Rex Gosa arrives the George Bush International Airport, Houston-the warm county of the United States filled with excitement and pomp for what awesome experiences the United States has in store for him.
"You are welcome to United States, Mr. Rex," a member of the airport security staff handling his check-in, Mr. Zimmerman Kenneth says with a pleasing smile.
"Thank you very much," Rex replies. "It is a great pleasure to be here."
After being cleared by the security, he makes his way out of the arrival area and to the carport to hire an airport taxi to take him to a hotel where he will be spending his one month U.S expedition.
Walking up to Grace Campbell's cab, a yellow Mercedes Benz E500, Rex is greeted by Grace Campbell who is leaning against her cab but immediately stands upright upon seeing Rex walking towards her.
"Welcome, sir," she greets Rex as she takes part of his luggage, the suitcase precisely, and walks him to her waiting cab. "How was your trip sir? Hope your flight was amazing?"
"Very awesome, ma'am," he says in astonishment at how courteous Grace seems to be. He expected he would be paired with a grumpy young or old lady who had some issue with her boyfriend or husband or some other things and take it out on him or a thankless young or old man thankful for nothing about life and frustrated at everybody he meets on the way but fortunately for him, the universe paired up with Grace Campbell, a wonderful driver with very topnotch customer service. "Thank you for being so warm-hearted. I have not seen so many in this line of business who are half as jolly as you are and I must say I'm impressed."
"Thank you very much sir," Grace says as she holds the door for Rex to get into her cab. Once he is in the car, she shuts the door quickly and briskly walks her way to the driver's seat. Pressing the ignition button, she backs out of the parking lot and zooms off. "Would you like some music, sir?"
"It's your car, ma'am." he says with a courteous smile. "I can't tell you how to drive in it."
"You're right, sir," she says smiling as she stares into the rear view mirror. "But you are my customer and my customer is always right so if you do not want the music, there is absolutely no reason why I should play it."
"I guess you are right as well," Rex says while tilting his head to the right as weighs the pros and cons in the theory Grace had just posited. "In that case, I will prefer you leave the music off then."
"Alright sir."
"Thank you very much," Rex replies happily.
"You're welcome," Grace replies. "It's my duty to make sure your trip is as comfortable as possible. "For the duration of this trip, think of me as your Houston Genie, sir."
"Awesome."
The duo drive for about 20 minutes, in deafening silence, save for the engine sounds from their car and others around and the seldom horns blaring from impatient drivers unequally eager to get to their own destinations in time.
"Alright, this place is too quiet now, please I will take what you offered me earlier", Rex says, disappointed at himself for asking that Grace drives him in silence to his destination earlier. "I'm sorry."
"That's not necessary sir," Grace replies as she puts on the mp3 player in her car with a Spotify playlist of The Billboard Top 100 songs. "Like I said..."
"...the customer is always right," they both chorus.
The journey is a fun ride as Grace & Rex spend the trip discussing the songs on the playlist as they play, analysing which ones are a perfect fit for the playlist, which ones are fails for such a listing and the reasons for the suggestions. The atmosphere is the kind obtainable at a bar between the bartender and a customer.
The journey to the hotel named Post Oak which usually takes about one hour suddenly seemed like 30minutes when Grace pulls into the hotel and heads for the foyer in order that Rex may become the hotel's responsibility.
"Thank you very much," Rex happily says to Grace, an action he has never extended to a public transport driver before as his meeting with them, no matter how short, usually ended in some other feeling that was not "satisfied" but here is this one whom a meeting with turned out to put him in ecstasy and chase away a whooping forty percent of the jet lag he suffered.
"It's a great pleasure, sir," Grace replies with a smile as she steps out to get the boot opened. "It was an awesome ride."
"Indeed," Rex says as he steps out of the vehicle to join Grace at the back of the vehicle where she is unloading his luggage. "So...I am not really familiar with Houston. I came here on a visit and I would really love to see and hear the sights and sounds of Houston if you know what I mean so I don't know if you would be so kind, would you be available tomorrow to take me on a tour around the city of Houston tomorrow."
"I am..."
"...I know it is a big city," Rex says, cutting her imagining she is about to reply in the negative. "I am not saying the tour must be completed in one day. No, I'm here for the next month so would appreciate if you could do me the solid and assist me this once please." Imagining how a negative reply from her could tarnish the overall experience of Houston, she decides to oblige him.
