“Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”
The words echoed in his mind as he sat on the park bench in a foreign city in an equally foreign city.
More than once he asked himself how it had all gone wrong, and catastrophically wrong at that.
He felt the weight of his decline from the house on the hill with a beautiful wife and three children to a disgraced and penniless man living wherever he could find shelter.
He had a good life, successful and a business that was expanding and if it hadn’t been for the disloyalty of his office assistant, none of this would have occurred.
She claimed he was sexually inappropriate in their workplace, that he had taken working after hours to a new height.
She had revealed his exploitation of his female employees in particular. The after-work drinks that turned into parties then evolved into drunken orgies all with the promise of the women being paid overtime.
He didn’t think he was doing anything wrong. They were his employees, couldn’t he ask them to work back? Didn’t he say he’d reward them for their diligence? After all wasn’t life about learning something new each day, and he believed he had that something the women would treasure and learn from?
But the revelations had a disastrous impact on his life. Confronted by his wife he admitted his infidelity and once everything became public, he moved, ashamed of his presence in front of his children.
His business fell apart, his female employees in particular resigned en masse the male staff soon after. Quickly his business went broke, he had nothing, his wife being a shareholder made sure she and her children were protected.
His public disgrace left him with no option other than to flee. Now in his strange city, he wandered anonymously, sleeping in homeless shelters and at the mercy of the charities that provided soup kitchens where he could eat.
He found it hard to understand and accept that he had done anything wrong. In so many ways his fall from grace was a mystery to him.
Written for: https://sammiscribbles.wordpress.com/2018/03/03/weekend-writing-prompt-44-fallen/
Morpethroad 
And that’s the whole problem, Michael. A lot of these men just can’t see what they’ve done wrong. I say let them explain their behaviour to the fathers of these young girls in a locked room – and give the fathers a scalpel. Or at least a rusty spoon.
Yes I do see your point. They don’t have moral compass to tell them what they do is inappropriate.
sadly most of them will never know such hardships as the scoundrels usually make sure their finances are well sheltered.
Yes they are real schemers that is for sure.
no moral compass at any level ….
Great piece and unfortunately there is truth in the sentiment. Not particularly being unfaithful but often people are disinclined to take responsibility for their actions. I find that a bit sad
Thanks Deb it happens so often no understanding of the hurt they inflicted
That’s the main problem when one doesn’t want to realize where he went wrong or their ego doesn’t permit them. Sad but nicely written.
Thanks so much Indira
Another good piece Michael. Some men just don’t seem to grasp that blame for their demise rests at their own door.
That is s true Di. Thanks for stopping in.
This is such a well-written piece, Michael, and very topical.
Have a great weekend 🙂
Thanks Sammi. Enjoy your weekend too. Mine is half over😊