One in a pastry shop, one at Amazon

It was 2004. I remember the date very clearly because I was doing my military service.

I was a reserve officer in the 301st term.

I was serving as an officer at the General Staff.

In the evenings, I would visit some relatives.

The child of a very close relative of mine had ranked highly in the university entrance exam and was graduating from the country's best Computer Engineering department.

As a young assistant professor, I was trying to bring him into academia as well.

Since his father was relatively wealthy, I was arguing the thesis that a faculty position was just right for him.

In the end, he was convinced.

I mentioned the matter to the department head, whom I greeted occasionally even if we weren't close friends.

He didn't act very warmly.

He brushed me off, saying we'd see if there was a position available.

But it turned out there was a position, as I noticed he had hired a graduate of the civil engineering department as an assistant, which is not really within the realm of possibility.

Even if nepotism were involved, they would have needed to be a graduate of the computer, statistics, or mathematics department to become an assistant.

I won't write the details.

20 years have passed since then.

I saw this department head recently.

I had heard he was dismissed by a statutory decree (KHK) for being a FETÖ member.

It turns out he had also received a prison sentence.

He was working in a pastry shop.

I also asked about the other kid, the civil engineer he had hired as an assistant.

He was also dismissed by a statutory decree for being a FETÖ member.

He is still in prison.

It has been ten years and he hasn't been able to get out of the slammer.

What about my relative?

God protected him, and he didn't become an assistant.

He is in America, at the Amazon company, and doing well.