He set out early before sunrise so that he could do his work before heat of day became too much. Very soon he was standing by side of river. He knelt down and cupped flowing water into his hands.

It felt great. So refreshing, cool and alive as it flowed through his outstretched hands. He drank some of revitalizing waters before filling two large urns with this clear, fresh water.

Holding one urn to his chest with each hand, Tori started long walk back to distant camp. Even though sun was now rising he could still not even make out outline of tents. They were there somewhere on other side of these fields, and across wooded valley.

He walked on, taking care to stay clear of high grass that tried to brush against him as he made his way along path through field. He also took care to keep his balance as he walked along dirt track otherwise he would spill water all along his route.

Tori walked quickly and before long, even before he noticed, he was on outskirts of camp. The sun was a golden orange as he stopped to rest. He put urns down on ground and at that moment Kuma, old wiseman of village, walked out to greet him.

Kuma had a smile on his old face as he looked down at dew drenched trousers worn by Tori. He giggled as he waved his walking stick in air and explained to confused Tori why he was laughing so hard.

At age seventeen, I received my first job-related disciplinary action for my "attitude," simply because I wanted to go to a football game.

By that time I'd worked at fast food restaurant for over a year. I'd established myself as a reliable and hard worker, punctual, flexible and eager to learn new things. I never hesitated to come in when someone else called in sick, stayed late if needed, and tried my darnedest to be a model employee.

But I wanted badly to go to that football game. My high school's team would be facing its arch rival, which had soundly beaten us year before. Well in advance, I asked to have Saturday of game off. My manager said he'd see, but couldn't make any promises.

He ended up scheduling me to work that day anyway. Determined not to miss something that mattered so much to me, I took it upon myself to switch schedules with a co-worker. I made it to game (which we won, by way), confident that I had not let my place of employment down.

My manager saw it differently. As retribution, he took me entirely off work schedule for following week, a terrible price to pay for a kid who was saving half of every paycheck for college. Undaunted, I used free time to find another, better paying, part time job.

As it turns out, this was first in a series of work-related incidents over a span of 25 years in which I'd get singled out by bosses for having a "bad attitude." And for most of that time, I accepted that label, and felt I deserved it. Why else would it keep happening if it wasn't due to some character flaw that seemed to stymie any chance I'd have to succeed in working world?