"I would like to make an announcement."
Victor stood motionless.
Eleanor looked at the guests.
"Tonight's performance will continue."
People began smiling.
"But before it begins, I want everyone to remember one thing."
She paused.
"You never know who is standing in front of you."
A few people nodded.
"You never know what someone has survived."
She looked at the elderly guests.
"You never know what someone has built."
She looked at the workers.
"You never know who someone may become."
Then she looked at Daniel.
"And you never know how one small act of kindness might change a person's life."
Applause began.
At first, only a few people clapped.
Then more.
Soon the entire lobby was filled with applause.
Daniel stood there with tears in his eyes.
Eleanor smiled.
Victor didn't clap.
He simply stared at the floor.
The next morning, Victor arrived at the theater early.
For the first time in fifteen years, he entered through the employee entrance instead of the private parking area.
He walked into his office.
His desk was covered with paperwork.
On the wall was a framed photograph of the theater.
He stared at it.
Then he looked at the photograph Eleanor had shown him.
The image stayed in his mind.
Two young people.
A dream.
A building.
A promise.
Victor sat down.
For the first time, he wondered when he had stopped caring about that promise.
He thought about the people he had ignored.
The employees he had shouted at.
The guests he had judged.
The old man he had asked to move.
The single mother he had embarrassed because her dress wasn't formal enough.
The young musician he had turned away because he didn't have connections.
He remembered all of them.
And suddenly, he understood.
The problem hadn't started that night.
It had started years ago.
One small judgment at a time.
One arrogant decision at a time.
One person after another.
Until he had become the exact kind of person Eleanor and David had built the theater to prevent.
At 9:00 a.m., someone knocked on his door.
Victor looked up.
It was Eleanor.
He stood.
"Mrs. Whitmore."
She entered.
"May I sit?"
"Of course."
She sat across from him.
Victor remained standing.
"I owe you an apology."
Eleanor looked at him.
"Yes."
Victor swallowed.
"I was wrong."
She didn't respond.
"I judged you by your appearance."
She nodded.
"I humiliated you in front of people."
Another nod.
"And I fired Daniel."
"Yes."
Victor looked down.
"I was arrogant."
Eleanor leaned back.
"That is true."
Victor almost smiled sadly.
"I thought I was protecting the theater."
"You were protecting your ego."