A Chauffeur’s “Life Altering” Experience
Back in October, 2023 I posted “Which Are You? Eagle or Duck”. It didn’t get too many “looks”, but I would encourage those of you who follow this blog to take a few minutes and read that posting which goes “hand and hand” with this post before reading this anymore.
Having initially been a professional Chauffeur when I entered the transportation industry, I had many experiences which have become long-lasting memories. In fact, a few of those memories were actually “life altering”. Today, I want to relate one of those experiences with you.
At JL, we provided limousine service to a number of funeral homes in Central Virginia. You might find this a bit surprising, as I did, that funeral homes no longer provided their own limousines for service to their families become now having become an unsupportable expense. Our limousines were used mainly for retail work which usually occurred at night. So, having the opportunity to put our limos on the street during the day created a new revenue stream as we became a vendor for the funeral homes. As you can see this arrangement worked very well for both the funeral homes and JL.
There was a gentleman named, Dana, who owned a very successful small business in Hanover Dana has since passed, but “back in the day” he provided limousine service to a number of severely physically challenged folks just as a generous gesture. Dana, himself, suffered from a physical handicap and I remember so vividly taking him and others who suffered from a number of different challenges to Georgetown University Hospital on a quarterly basis for their medical appointments. Due to the relationship I had built with Dana, I became his exclusive driver even when I had “hung up my keys” on a daily basis.
The challenge, early on, in my transportation career as a Chauffeur was to earn a gratuity. “Back in the day”, before technology entered the industry which built-in tips, we filled out credit card slips for our customers to sign and hopefully based off the service they received, would add a gratuity. Today, with tips being built-in, I would always remind the Driving Team that they needed to be certain they were providing the service to earn that gratuity and shouldn’t expect to receive anything extra. I wish we didn’t build-in tips as I believe more attention would be given to exceeding our customer’s service expectations.
Being the “Limo Guy”, building a loyal book of clients, I was kept busy and learned how to meet the challenge of earning excellent gratuities. Understanding the importance of being prepared, I went overboard in my preplanning. Mind you, this was prior to tools like MapQuest, Google Maps, and GPS meaning you had to handwrite your turn-by-turn directions for your runs using a map book. This was especially time consuming for me as I normally went out of town for my runs, but being as prepared as I was paid dividends in my challenge to earn an excellent gratuity. If possible, for local runs I wasn’t familiar with, I would physically preview the pick-up and drop-off locations using my own vehicle.
I also kept a notebook on my regular clientele. In the notebook I would record my customer’s likes and dislikes, preferred routes to get to regular destinations, the magazine they enjoyed looking through, and their favorite beverage. There were two lady clients I had a particular fondness for who were both professionally very successful. When I first helped them into my sedan, they were never disappointed as both the magazine and Starbucks they wanted were always provided.
New clients I drove always received a “thank you” card from me appreciating the opportunity to be of service to them hoping they’ll become a loyal JL customer. My “regulars” would also receive a birthday card from me which was hand delivered with a bottle of wine.
Additionally, I would carry along with me a small satchel filled with items which may come in handy during a run. The items in the satchel included mints, mouthwash, individual sanitized towelettes, Advil, Tylenol, a comb and small brush, Tide Stick, a pair of socks, a tie, small first-aid kit, and a sewing kit. Seldom did this come into play, but when it did, I knew I had hit a “grand slam”.
It was also a joy to do my best to go as far “above and beyond” the level of service for each of my customers and it paid off handsomely in the generous gratuities I earned. One example was the Saturday I picked-up a husband and wife along with two teenage children from Richmond’s Jefferson Hotel in a stretch limousine taking them to Charlottesville to attend the graduation of another child from UVA, attend a family luncheon at another relative’s home, visiting a local cemetery to visit the graves of some relatives and friends, and driving them back to Richmond Airport where they boarded a private jet. It was not only a perfect day, but an even more perfect run. When we arrived at the relative’s home for the after-graduation luncheon, I put on an apron and helped serve the guests their food and then helped with the clean-up. When I dropped my folks off at the airport, the husband was so extremely complimentary of my service and, “believe you me”, I was even more shocked at the amount of his generosity.
