Good Manners: Not just taught but learnt

Like any other day……

I was returning from some training that I was involved in at the time.

I walked to the Bus stop. As I was about to board the Marwa (Tricycle) the rider announces hold your change O! N500, N1000 ma wole o! (don’t enter o!). I thought sure I have change (it’s a N70 ride)

I boarded and on we went, I got this nagging feeling and I decide to check my purse for the assumed change. I could not find it. Worst case I thought the rider will find this N1000:00 change

As we get to our destination

Pardon me as I say this in narrative (speaking pidgin)

Marwa Rider(MR): Your money please

Olamide Bakare(OB): Oga take, I handed over the N1000:00 note

MR: I don tell you say I no get change O (I have told you I don’t have change)

OB: I am sorry I thought I had change, please Oga no vex (don’t be angry)

MR: Where I for find change now? I don tell you say make you hold your change (where will I find change now? I have told you to hold your change)

An Agbero (tax collector) comes to the Marwa and says Kuro lona joo… (leave the road please)

MR: Make we go look for change then, enter Madam make we go.

 I boarded the Marwa and he led us to some corner street.

On getting there .....

MR: speaking with a loud voice: give my money o madam

I was stunned and thought he must be joking. He left me saying I should go look for change and give him his money. After much going around and asking I finally had to purchase something in a store close by to get the change. Of course by now I was furious.

As I came out of the store and was about to hand the Marwa rider his money we both said together: ANIMAL!!  As we are about shouting again I just walk away.

Now that was hurtful! I could not settle down, how could he have called me an animal, it was him who was behaving like an animal, after much self justification I realized I was as wrong as he was if not more because I should have known better not to raise my voice or begin to argue in public.

How do I remedy this I thought, decided there that no such thing will ever happen to me again. I have to learn how to behave myself in a proper way no matter what someone else does to me.

The next day as I was returning guess what?

I took the same Marwa! Immediately the rider saw me he was about to say; you again? I cut him and said yesterday is past, today is brand new, let us forget about yesterday. Can I say then that from now henceforth we are friends… he smiles and says ok. I have change today you don’t have to worry. We then gist all the way….

I would like to say that I have been taught good manners (the training was on customer service!) and should know how to always be courteous and not be the one found in such a situation however, this caught me a little under the belt.

What am I saying? You may not have the chance to undo it like I did; let us learn to get it right the first time and all the time.

Have you ever had a similar experience, please share with us and let others learn from you.

We can’t wait to hear from you.