I have had many “happy returns” recently – in the way of returning prized possessions to passengers and even returning to a passenger’s home to retrieve a forgotten driver’s license.
The Scarlet Scarf
I drove a very nice woman from Newark Airport to her home in Madison, NJ. We had a nice conversation on the way from the airport to her home.
Since she was my last ride of the day, I was glad to say goodnight to her after we safely arrived at her home. Exhausted, I unfortunately forgot to check the back seat of my vehicle (as I usually do) for forgotten items.
The next morning, I picked up a gentleman, and as soon as he got into my SUV, he said, “Dude, there’s a scarlet red scarf back here. Is it yours?”
I explained that it probably belonged to the woman I dropped off the night before.
Later in the day, I sent a text message to the woman and asked if she was missing a scarlet red scarf. She replied right away, saying, “Yes! I was so worried that I lost it on the plane.”
I asked her if I could drive it over to her house later in the day or next day, whichever was more convenient for her. I brought her the scarf the next morning when I was in the area after dropping off a passenger the next town over. She was so happy to have her scarf back, she generously gave me a $20 bill to thank me.
Lost Spectacles
About a week later, I picked up a friendly group – two couples – for my first ride of the day. They’d been friends for many years and were on their way to a vacation destination that they had taken many times before.
During a very pleasant ride to Newark Airport, they said they hoped I would drive them in the future – so I gave them my business card, like I do with every first-time customer. After they departed my vehicle, I checked the back seat and did not see anything, so I proceeded to drive to my next pick up.
Later that day, I brought my vehicle to a car wash for an interior and exterior cleaning. When it was finished, I saw that the very thorough workers at the car wash found a pair of spectacles that had fallen between the seats. I had a few passengers I thought they could belong to, so I texted a picture of the spectacles and asked, “Do these belong to you?” After my third attempt, one of the women in the foursome I drove earlier that day replied, “Yes! They belong to my friend!” I offered to return the glasses. She said that would be fine, but they were still on vacation.
I offered to return the spectacles when they got home, but the woman said I could bring them to her house, where her daughter would be home. I returned the glasses the next day. The woman texted me to say, “thank you,” which made me feel good.
Quick Turn Around
About two weeks later, I drove a family of five from Northwest New Jersey to Newark Airport. We were on Route 80 traveling East in Parsippany when the mom said, “I can’t find my driver’s license or my phone.” The mom’s daughter called her grandma, who was still at home, to check for the phone and driver’s license. Voila! The phone and driver’s license were indeed at the house, waiting for mom. I offered to do a quick turn-around to retrieve the items (otherwise, she could not pass through security). Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the house and there was grandma with the iPhone and driver’s license.
Back to the airport! The mom apologized and I said it was better to know she forgot these things halfway to the airport, rather than when she was at the airport. Forty minutes later, we arrived at Newark Airport. As we approached Terminal C, my next passenger called to say he was at baggage claim waiting for his luggage.
“No problem,” I said. “Just let me know when you have your bags and I will pick you up curbside.”
I safely dropped off the family and was thrilled to get a $60 tip. I asked the dad to text me to let me know they made the flight on time. They did, which made me feel good.
Then, my next passenger called me again and I told him I was waiting for him and his family outside Terminal C. He was happy I was right there, so he did not have to wait. After I brought them home, he thanked me and gave me a $20 bill. What a great day it was for me!
The moral of this Street Story is: Always check your backseat for anything your passengers may have left behind. If they do leave something behind – no matter how small or seemingly insignificant – always let them know and offer to return it to them. They will appreciate it!
Finally, if a passenger forgets something and you are on your way to the airport, don’t freak out. Just calmly and confidently tell them you will get them to the airport safely on time and they will make their flight. They’ll love you for it!