"I really cannot say how my day would be tomorrow but if I am chanced, I will be here to make that dream come true, y'know being your genie...," she says with a brief laughter. "But if not, I will make sure to send someone for you....Don't worry, he is a trusted fellow."
"Alright then. I'll be expecting you or him tomorrow by say, 8am?", Rex asks. Hope that's feasible?"
"Sure", she says assuringly as she shuts her boot. "I'll let him know to be here by 8am prompt meanwhile do have a wonderful evening. I have to get back to work now."
"Thank you very much," Rex replies as he follows the porter who had just loaded his bags into a trolley. "Trace is fabulous."
The trolley attendant just gives a smile and goes on to stand before the reception while Rex makes arrangement for his room and it takes about five minutes to do so.
"Thank you so much for choosing Trace," the receptionist says. "Do enjoy your stay."
"Oh, thank you very much," Rex replies as he collects the keycard to his room before he turns to the porter. "Room 904 please."
Rex and the porter head for the elevator. Once they are both in, he hits the number 9 on the elevator to take them to the ninth floor. It's a quiet trip for both of them, being the only ones in the elevator at the time. In a few minutes, they arrive at the ninth floor of the hotel as the porter has plastered on his face a smile that seems almost ingenuine,
"The ninth floor, sir", the porter says announcing the obvious as he pulls the trolley out of the elevator with Rex following after him.
"Thank you very much, my good man for the excellent service", Rex says flatteringly wanting so much for the partnership between them to be over as soon as possible. "...oh, here's 904 right here. Once again, thank you very much."
"Don't mention", the porter says. "You can put a call through with the phone lines on the tables if you have need for anything else and by all means, all staff would be more than willing to offer assistance."
"Alright", replies Rex.
"Do enjoy your stay," the porter finally says to the pleasure of jet-lagged Rex who can barely wait to dismiss him so he can have some rest.
"Thank you very much," Rex says. "Here's a little tip for the wonderful service rendered."
"Oh, thank you so much, sir," the porter says accepting the 100 dollar tip stretched his way by Rex. "You're too kind sir."
"Don't mention," Rex replies softly as he turns away into his room and shuts the door to get some rest ahead of the busy day he perceives he may have the following day.
Waking up the next morning to a beautiful orange sunrise sky by 6am, Rex immediately puts a call through to the driver he had arranged for just to let the fellow know to be on his way to him,
"Hello, Good morning," he says as soon as the driver answers the call.
"Good morning," the driver, Donald Cullen says with a testy tone.
"Please I was given this number by Grace...," Rex begins. "Grace Campbell that is. She told me to call you whenever I needed a ride..."
"Sorry, sir but I am very busy right now", Donald Cullen says. "Please call the cab company to call someone or better still call Campbell but as of now, I am very sorry I can't make it to you now."
"Alright, thanks for the honesty", Rex says, impressed by the honesty of the driver who did not tell him he would be there in a few minutes but end up not showing up at all but told him exactly he would not be available.
"You're welcome sir," Donald Cullen replies before ending the call. Immediately, he proceeds to call Grace Campbell to inform her of the new development.
"Hi, Mr. Gosa," Grace Campbell says as she answers his call at the first ring. "How're you today? I trust you are with the driver now?"
"On the contrary, Grace," he says with a tinge of frustration in his voice. "I called the driver this morning just as I was about to go have my bath only for him to tell me he would not be available to me as he is swamped."
"Quite sorry about that, sir," Grace apologizes while proffering an alternative. "Today is a very busy day in Houston here but if you are ready now, I could come pick you up."
"Are you sure?" Rex asks unwilling to bring any commotion into her schedule even though he really wants to see her again. "I would not want to bring any sort of commotion to your day which from your position earlier seems swamped already."
"Certainly not, sir," Grace replies smiling. "I am at your service anytime."
"Hmm, that's nice to know," Rex says. "Alright, I will be ready in the next thirty minutes."
"Great. I am on my way to you, sir"
"Alright, thank you very much."
Rex rushes to the bathroom for a bath while simultaneously brushing his teeth. In 10 minutes, he is done bathing and brushing. He makes his way to the wardrobe in his room to pick out an attire for the day. While in the process, he turns to check the time on his phone and notices he has missed a call from Grace. Snatching up his phone hastily, he puts a call through to her,
"Hello, Grace," he says as soon as she answers the call.
