As I leave my 3rd world country, I use the free luggage trolley, which is able to go up and down escalators with ease, unlike any I?ve paid for in the past during my travels in a 1st world. And I think ?you go Oliver Tambo International!? (Previously known as Joburg International)
I get rejected by a rude man working for the 1st world airline who refuses to allow me to take my golf clubs on board unless I pay 100 1st world units. Which I refuse, considering the fact that what I?m used to is 3rd world hospitality and free rides for my clubs.
So I board the plane very excited to relax with a glass of wine and watch a movie in order to drown my sorrows which resulted out of the left behind golf bag.. Oh dear, that would cost five 1st world units for a glass of wine on this 18-hour international flight to 1st world bliss. I decide against this noble offer. The gentleman in 33D, however, does order a drink. And asks for a receipt. The friendly steward disappears and comes back. ?In my 17 years of service nobody has ever asked me for a receipt!?. ?In my 17 years of flying internationally I have never paid for a drink?, replies the gentleman in ?33D?.
Now the only movie option to be enjoyed with your?Coca Cola, would be ?Scoop?. This can be watched by all as a happy family together on a small television five rows down the aisle. To my surprise this luxury is for free. Of course if you are used to having to watch your own choice of 30 plus movies in your 3rd world 747?s, then a family movie night on television is something else. (I wouldn?t have known the movies? name is Scoop were it not for the friendly announcer ? reason being we were all still issued with much used January versions of Sky magazine even though it was February second ? of course people read much more on these first world flights!)
I look over to my friends who nearly missed the plane due to a printing error on their tickets which resulted in one newish assistant manager hitting one even more newish attendant over the head with a ticket because of his inapt service. My friends smile at me and take a seat, looking forward to watching a good movie? Let me stop here.
Fortunately there are a host of ?Miss Pensioner? finalists, now retired, and honorably serving the public with good and effective service, something to catch the eye…and collect the units paid for a glass of wine. Ladies who are out to make every traveler a happy traveler, giving them a 1st world experience of a free cup of coffee or glass of water in a polystyrene cup.
My paper napkin received with my free peanuts says, ?new and expanded service to more cities in the world?. What can I say? Delta, you rock my boat. How will your competitors ever keep up?
Now reflecting on this reflection. Maybe I was a bit harsh. This is not the case with all first world airlines… Only those flying west.
But I still don?t understand why nobody says something. Except the man in 33D.
12 hours later: after 2 meals eaten with plastic forks and knives, and after the lady in 34F had been refused coffee and told to wait and hour and a half, I reflect again.
You might have picked up a slight tone of sarcasm in my voice as you read my account. I?m trying to figure this out. Why does this infuriate me so much? Because I don?t mind eating with plastic forks. I?ve done it many times. I can do without a glass of wine and a movie. Is it pride that that squeaks out of me? I think not.
I think what angers me is when people are empowered to give, but don?t. Whether this be a giant 1st world company or an individual living his quiet selfish life. When God gives us 10 minas, but we deliver an output of 2 in how we steward.
Even sadder is how we settle to receive second best (or seventh best!) ? consumers from giant corporations, pastors from their volunteer staff, wives from their husbands?. And we join the global trend to ?settle for mediocrity? as opposed to ?fighting for excellence?. This allows things to just go on. I believe God wants to do GREAT things thru his people and amongst his people. Yet we settle for ?goodish?.
Singapore is one of the smallest countries in the world. You can drive around it in a couple of hours. It has a 0% unemployment rate and very low crime rates. When I flew Singapore airlines 10 years ago I was treated as royalty even though I was just a commoner in economy class. I trust they have only grown since then. I?ve flown Emirates, Qatar? Somehow these airlines are not fighting for survival (much the opposite), even though they are giving their best for their customers, which is obviously an added expense to their account.
Perhaps God designed it this way that if we invest well with who and what we are, we get a good turnover.
I think mediocrity saddens God. And it angers me!
Perhaps it angers him too.