Thank you for allowing me to digress. Dana would always call me direct to make his reservations so he could go over any additional details. On, what was to be a run which would result in a life altering experience, he wanted me to pick-up a couple in a stretch on a Friday and take them to Virginia Beach so they could enjoy a weekend together and then return them to their home the following Monday morning. He told me the couple had run into some hard times financially as the husband’s medical bills had financially drained their savings and he was terminally ill with a devastating form of cancer crippling him to a point where he was wheelchair bound. Before picking them up I should drop by his business to retrieve a tray of food and a bottle of champagne for the trip to the beach. He said he knew I would provide outstanding service, but politely reminded me how important it was to him that I go “above and beyond” as the gentleman didn’t have much longer to live. Wow!!
In preparing for this run, I made certain my personal grooming and professional dress met the highest of standards. I remember not only getting a fresh haircut, but purchasing a formal tie and a new pair of shoes. Certainly, in previewing the run I found a modest home in what I’d term a middle-class subdivision in Mechanicsville with a wooden ramp leading up to the front door confirming a wheelchair was in use.
On the morning of the 11AM pick-up, I dropped by Dana’s business to get the tray of food and champagne and a wish from Dana for a safe trip where I kept the food up front with me while placing the bottle of champagne in the back of the stretch in a bin of ice. Arriving at the home ten minutes early, I backed the limousine down the driveway and walked up the ramp to the front door knocking on it in order to introduce myself. A rather short attractive lady in her early sixties answered the front door with a big smile and a welcoming handshake. I was invited into the living room where I met her husband being greeted by another big smile and handshake while being in a wheelchair. The home was filled with family and friends there to see the couple off. After a few moments of pleasantries, it was off to the limo where I was able to transfer him from his wheelchair to the backseat. I then opened the opposite door for his wife and it was now time to head to the beach.
Exiting the interstate at Williamsburg in order to take the couple on a riding tour of the historic area, where I pulled off to a comfortable spot, putting on my white gloves, then presenting my guests with the tray of food and popping open the champagne utilizing a white linen towel, and filling the champagne flutes of my couple. It was so very pleasing to see the delight in their eyes and the smiles on their faces.
As we proceeded to their oceanfront hotel at Virginia Beach, checking on my folks through the rearview mirror, I was moved to tears witnessing them merely holding hands and looking so deeply into each other’s glistening eyes with such love–life altering to say the least!!
When we arrived at the hotel, I made certain I was able to escort them to their oceanfront suite and see that they were more than comfortable before bidding them adieu. They were both so very appreciative and thanked me numerous times. I thanked them and told them to have a wonderful weekend knowing I’d be back for them on Monday morning.
On the drive back to Richmond, I called Dana to let him know their friends had enjoyed a wonderful experience, just as I had, and thanked him for the opportunity to have driven this loving couple. I let him know what I had witnessed and how it had affected me creating that life altering moment.
Dana was a wonderful human being who was so generous in providing everlasting memories to his disabled friends and never ever complaining about his own challenging existence. I still think of him often and always will.
Certainly, I returned to Virginia Beach on Monday for my couple and, on the way back to Richmond, all they could talk about was what a wondrous time they had and how memorable it was, while having come to the unfortunate realization, that it was probably going to be their last trip together. Jeez, another life altering moment. As we arrived back to Mechanicsville, family and friends were again at the home waiting for their return. I told them how happy I was that their weekend getaway was a wonderful experience, thanking them, and wishing them nothing but the best as I departed.
Bliley’s Funeral Homes is now celebrating their 150th anniversary having been family-owned and operated by generations of the Bliley family and them being more than a twenty-year client of JL’s. The GM, at the time, Carey Bliley called me and wanted me to drive for an upcoming funeral where I had been requested. Of course, I obliged and then I became very emotional and in shock when he told me whose life we were going to be celebrating.
It hadn’t been a month since our trip to Virginia Beach and the gentleman was gone. I knew his wife had to be devastated even though she knew the end was near and inevitable. Yep, another life altering moment as I quickly came to the realization that life is precious, can never be taken for granted, and that tomorrow is never promised.
The weather was cloudy, cool, and it wasn’t really raining, but instead misting. I once again backed the limousine down the driveway and climbed the ramp to their front door where the wife was waiting for me. She threw her arms around me giving me a huge hug, not saying a word as there was nothing needing to be said, where tears were streaming down her eyes. And, oh, yes, streaming down my eyes as well.
After the service, we returned to the home, had a few moments to ourselves, more tears, another hug, and I departed leaving her with a single red rose.
I believe in destiny, but I also believe life isn’t necessarily fair as it’s filled with so many trials, tribulations, emotions, and no one gets outta here alive. All I can say is when I was a Chauffeur, I experienced my fair share of life altering moments like the one I’ve just shared with you.