan encouraged me.
"That's not true; this is just the beginning! If you feel like you can't do it alone, I'll help. Robert will lend a hand too.
" I thought of Robert, who had started calling me occasionally since the reservation incident. Always cheerful and supportive, he's someone who genuinely cares about younger folks and goes out of his way to help. I felt like I could count on him if I reached out.
"Thank you, Megan. I feel a bit better now. " "I'm glad to hear that," she said.
Even if things hadn't worked out in the past, I could still make progress from here with people I can rely on now. I felt confident that things would work out. Talking with her, the food I tasted seemed even better than I remembered.
They must have put a lot of thought into it; it was a wonderful flavor that reflected the effort of the local community.
