Pride

He was a leader in his field.

The use of security super scanners had swamped the market because of their simplicity, their being easy to use, and their being almost impossible to fool. The days of relying on a set of keys, combination locks, press button entry codes, fingerprint readers, swipe cards, proximity cards, card reader panels, to name just a few secure entry systems, these were giving way to the installation of super scanners. Passwords and PINs were hit and miss, whereas the super scanner takes one look at you and either lets you in or it doesn’t. The technology being relatively new, there were not too many technicians you could call expert. This is what made him valuable. He worked for the world’s largest company producing them and had studied hard late in his working life to become something of a guru. He was proud of his well-earned reputation.

The scanner diagnostics kit that he used, one in which he had played a major role in designing and building, was housed in a sturdy metal case. It had a combination lock and a handle. It looked like any other toolbox. Inside it had a small, specialist keyboard and a pull-up screen. This was something else he was proud of. Overall, he’d done well for himself and planned to take a well-earned early retirement. It was general knowledge in the company that after his final day in the job he was taking an early morning flight the next day to begin a month long stay in a luxury hotel in the Caribbean. Looking at his workload for his final week, he felt a strong sense of disappointment that his last day would be spent using his skills in a place and for a man he didn’t care for.

He wouldn’t have chosen this one to go out on, but he couldn’t control where he was sent. The job was for a high security room within a financial company’s city building. The manager there had never shown himself to be anything other than a rude, self-important man, with a crude sense of humour. He was generally disliked by any who knew him. In fact, on one social occasion he had tried to amuse those gathered there by saying that the technician had found his diploma in a Christmas cracker! Having made this unkind remark he seemed to be oblivious to the fact that no one was laughing. He certainly had no idea how much he’d hurt the other man’s pride.

As it happened, on his penultimate day in the job, a Thursday evening, the technician was returning from a job when he found himself passing the finance company. He decided to take a quick look at what he’d be coming to on the following day. When he approached the main entrance he was surprised to find that the scanner wouldn’t let him enter. It was good that he checked. He wouldn’t have time enough to fix it in the poor light. He would carry on as planned and come back as scheduled. He felt he should report it. Having the manager’s number he gave him a call. The manager, greatly amused by the other’s plight, said that by being there he’d spoiled his little last day on the job prank. The faulty scanner was not an internal room at all, but the main entrance.

The scanner expert was proud of the way he had stayed calm and in a steady voice had told the manager that he would return the next day. He went back to his car, where he sat for a long time weighing up the situation, together with the pros and cons regarding how to proceed. He finally made up his mind. It was very late when he took off for home. On the way he stopped at a town that he knew had a deep river running through it. Parking behind an office block he opened the boot and took out the case. He walked along several dark streets before coming to the bridge. He paused, looking down into the black water, convinced that no one had heard the distant splash. At home he took a large screwdriver and jemmied the lock on his boot.

The following morning he went into the office and reported the robbery. Naturally, considering the value of what had been taken, the police were called and a detective showed up to take a statement. His immediate manager advised him of the call from the distraught manager from the finance company as casually as he could. Other than that, the day had gone pretty much as expected with cards, one of the secretaries bringing along a box of doughnuts, and well-wishers turning up from around the company, while he cleared out his desk. Management obviously made an effort to make his final day a good one, despite the robbery. Just a few final speeches and a bonus cheque and he left for home, where he was fully packed and ready for his early morning flight. He contemplated the fact that through his years with the company he had only had one major itch, and he’d scratched it.

He was really looking forward to his retirement.