Chapter 6
The Rules
007
George arrived even earlier the next day at the bus stop. He sat on the bench and thought about work yesterday and how he had wanted to make an impact and get things moving in the right direction but as usual one crisis had led to another, and he and his team had spent most of the day dealing with conflict and putting out fires rather than getting something done. George thought about each member of his team and how each one contributed to his growing problems. I should fire every one of them. The thought made him smile but then reality set in and he knew there was no way he could do that. If anything he was the one who would be leaving the company before any of them. Besides, they weren’t bad people. He had even hired a few of them. They had just lost their way somehow, he thought. Like a bad marriage, he figured, where you can’t finger any one thing as the cause, yet you know it just isn’t right. George was in such deep thought that he didn’t hear Bus #11 pull up. When he looked up he saw Joy once again at the wheel and her smile made him smile.
“Weeellllll look aheeeeeerr. Look who we have here today. How you doing, Sugar? I didn’t think I would see you again.”
“Me neither,” answered George. “I was on the bus yesterday, too, but you weren’t here. Where were you?” he asked.
“Tuesday’s my day off, Sugar. It’s the day I take care of my sick father. He can’t remember anything anymore. He doesn’t remember his name nor his pride and joy. Could you imagine not being able to remember me! Not easy to see your father every week and he has no idea who you are.”
“I’m sorry,” said George, feeling bad that he hadn’t thought she had a care in the world. Everything is not always as it seems.
“Don’t be sorry, Sugar. It’s part of life. Every one of us got challenges. Everyone who comes on this bus has problems. Some got marriage problems, health problems, family problems, work problems, and some got all kinds of problems. It’s part of life and I’m just another person on the bus who’s got another problem.”
“But you’re so happy and cheery,” said George. “How do you stay so happy?”
“It’s just what I’m all about, Sugar. It’s because I love life. It’s because I love you. And it’s because I love me. How can I love myself if I don’t love you? How could I love myself if I don’t love everyone? You see we’re all connected and I love it all. Even the ones who are hard to love.”
Like me, George thought.
“Yes, like you, George,” she said, reading his mind.
“And how about you?” she asked. “What are you doing on my bus again? I thought we had seen the last of you after you ran off the bus faster than Carl Lewis at the 1984 Olympics. I consider myself blessed not once but twice with your presence, so please do tell.”
George told her about the flat tire, the repair shop, the brakes, and how he could have crashed if he had driven the car and how he would have to take the bus for about two weeks.
“Well, that’s just great, George. The fact that you are going to be riding on my bus is a great thing. As I said the other day, you’re on my bus for a reason. I didn’t know why exactly then but I do know now.”
George asked why curiously, not quite catching on. “What’s so great about having your car in the shop for two weeks?” he asked.
“Man, your head is hard to crack. But I’m going to be gentle with you. Look up there, George, to the right of the mirror. Tell me what you see.”
“A sign,” said George.
“That’s right, a sign. And what does the sign say?”
“It says THE 10 RULES FOR THE RIDE OF YOUR LIFE.” Underneath this headline was a list of 10 rules that George couldn’t really make out. He didn’t have his reading glasses on and the words were blurry. Besides the sign’s letters were handwritten and not very legible.
“That’s right, Sugar. All my long-term passengers learn these 10 rules. We talk about them often. And now I get to share them with you. I’m so excited!” she cheered.
“Look at the big picture here, George. This ain’t no coincidence. We got about 10 days on my bus together and I got 10 rules for the ride of your life.”
George squirmed a little in his seat. “I have enough rules in my life,” he said. “Wife rules, home rules, Little League rules. The last thing I want is more rules.”
Joy turned very serious for a moment. Her smile turned into a dead stare as she looked George right in the eye. “You need these rules, George,” she declared firmly. “Never turn your back on something that will change your life forever. You got 10 days and I got 10 rules that will change your life. Great things are coming your way if you’re open, George. Be open. Please be open.” And at that she smiled brightly once again and asked, “Are you with me?” in a calm, firm voice that made it clear she wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“Yes,” George answered, not believing he was actually agreeing to this.
And all at once the entire bus cheered, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” George looked around and for the first time realized that there were a group of other passengers on the bus as well.
“Don’t be scared,” Joy said. “We always chant Yes! when a new long-term passenger agrees to learn the 10 rules. It’s our thing. It’s what makes this the Energy Bus. We’re all about positive energy here and it’s what makes the ride so great. You don’t get more positive than the word yes. So are you ready to learn rule #1? We’ve got five minutes before we get to your stop and this is a quick one.”
George nodded, still in a little shock. Everything was moving really fast and a bunch of mixed feelings were swirling around inside him. On one hand he wanted to jump out the window, while on the other hand he was really curious to learn the 10 rules. After all, what did he have to lose? At this point nothing, he thought.
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