"Hello, sir," she responds. "I'm here sir."
"Wow", he says, astonished at how fast she made it to the hotel. "Okay give me five minutes. I will be with you."
"Don't worry," Grace says. "Take your time. You don't want to be in a hurry and end up leaving behind things to be carried. Please by all means, take all the time you need. I will be here. No need to rush."
Dressing up in 45 minutes, he leaves his hotel room and heads for the elevator to take him down to the lobby where he drops his room key with the receptionist just before he leaves the hotel to go meet Grace at her car in the parking lot.
"Good morning, Grace,"he says.
"Good morning, sir," she replies. "Hope you had a beautiful night,sir?"
"Oh, most definitely," Rex answers. "Oh, but you know what will make my day all the more fantastic?"
"What would that be, sir? Some music?" she says as she makes to turn on the music system in her car.
"That, right there," Rex replies. "Can we kindly drop the "sir" please. My name is Rex Gosa. Please do not call me sir from henceforth."
"Sure thing, Rex."
Rex is pleased when for the first time since they first met, he hears his name from her mouth as opposed to the "Sir" she would always address him with.
"Thank you very much," Rex says in acknowledgement. "By the way, I am not at all impressed at the other driver. The least he could have done knowing he could not come was to call me when he knew he could not joggle it. It was not necessary for him to attempt a "superman move."
"On his behalf, I am very sorry, sir."
"That's alright," Rex says, adjusting himself in the backseat. "It's water under the bridge now. At least, you have swooped in to save the day. That's what is important."
"All in the day's work, sir," Grace says. "So where shall we begin the tour?"
"Ermm," Rex says. "Before that, I have a meeting with the Secretary of Commerce in an hour's time so can you kindly take me there first?"
"Sure thing. So after the meeting? Where would you like the tour to officially start?"
"Your choice, Grace," Rex says with a smile and brief pause. "Surprise me."
"Prepare to be wowed, sir", Grace says before she corrects herself smiling. "I mean Rex"
"I was just looking at you and wondering why it is seeming so difficult to drop the "sir" and adopt Rex when addressing me."
"I'm sorry," she says while stealing a glance at him through the mirror attached to the front windshield. "It is a mannerism that comes with the territory."
"I will give you three days to let it go for me," Rex says with an assuring smile. I'm sure after three days of seeing my face and calling my name. The "sir" would be strictly for those who want to be called sir which does not include me."
In thirty five minutes, they arrive his destination, the US Department of Commerce where he is scheduled for a meeting with the Secretary of Commerce to discuss a partnership between his company and the department to bring his business, an autoparts manufacturing company into the US officially.
"Break a leg, sir", she says cheering him on as he steps out of the car. "Pardon me, it will definitely take a lot of getting used to before I can adopt it."
"Thank you very much", he replies with a smile in appreciation. "I'll call you when I am done so you can come pick me up."
"Alright," she responds. "I'll be expecting the call or I could just park my cab somewhere in here and wait till you're done y'know."
"No-no," Rex declines. "That will be really selfish of me. Please you can go and I will call you as soon as I am done. Some other passengers may be waiting."
"Surely, there are other cabs," Grace Campbell dismisses his fear. "They should pick any of those other ones. For today, I am all yours. Now, get in there and wow them and call me immediately you are through and I will come running to you."
"Thank you very much," Rex says as he turns to head into the building for his meeting but soon realizes he may have left his phone at the backseat of Grace Campbell's cab. He begins to wave at her frantically.
"Uhh," Grace Campbell says as soon as she notices his wave through her rearview mirror, she puts the car in reverse, backing up in his direction. "What could be the issue?"
"Thank goodness," Rex says with so much happiness mixed with fear, his heart beating frantically. "I thought I would not be able to call your attention in time before you left my sight. I forgot my phone in your car."
"See why I said I should wait somewhere around until you are done?"
"I see," Rex says a bit embarrassed. "You can just park somewhere around the vicinity please. Thank you very much. I'll double the pay."
"I don't want your money", Grace Campbell says jokingly. "Well, I do but just pay me the regular fare for the two trips. Don't bother about paying for my idle time please. Now, go please."
