Thebusinessexecutivewasdeepindebtandcouldseenowayout.Creditors(债主)wereclosinginonhim.Suppliersweredemandingpayment.Hesatontheparkbench,headinhands,wonderingifanythingcouldsavehiscompanyfrombankruptcy(破产). Suddenlyanoldmanappearedbeforehim.“Icanseethatsomethingistroublingyou.”hesaid.Afterlisteningtotheexecutive,theoldmansaid:“IbelieveIcanhelpyou.” Heaskedthemanhisname,wroteoutacheck,andpusheditintohishandsaying:“Takethismoney.Meetmehereexactlyoneyearfromtoday,andyoucanpaymebackatthattime.”Thenheturnedanddisappearedasquicklyashehadcome. Thebusinessexecutivesawinhishandacheckfor$500,000,signedbyJohnD.Rockefeller,thenoneoftherichestmenintheworld! “Icansettleallmydebtsinamoment!”herealized.Butinstead,theexecutivedecidedtoputtheuncashedcheckinhissafe,justknowingitwouldgivehimthestrengthtoworkoutawaytosavehisbusiness. Withrenewedoptimism,hemadebetterdealsandextendedtermsofpayment.Heclosedseveralbigdeals.Withinafewmonths,hewasoutofdebtandmakingmoneyonceagain. Exactlyoneyearlater,hereturnedtotheparkwiththeuncashedcheck.Attheagreed-upontime,theoldmanappeared.Butjustastheexecutivewasabouttohandbackthecheckandsharehissuccessstory,anursecamerunningupandgrabbedtheoldman. “I’msogladIcaughthim!”shecried.“Ihopehehasn’tbeenbotheringyou.He’salwaysescapingfromtheresthomeandtellingpeoplehe’sJohnD.Rockefeller.”Andsheledtheoldmanawaybythearm. 小题1:Whatwastheexecutiveworriedabout? |