Displeased my superiors, I was reassigned to work as a gatekeeper. Until the newly appointed Vice President came to inspect, saw my work card and suddenly trembled
“Gatekeeper”
My name is Trinh Nam, thirty-eight years old, used to be an inspector of a provincial department. The job was not glorious but enough to make my parents proud. However, after just one tense meeting – or more accurately, after a few overly frank words from me – everything collapsed.
That day, I gave my opinion on a project with an unusual increase in capital. I gave clear figures, but a deputy director – who was related to the contractor – turned purple. Only three days later, I received the decision to reassign me to work as a… contract guard, in the category of “temporary security support”.

Temporary but not knowing when it would end.

From the air-conditioned office, I moved to the guardhouse at the gate, next to the old royal poinciana tree. The white shirt changed into a faded blue uniform. Every morning, I stand up straight and greet the officers passing by – some of whom used to call me “Mr. Nam”, “Uncle Nam”.

Now they just nod perfunctorily. Some even turn away.

My house is more than 10km from the office. My wife teaches primary school, with a low salary, and my children are still in school. I dare not tell anyone that I am being “bullied”, only that I change my job a bit to make it more comfortable.

But in fact, every night lying in my 12m² dormitory room, I hear the whirring sound of the fan and my nose stings.

The office has been buzzing for weeks about the province having a new Vice Chairman. People say he is young, brave, and highly educated, having returned from Hanoi. The inspection schedule for my office was announced in advance. Everyone is nervously cleaning and tidying up.

As for me, like every day, I stand at the gate.

The morning sky is cloudy. Around 8am, a convoy of blue-plated cars drives in. I stand at attention and raise my hand to salute. The back door of the car opened, a tall, handsome man in a mature way stepped out. Bright face, sharp but gentle eyes
He walked to the gate where I was standing. When I bowed and raised my card to scan, his eyes stopped at the work card in front of my chest.

And then… he stopped.

I saw him really trembling. His hand held the edge of the card, looking intently as if he had just seen something terrifying or unbelievable.

– What’s your name? – his voice was hoarse.

– Yes, I’m Trinh Nam, security guard…

– Who Trinh Nam?

I was surprised. I didn’t remember knowing anyone of that caliber.

He took a step back, swallowed hard, his eyes were red.

– Trinh Nam… Huynh Van Ngoc High School… right?

I was startled.

That was the school where I had taught on a three-year contract before entering the industry. At that time, because my father was seriously ill, I applied to teach part-time, life was quite difficult.

– Yes, that’s right… but how did you know…?

The man clasped his hands, his voice choked:

– I’m… Tung. Class of 2004. Don’t you remember me?

I gasped.

Tung used to be the poorest student in the class, skinny, always sitting at the last desk. His father died early, his mother sold lottery tickets, Tung often skipped breakfast. One year he almost dropped out of school because he didn’t have money to pay the tuition. I helped him with whatever I could. One time it rained heavily, I had a bad cold and tried to take Tung home because his mother hadn’t arrived in time.

I remember those things… but I didn’t expect that student from that day to now be standing in front of me, in a neat suit, with a title that made the whole province respect him.

– Oh my god… is that Tung?

Tung laughed, tears falling.

– I’ve been looking for you for years but couldn’t find you. I owe you my life. And now I meet you again in this situation…

He turned to the entourage, his voice cold:

– Who assigned Mr. Nam to stand here?

No one dared to answer.

A vice director turned purple:

– Yes… the officer transferred him to make the job more suitable…

Tung looked straight at me, his voice choked:

– You know… If that day you didn’t give me money to buy books, didn’t talk to me privately so I wouldn’t have dropped out of school… I probably wouldn’t have this day. You are the one who built my life. You don’t deserve to stand here like this.

I felt like I was being pulled back to my student days, where the afternoon wind blew Tung’s ink-stained notebooks.

Tung turned to the head of the delegation, loudly:

– Mr. Nam will now be the temporary head of the administrative – human resources department. I will re-examine all the previous transfer records.

The whole group was stunned. I was even more confused:

– Tung… teacher… you don’t need…

– No! – he interrupted – I don’t want favoritism. I just want to give you the justice you deserve.

I choked up.

But the twist wasn’t there.

After that day’s work, Tung invited me to dinner. We sat in a small restaurant next to the lake. Tung quietly looked at the water for a while and then said:

– Teacher Nam… actually, the person who caused you to be demoted wasn’t because you did something wrong or spoke frankly. But because… someone deliberately blamed you to cover up something else.

I frowned:

– What do you mean?

Tung pulled out an old file from his bag.

– This is last year’s audit file. In it, there is a negative report that the person who handled it was you… But in fact, you never signed it. Someone forged your signature to push the responsibility.

I was stunned.

I remember that year I was taking care of my father in the hospital, and I asked for a few days off. It turned out they took advantage of that.

– I’ve verified it. The signs of forged signatures are all clear. The teacher was transferred just to let others escape responsibility…

I clenched my hands, my chest ached.

Tung put his hand on my shoulder, his voice warm:

– But teacher, don’t worry. I will handle this matter according to the law, and not let anyone take advantage of me anymore. I owe you, so I will help you in a fair and square way.

I looked at Tung – no longer the shy student from the past, but a steadfast man, his eyes filled with gratitude
– Thank you, Tung. Teacher… I really didn’t think that one day…

– No, teacher. – Tung smiled – The favor is not lost. It just wandered for a while to find its way back.

I bowed my head. That night, it wasn’t the cold lake wind that made me shiver, but the warmth of an old relationship.

A few months later, I received the official decision to become the deputy of the administrative and human resources department, and the person who forged the signature was investigated. Tung did not favor me too much, did not cover up for anyone. Everything was in order, in order.

But he still called me with two words that warmed my heart:

– Teacher Nam.

As for me, from the place I stood in front of the gate that day, now every morning when I pass by the guardhouse, I still greet the guards there. I understand their feelings. I know the coldness of loneliness called “being humiliated”.

And I always remind myself:

Sometimes, a small kindness that I sowed for someone many years ago will come back like a miracle – right when I am most lonely and disadvantaged.