A Duck or An Eagle

Ron Lach

Good morning, my name is Matt. I will be your chauffeur.

Mrs. Brown looked shocked to see such a lively driver.

Matt went ahead to put the luggage in the booth while he asked Mr. Brown to sit comfortably in the back seat.

The journey to her hotel room will take about one and a half hours from the airport. She had booked the eagle's taxi to convey her to the hotel.

Madam, would you like to read today's papers? I have a copy of the Guardian and Punch newspaper.

He told her that he has some magazines if would prefer that too.

This looks weird in a city where all drivers are particularly impatient and lack manners.

Mrs. Brown came out of her shock, requested for a copy of the Guardian as she read through, observing Matt.

He continued his professional engagement with his client while he drives.

There is a coffee shop over there. If you like to take a cup, I'd just park and wait for you.

Jokingly, Mrs. Brown said:

A jar of juice will do.

As she flipped through the headline page of the Guardian newspaper, she across the latest news of Anthony Campbell, the CEO of Plenty-choice media who turned gay after divorcing his wife about a year ago. Such things, leaving a woman for a man. Bone to bone. She thought that's absurd.

Away from the shocking news about Anthony Campbell, Mrs. Brown notice Matt's taxi has a very clean interior with a camcorder attached to the seat head of the frontal passenger's seat for the viewing pleasure of the backseater. It's quite unusual to see such around.

Matt too was neatly dressed. He wore a well-ironed white shirt and pants, with a pilot's tie to match. He looked so much like a banker.

There must be something about him, Mrs. Brown thought. So, she decided to ask him.

Mr. Matt, you look very happy as a chauffeur, what's your joy?

Matt looked at her from the rearview mirror and saw that her head was buried in the newspaper. He cleared his throat and answered:

I started commercial driving six years ago after my compulsory retrenchment from my banking job.

Matt had discovered that half of the taxi drivers complain too much and get less pay for their business because they do it with murmuring.

You would see that their taxis are always dirty.

I found out that the cab is my office. It has to be taken care of. I don't keep it clean, who will.

That is why I call my cab, Eagle. The eagle does not complain. It would always face the storm. When the storm is fiercest, the eagle will ride. It flies into the sky where other birds never would venture.

Over two years when I discover the need to be positive-minded and but a network by being a good chauffeur, I have been able to double my profit. This year as we speak, I have quadrupled my profits. Something I couldn't do when I was in the class of the complaining drivers.

The life of the duck-like some drivers is that they always complain of their environment, the customer is not paying well, and whatnot.

The eagle does the job first before waiting for a reward. The rewards come in better than if you had bothered yourself negotiating the price with a customer before the journey begins.

Simple, I hand them a typed menu where the bus fares for different destinations are spelled out.

Mrs. Brown was so enlightened by a common driver who fashioned a way to deal with his client by carving a niche for himself among other drivers.

She was going to complain in the presentation of a new strategy to promote the nomenclature of her company's product but with Matt's ideal business strategy, she opted to work around her presentation and make it appear like an improvement from what was on the ground.

She doesn't want to be a duck. Complains and murmuring does not take you anywhere, it only keep you in your comfort zone, it does not allow you to think outside the box. Such is the life of the duck, it keeps visiting the same stagnant water looking for food particles when it could get better food in the field.

Today, you should choose where you belong. A duck or and eagle.