The Tip

I’ve got a new customer named Donna. She’s a retired art teacher and rides occasionally to therapy. Yesterday as I was taking her home she asked if I could pull up to Brolums so she could grab a free Jackson paper. I said sure, it’s not company policy but it scores points in company karma.

As I pulled into her driveway I realized I had completely forgotten her Brolums request, just drove right on by. She was very gracious but I felt bad. I told her I would make it right somehow during my busy afternoon runs. I was covering both routes yesterday but I managed to pick up a paper and stash it next to my seat.

Later on I was driving the Community School kids to Driggs and was passing her house so I pulled into her subdivision and announced on the loudspeaker “I need a volunteer!” Kalub was the first to raise his hand, with Ann and Quincy right behind him. I handed the paper to Kalub as Donna came out. He delivered the paper and she handed him something. You should have seen the look on the girls faces (eyes wide, jaws dropped) as Kalub got back on the bus with a five dollar bill in his hand. Priceless!

I quickly converted the bill to five ones and each of my five kids got a tip, and they smiled all the way to Driggs. I let the moms know what happened when I arrived and everything was cool. Thanks Donna!