Today’s story is from Tom Leonard.

My dad wears two hats. It started like this.

Tom Leonard and his father Stewart

“Tom, join me in the hot tub. Let’s talk,” said Dad. Pretty cool, I thought. Hot tubbin’ with dad. A father-son chat. Why not?

And, I was due for a raise. I’d worked at Dad’s store for months. He took me on when I quit college. Dad wasn’t pleased when I bailed out of school. But he swallowed hard and gave me a job. That worked for me.   

My name is Tom Leonard. My dad is Stewart Leonard. He’s quite a guy. Dad started in his business in 1969. It was a small Dairy Store with 7 employees. It’s now the “World’s Largest Dairy Store” with 2000 members of our multi-store team.

I’ve got a big-buck Dad, I thought. College was boring. That’s why I quit. Because of Dad, I already had it made. I’d been working for months in the store. “Start at the bottom,” Dad said. So I did. Stocking shelves was my gig.

Then the phone rang. All my buddies were headed to Ft. Lauderdale for Easter Break. Heck, I needed a break.

I asked Mr. Barry, our store manager for the time off.
Get this! He said, “no.”

Nice. But, “no.” Something about the busy Easter weekend. The store needed my help.

No? I thought. I’m the son of the boss. My dad is his boss. I don’t listen to that. So I took off. And man, what a blast. My friends and I showed that Florida town what fun’s all about.

Well, I was just back from the trip. Dad invited me for that hot tub bath. I shucked off my jeans, pulled on my shorts. My father was waiting, submerged to his shoulders. I plopped into the tub. Just me and dad. This was good, I thought.

“What’s up, Dad?” I asked. Here’s what he said,

“You know, Tom, being a father and boss in a family business is a tough job. I have to wear two hats.”

Dad turned and reached behind him.

He picked up a red baseball cap.

He turned back. He placed it on his head. Then he said,

“On the one hand, I’m your dad. On the other hand,”

Dad turned,

removed the red hat, grabbed a white hat from the ledge,

and put it squarely on his head,

“I’m also the boss and have to treat all my people fairly.

Your manager told me you asked for vacation. And he said no. You didn’t listen. You went anyway.

I have to treat you just the same as our other employees,
so Tom, you’re fired!”

My mind went instantly blank. Fired by dad? How would I live? Where would I work? I had no other skills.

Now what did Dad do?

He took off the white “boss hat” and put the red “dad hat” back on.

He said,

“Son, I hear you just lost your job.
What can I do to help?”