An Uber ride with an unusual driver…
Jackie: “Are you my Uber?”
Lazare: “It would seem so.” (glances around and nods)
J: “Hi. I’m Jackie.” (enters car)
L: “And I am Lazare. I see you are going to the airport.”
J: “Yeah.”
L: “Business or pleasure?”
J: “A little of both, I hope.”
L: “Do you mean doing business is a pleasure or seeking pleasure feels more like a business?”
J: “You make it sound like I might be up to something suspicious. I have a board meeting, that’s all. Then after that I hope to spend a couple of hours with some friends.”
L: “Ah. I understand. You try to keep business separate from pleasure.”
J: “Well, I hope my business will have some pleasure. And a few of my friends take a little work, if you know what I mean.”
L: “I am aware. There is no relationship that doesn’t require work. And most of the time driving people around is very pleasant, but some riders can make it seem more like work.”
J: “Uh huh…It’s a mixed bag. So, why did you ask, then?”
L:“Just making conversation. We have made a good start, don’t you think?”
J: “Maybe. How long have you been an Uber driver?”
L: “Not long. A few months.”
J: “What did you do before?”
L: “I still do what I have always done. Driving is just a side gig.”
J: “I get it. There’s nothing wrong with a little extra income, right?”
L: “I don’t do it for the money. My regular job is very demanding, so I do this for…”
J: “Fun? If so, you have a strange idea of fun.”
L: “I was going to say…other reasons.”
J: “Such as?”
L: “Meeting people. Talking with them. Helping them.”
J: “Hmm. Helping. How?”
L: “Helping them to get where they are going.”
J: “Isn’t that the definition of what an Uber driver does?”
L: “Well, yes, and no.”
J: “What do you mean?”
L: “An Uber driver merely gets the passenger from point A to point B. Sometimes I help them reach another destination.”
J: “You’re starting to freak me out. You’re not some kind of final destination-type killer, are you?”
L: “Heavens no!” (laughs) “It’s just that sometimes a passenger needs help with where they are going in a larger sense. That is where I come in.”
J: “You mean in a spiritual sense?”
L: “You could say that.”
J. “OK. Give me an example.”
L: “That would be difficult.”
J: “Why?”
L: “I am not supposed to break a confidence. Those I have helped do not want me to talk about them.”
J: “Come on. It’s not like you’re a priest or a lawyer. You don’t have to name names. Just give me an outline.”
L: “Very well. Two weeks ago, I helped a man realize he needed to go and see a brother he hadn’t seen in years. A few days after that, the man’s obituary was in the paper.”
J: “Oh…my…(draws in a breath) did they part on good terms?”
L: “I think so. I just received a note from the brother thanking me for suggesting the visit.”
J: “I’m starting to get the picture. Any other examples?”
L: “Last month, I picked up a woman who thought her husband might be cheating on her. As we talked, I took a little detour past the hospital cancer wing. There, we could see her husband waiting to see a doctor. She realized he wasn’t seeing another woman and insisted that I stop so she could be with him. She said I could keep the whole fare.”
J: “What…what happened to the man?”
L: “He is now on home hospice. I am planning to visit him tonight.”
J: “Does this sort of thing happen often?”
L: “Often enough. I get to know people, so that makes my job a little easier.”
J: “What is your job?”
L: “I prefer not to say. You might get the wrong idea.”
J: “Can you at least give me a hint?”
L: “My job involves dealing with difficult transitions.”
J: “Are you a divorce lawyer?”
L: “No.”
J: “Bankruptcy, then?”
L: “No. I am not an attorney.”
J: “Corporate raider?”
L: “No.”
J: “Do you liquidate companies?”
L: “No.”
J: “Are you a hatchet man? Do you fire people?”
L: “No.”
J: “Are you a hospice worker?”
L: “No.”
J: “A mortician?”
L: “No. Please stop guessing.”
J: “Sorry. Now I’m more curious than before.”
L: “Sometimes I wish people were more curious about their own lives.”
J: “What do you mean by that?”
L: “Well, instead of being concerned about what I do, maybe you should be more concerned about what you do.”
J: (Indignantly) “You don’t even know what I do!”
L: “No, I don’t. The question is, do you?”
J: “Well, I know a good deal more about it than you.”
L: (calmly) “I don’t doubt it.”
J: “Then, why is it any of your business what I do or do not do?”
L: “It’s not, unless you want to share. But, if that’s true, what business is it of yours what I do when I’m not an Uber driver?”
J: “Touché. Sorry.”
L: “No worries. All I know is that you are on the board of something. That’s all I need to know, unless you want to tell me more. But I’m more curious about whether you are doing what you do out of obligation or passion. I will tell you that I do what I do out of a sense of obligation – duty – more than desire. I’m good at it, to be sure, and I’ve done it for a very long time, even though I wouldn’t have chosen to do it.”
J: “Now, I’m even more curious about what you do. I suppose I’ll just have to wait until you’re willing to tell me. To answer your question, I do what I do for the same reasons as you. Sometimes I feel passion for it, but mostly I try to find fulfillment in other ways. To tell the truth, most of the time I don’t even know how I’m doing as a person, even though I’m told I’m good at my job.”
L: “Now, we’re getting someplace! I told you sometimes I help my passengers reach another destination.”
J: “I’m seeing that for myself. Do you think I’m neglecting myself as a person?”
L: “It doesn’t matter what I think. Are you?”
J: “I’ll have to say, yes. I’ve been burning the candle at both ends. I haven’t felt right in months. I probably ought to see a doctor, but I’ve been so busy…”
L: “I understand.”
J: “As soon as I get back from this trip, I’m going in for a checkup. And I’ll take some time off and get more exercise.”
L: “That sounds good. We’re almost at the airport. Which airline?”
J: “Jet Blue.”
L: “OK.”
J: “Aren’t you going to tell me what you do for a living?”
L: “I will soon.”
J: “You mean when I get back?”
L: “Or maybe before you arrive.”
J: “I don’t understand.”
L: “Here we are.”
Jackie sighs and exits the car. Lazare helps with the suitcase and carry-on. Before Jackie reaches the departures door, he collapses. Lazare eases him to the pavement. Time seems to stand still.
L: “Jackie, I am Azrael, the Angel of Death. I enjoyed our little conversation. You have had a massive coronary embolism. It is time for me to help you go to your true home. This is my job. Have no fear. Your next journey will be one of joy. Your days of struggle are over. Your new life is about to begin. Please, take my hand.”
J: “Thank you, Azrael. I can see…” (eyes close).
MurrayWorks 