Into each of our lives, a flower will bloom that makes your life become a “Bed of Roses!” The flower becomes that person each time you meet…
My first encounter was a phone call in broken English from a woman wanting to buy auto insurance. I was a vice president of the property and casualty department for the third largest insurance agency in Texas, called “ANCO.”
This voice was a male person and very difficult to understand…I answered the call by saying, “Hello, this is Gary Griffin, may I help you?” He said, “Miss-er Gif-in, do ya sell auto insue-ance? My name es Thomas Yin…I am from China, wo-kin on a PhD in Botany at Texas A&M. I bought a 1962 Chev-o-la and I needa insue-ance. I havea Texas driver’s license. Can ya hep me?” I answered, “Yes, sir, Mr. Yin.” “Can ya com-a ta my house ta-day?”
I said sure, and he gave me his address, and we set a time to meet. His house was a small brick home with an 8-foot ceiling. When he opened the door, I saw an oriental man who stood 5’-5” tall, was 60 years old, weighed around 120 pounds, had black hair, and did not have a wrinkle on his face. He Had an infectious smile. I instantly liked him.
Mr. Yin called his wife to the living room and introduced me to her. She was smaller than he and was a beautiful woman. Her kimono was embroidered with different shades of blue. She spoke no English except “hello” and “goodbye.”
Over the next hour, I learned a lot about his life. As he said on the phone, China sent him here to advance his degree in Botany, so his endeavor was to do research to create a new kind of rose. He talked to me about his work and took me to his backyard, which was landscaped with koi ponds and large waterlilies, as you can see in China. I saw plants I had never seen before…beautifully gardened.
Wellsir, over the next 35 years, I discovered he was very wealthy but very frugal with his money. He bought three rundown large apartment complexes and restored them completely. Mr. Yin also purchased most of the houses in the neighborhood and restored all of them, planting beautiful gardens all around. I ended up insuring all of them.
Wellsir, now for the story that will show you the kind of flower I enjoyed on each and every encounter. This was our conversation. It started with this phone call, “Miss-or Gifin.” “Yes, sir, Mr. Yin.” “Got da problem. I’m driving my car and have problem with da brakes. Haff ta pumpa da
brake ta mak -a da car ta stop. So, I’m takin ma secretary ta da bank ta mak-a deposit. I coma ta stop light and hit da brake and da brake work-a and I thro da passenger thru da win-shield! Am I covered?” “Mr. Yin, tell me more about the secretary! Did she actually go through the windshield?” “No, she getta da bump on da head. What about my broken windshield?” “Is she conscience?’ “Oh, she okay. Put da bandage on her head. What about my windshield??”
“Mr. Yin, yes, your insurance covers broken glass. Take your car to Acme Glass Company, and they will replace it while you wait. You will need to pay a $50.00 deductible. Oh, and go to Firestone Tire Company, and they will repair your brakes.”
Two days later, he came to my office with two dozen roses in various colors from his garden. The ANCO crew of 97 couldn’t believe the size of the rose blooms, which were five to six inches in diameter! I was most fortunate to have many such events with Mr. Thomas Yin over the next 35 years he was alive.
I hope each of you will have one or more of those special “flowers” that brighten your day. Or perhaps YOU could be that rose!
Ahhh, yes. Those were the days!
