Call me Captain - I am the Captain of this bus.

The more jokes this interesting bus driver tells, the more impressed I get. He's witty and intelligent. He tells riddles and jokes with a natural flair. A wink, a pause, and an intended pun. These days, souls like these are hard to find. In fact, he seems rather old-school. Coming from the generation of baby boomers, taught by the British nuns and brothers, proud that he still speaks the Queen's English. Throwing a few proverbs for me to remember. 

When he spots a sign to see the current location, he's so happy that he's able to multi-task. "An idle mind is a Devil's workshop. Look at me! I'm able to know where we are, even while I'm chatting with you." 

When he stops at the rest house for a short break, he says, "Did you know that pee-ing is also called 'answering the call of nature' ? 

He even gave me a few tips on health. "Young people like you need to be wary of your health. Youth is a luxury. Exercise and eat right. There are three things to control in life: sex, food and weight. Hah! Hah! Hah!" He laughs from the belly,,,  a hearty laughter indeed. 

"But of course, joke aside, if you want to lose weight, take brown bread. Less meat, more vegetables. Set a target. See those slender girls with time-glass figures? Set that as your target. You need to have a goal to work towards."  I must seem like a short stubby penguin, way past the acceptable BMI level. 

Within two hours, I think he must have exhausted his library of jokes and analogies. He diverts the topic to me soon after. "Hey, girl, so, what's your story?" 

"Ummm.... story?" I 'm stunned. " I don't know? I'm a workaholic. I don't know about anything else except work. If you ask me about how we explore for oil and gas, how we plan for production, I can tell you all about it. Other than that, I have little to offer." 

"Ok. Go on. " the bus driver eggs me on. "Shoot. Tell me how we drill for oil."

A hah! It's my turn to talk. So I happily tell him about my first helicopter ride, boat ride, the difference between rigs and platforms. He's amazed that rigs are towed by small boats! But hey.. everybody knows that the pay is good, despite the risk. Hold onto to that job, young lady. You're in the right industry. he advices.

Within ten minutes, I finish my story. The ball is back in his court. Then we exchange anecdotes about our families.

At the end of the journey, he gave me his handphone number, saying that I (or any of my accquaintances, or family members), could call him up to reserve bus tickets. Wow! I am so happy! Fast and easy access! Who knows what fortune brings when misfortune befalls... 

As I'm about to key in his name, he says, " Call me Captain. I am the Captain of this bus. My duty is to ensure that everybody has a chance to arrive safely at their destination.So don't worry. I will personally see to it that you, arrive at yours." The pride in his profession is profound. 

A deep sense of admiration floods my soul. There and then, I discovered the difference between work and profession. Both hold the same definition, but viewed with a different perception. Work is seen as a means of earning our keep. Profession - it is the visualization of something greater, with the ultimate objective in mind, to be completed with utmost perfection.