Smoke seeped through the gap around the closed storeroom door.Everyone in the workshop moved to safety and called the fire service.Doyun counted the people gathered outside, one by one.Jian spoke to the manager, who had just arrived. “There’s smoke coming from the storeroom. We’re outside and we’ve called for help.”The manager’s first question was “Is anyone hurt?”One participant pointed to the other side. “That visitor got out too. They’re over there.”The group waited somewhere safe while firefighters checked the scene.Only after checking that everyone was all right did the manager open the inventory list, still outside.
A stable caught fire. After leaving court, Confucius asked whether anyone had been hurt. The passage records that he did not ask about the horses.
Modern adaptation
The stable becomes a storeroom in a modern workshop. The manager checks whether everyone got out safely and whether anyone was hurt before looking at the inventory.
Takeaway
After an accident, check on people before assessing damage to belongings.
Today’s question
When an unexpected accident happens, what do you check first?
