Every day life had beaten him down a little more. Each
day his confidence had shrunk. And each moment he be-
came less of the person he admired and more of the per-
son he pitied. George vowed he would not be weak
today. He had vowed he would be strong, yet here he
was being weak and beaten down again. Enough, George
thought to himself as he clenched the rock in his fist.
Enough, he thought as the word echoed throughout his
entire body. Tom took a step back as he saw a transfor-
mation come over George.
No longer will I become a punching bag for life or
anyone else for that matter, George thought as he took a
step toward Tom. “You think I’m just going to sit here and
let you talk to me like this?” George said. Before Tom
could answer, George said, “Think again. Are you very
talented? Of course you are. Could we use you for this
product launch? You bet. But I’d rather have less talent
and a team that is all moving in the same direction and
striving for the same goals than a team with someone
who has your attitude. So guess what, Tom. If the bus
blows up, you won’t have to worry because you won’t be
on it. Effective immediately you are off the bus. I didn’t
want it to be this way but what you just said to me and
your attitude give me no other choice. You are fired.”
Tom’s jaw dropped as he stood frozen in shock. Then he
turned, walked out of the office without saying a word,
and slammed the door shut.
One Energy Vampire off the bus, George thought as
he stood there still shaking from the argument. It wasn’t
84
The Energy Bus