My Mom Got Fired by Her Manager for a Ridiculous Reason — but Karma Took Care of Him in the End
When my mom was fired for giving a homeless veteran some leftover muffins, I felt powerless. Ten years later, I finally got the chance to set things right.
I’m Kevin, and I run a food-tech company in the same town where Mom, Cathy, was known as the Cookie Lady. She worked at Beller’s Bakery for 18 years, brightening everyone’s day. One rainy night, a homeless vet came in, and she quietly packed him some bread rolls and muffins. The next morning, her manager, Derek, fired her for “breaking company policy.”
I never forgot it. Years later, while hiring an operations manager, I saw Derek’s resume. He didn’t recognize me when he arrived and even bragged about firing “an older employee” for giving away baked goods. I stayed calm and told him, “You fired my mother for feeding a veteran. There’s no job here for you, but the shelter might need someone like you.”
Later, I called Mom. She laughed, amazed that karma had caught up with him. Now, she leads our community outreach team, handing out bread and mentoring teens — all on her own terms. Mom didn’t need revenge; she needed peace. And finally, she got it.
