The Wisdom Of Solomon

This week, my wife Anne and I visited the Book Depository in Dallas adjacent to where President Kennedy was killed in 1963.

The Depository is now a museum, and we had a prepaid 10 am appointment. From our hotel, we took a cab for the five minute ride.

Our driver was Solomon, a 20-something man from the African nation of Eritrea. He had no idea where this famous landmark is and used his cell phone GPS to try to find it.

Unfortunately, we got lost and after repeatedly failing to find it, I snapped at Solomon and had him bring us back to our hotel, where a car and driver took us immediately to the Depository.

In Solomon's cab, Anne had remained calm the whole time, but I was terribly rude to him, and when he got us back to the hotel, it was clear his feelings were hurt and his self-confidence harmed by my impatience and rudeness.

With a frown and irritation in my voice, I offered to pay him, but he politely refused the money.

Shortly after we arrived at the Depository, I realized how rude I had been, and was embarrassed, for I had thought I had grown well beyond such bad behavior.

I knew I had to do everything possible to make this right.

When we returned to the hotel, I asked the head valet to try to find Solomon, but he was unable to do so.

The next morning, I gave the head valet $20 to find Solomon, and told him that after I got out of Solomon's cab, I would give him another $20.

A short time later, I received a call from the head valet.

He said he was calling that cab company supervisor, when in a stunning development, a driver matching the description I had given was driving by.

He quickly flagged the cab down, confirmed the driver was Solomon and had Solomon pull into the hotel arrival area and wait while he called me.

I got in the cab with Solomon, and apologized from my heart. I told Solomon that had I seen him as my son, I would have been far more patient and treated him with the courtesy he deserved.

I said I had learned a valuable lesson from this: That people are more important than places.

Solomon politely agreed and I shook his hand and asked for his forgiveness, a forgiveness he immediately gave me.

I politely insisted he allow me to pay for the prior day's cab ride. At first he hesitated, and then he accepted the money, which included a nice tip, as a sign we had put this incident behind us.

When I got out of the cab, I walked over to the head valet and gladly gave him the additional $20 I had promised.

It isn't often in life we get a second chance to make things right, and I thanked God that I had gotten such a chance.

I will remember the wisdom of Solomon that came from this incident, and will put people ahead of places, giving them the love, respect and patience they deserve.

With Love To All ~ Dick