The keyword of the week || The graduate.

-Necessity has the face of a hungry dog; it is an unavoidable psychological force that pushes you and motivates you to cross some lines in order to make up for the deficiencies that overwhelm you... it is something that only those who have gone through the same thing understand... and when you are anxious, the slightest opportunity that presents itself is impossible to pass up. My mother was dying, what could I do? Go out and steal. I know this doesn't justify me, but that's my truth, sir, Alfredo. -He confessed, thus taking off the mask with which he had covered up his lie when he took the job.

Julián Hernández was a 25-year-old single man with a strong sense of family commitment. He was a part-time warehouseman in a mattress factory on the outskirts of the city, a simple job, with which he earned just enough to eat and cover his personal needs. However, his mother was chronically ill, and the supply of her medication was something that his income could not afford; he felt quite hard pressed.

He never pursued higher education; his family was low-income, and although he never had a college degree, this young man had an innate intelligence and an amazing ability to learn. This allowed him to compensate for his lack of preparation, as well as being the ideal complement to his ability to be a phony in any field of work.

Despite this, Julian Hernandez, was a person who was always willing to help others; his kindness and empathy along with a great leadership ability, was something that made him earn the affection of his bosses and colleagues. If someone had a problem, he never hesitated to go to him; always willing to lend a helping hand or help to think and find a solution.

He had been longing for the opportunity he had always been denied. His resume did not display the credentials of a university degree, and the pressure of the medical expenses generated by his mother's illness made him cross a line he had never dared; it led him to do something improper and unethical: to make up his resume. In it, he mentioned undergraduate degrees in financial administration and postgraduate degrees in administration and human resources management, allegedly obtained at a prestigious university. He also pretended his age and added work experience in an internationally renowned company. Once this was done, he went for an interview at a company located one hour away from his hometown; he expected to get the job.

-Next, please! -said the secretary.

Julian was next on the list. Without pausing to think, he got up from his chair and picked up the briefcase he had brought with him. Then he walked nervously in the direction of the secretary's desk; he did not want anyone to notice any detail that might jeopardize the performance he was about to give.

-Please tell me your name, licentiate? -asked the secretary.

"Licentiate? I like the sound of that," Julian thought.

-Julian Hernandez! -he then indicated.

After writing down his personal information and contact numbers, the secretary told him to go to the office of the company's general manager.

Julian walked towards the door and before turning the doorknob he stopped in front of it, for an almost imperceptible moment. He hesitated to enter the interview, but immediately remembered the reasons that led him there, and decided to continue. "I'm already here... let's see what happens? Don't chicken out now, Julian. Show what you're capable of," he said to himself to give himself courage, and finally turned the door knob and entered.

As soon as he walked through the door, he noticed that the walls of the spacious office were painted in a navy blue tone and decorated with some abstract paintings. The furniture was made of high quality ergonomic furniture, and the desk was made of dark oak, with well-defined lines. The general manager, a man in his forties, with short hair and a polished beard, named Alfredo Rivas, was seated in the main chair. In front of him, there were two chairs for the attention of employees or customers.

-Please take a seat! -said the Manager, while pointing with his open hand to one of the chairs.

Julian took a few steps and then sat down, placing his briefcase on his lap.

-Let me see your resume, please. -asked the manager.

Julian opened the briefcase and extracted from it the folder he had prepared with the resume and then passed it to the Manager, who proceeded to inspect it.

-Licentiate, Julián Hernández, I see here that you have an important academic preparation, and that you studied at the same university that I attended. In addition to that, you have the required experience to opt for the position. I believe that you are the man we need to cover the human resources area. May I have the supports to verify them, please? -said the Manager.

-Oh, no sir, I knew this would happen. Unfortunately, I cannot show you the supports. I lost them when I came back from abroad. Julian replied matter-of-factly.

-In that case, licentiate. I regret to inform you that I can give the job to someone who cannot prove the qualifications he holds. -The Manager replied.

-Wait a moment, sir. You just said that I am the man you need for the job. It's true that I can't prove my qualifications, but let me prove my abilities to you, not with paper, but with deeds and actions. Put me to the test and you will not regret it. -Julián affirmed, very sure of himself.

-I am pleased with your answer, licentiate. Only a man who is very sure of his abilities would speak in such a way. You will be on probation for two weeks, and if you do not prove to me with facts what you have just stated, you will leave this company without any benefit. It starts tomorrow. I will be watching you. -said the Manager.

In the following days, the presence of Julian Hernandez began to bear positive fruit within the company. The morale of many employees rose dramatically, and all because this character was there to encourage them and infect them with his social spirit. Instead of sanctioning failures, he preferred to give advice and propose solutions to the problems that arose, something that undoubtedly served to win the admiration of many workers and, in addition to this, they felt so motivated that everyone's performance increased exponentially. In addition to this, Julian Hernandez, analyzed and evaluated the capabilities of the personnel within the company, and then reassigned functions making them more effective, which also resulted in an increase in economic results.

However, despite the fact that most of the staff was motivated by the policies implemented by Mr. Julian Hernandez, there was someone who was not happy with it, and for whom, in his opinion, he had only come to the company to hinder his interests; a man who aspired to obtain the position that was given to our protagonist.

Gabriel Gonzalez was an employee who had been with the company for about five years. He had very different characteristics from Julián Hernández. He was in charge of keeping the company's accounting and recording inventories of raw materials and finished products, as well as supervising deliveries to customers. In addition to this, this employee had something very particular: he never hesitated to immediately expose any mistake made in the production area; something that, mostly, culminated in the dismissal of the personnel involved. This, undoubtedly, was something that contrasted with the leadership shown by Mr. Julian Hernandez, who always proposed solutions to the problem without the need to take it to higher levels.

Gabriel was a character who considered himself indispensable and irreplaceable within the company structure; he thought he was better than everyone else thanks to the profile of studies and the position he held. His storage methods were questioned by some workers, however, no one dared to object to them given the arrogance that characterized him; his orders were never questioned, he never allowed it, and this was something that, instead of gaining the respect of all, had given him a high degree of antipathy among the staff of employees.

Soon, Gabriel was filled with professional envy, and tried to find fault with Julian Hernandez's performance, although he got nothing he could use to discredit him. Not satisfied, he made phone calls and asked for references of Mr. Julian Hernandez; any detail that he could use in his favor, but in the company where he allegedly worked previously, he did not get any response, something that made him feel frustrated his intentions.

A few days later, in the middle of delivering products to a client, Gabriel González got what he had been looking for. The carrier of that company had previously been employed at the mattress factory where Julian Hernandez was a worker. That day, he was identified by that driver, who exposed him without the slightest intention, to the least indicated person. A greeting and a simple comment were enough for Gabriel to detect the fraud.

-Julian? How are you?" asked the driver.

-Well, well... a little busy for now. Good to see you. -Julian answered somewhat nervously, and immediately walked away, fearing to be exposed.

-Who would have thought? From a simple part-time warehouseman at the mattress factory, to an important position in this company. I admire the good luck this guy has. -The Chauffeur commented in Gabriel's presence, while watching Julian Hernandez in the distance.

These words, without apparent importance, were just the proof Gabriel González needed to attack Julián Hernández; the collision he was looking for was inevitable. In the afternoon, before the end of the workday, Gabriel saw the opportunity to confront Javier face to face, and did not hesitate to take advantage of it.

-Licentiate Julián? May I speak with you alone for a moment? -Gabriel thus approached Julián.

-Yes, of course. Tell me, Mr. Gabriel, what is it that you want to talk to me about? -Julian asked, calmly.

-I'll be very honest with you, Julián. I don't like to beat around the bush. -said Gabriel Gonzalez.

-Okay, that's fine. But I don't understand what you want to tell me? Is there a problem? -Julian asked, not understanding.

-I know who you are. You have lied to our faces. You're a charlatan. You're a phony. You've never worked where you claim you did... No, of course not. Instead, you were just a warehouseman at the mattress factory. A simple laborer. I needed to tell you to your face, before I went to the Manager. I wanted you to know that it was me who discovered you. -Gabriel answered with irony, while his eyes reflected a gleam full of rage; full of envy.

Julián blanched with embarrassment at Gabriel's words. He knew his attitude well; he had analyzed the behavior of all the employees, and understood very well that he was not a person he could trust, so he had kept a prudent distance. However, now he was trapped; no escape, and there was only one ace left up his sleeve that he had not played, one that he had kept for a moment like that, although, in reality, he would have preferred never to have to do it; not to have to lower himself to Gabriel's level, but now, he had no other choice.

-You found me out. I congratulate you. I was hoping we could be friends, but I guess that's not what you want, is it? No... of course not. You just want me out, and I don't understand why? If I haven't exposed your faults. -Julian mentioned.

-How? I am not the one who has hidden behind a facade. That's you. -Gabriel replied.

-Yes, it's true... that's me. But, I am not the one who has caused millions of dollars in losses to this company with all the raw materials and products that are lost because of you, because you don't listen to anyone, because you don't look for a solution. That is you, Gabriel. And you well know that in the end that will have more weight. It is very likely that I will leave here, but I can assure you that you will too. -Julian said.

Gabriel Gonzalez cleared his throat out of anger and frustration. He felt blackmailed, mocked, but at the same time trapped.

-The luck won't last forever... For now, do what you want, just don't get in my way. -Gabriel said angrily, then walked away.

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