The sun was blazing hot. In front of a luxury car showroom, a rusty bicycle came to a stop.
Lolo Tasyo, 70 years old, got off. He was wearing a faded sleeveless shirt, worn-out shorts, and rubber slippers. He was carrying a woven basket filled with vegetables.
He walked into the showroom where shiny SUVs and pickup trucks were on display.
Mike, the arrogant top salesman, immediately blocked him.
“Hey! Old man!” Mike shouted. “No begging allowed here! Get outside! You’re filthy—you might get the cars dirty!”
“I’m not begging, son,” Lolo Tasyo replied calmly. “I’m looking for a vehicle. I just want to look around.”
Mike laughed loudly.
“Look around? Hahaha! Do you even know how much these cost? One tire here is worth more than your entire life! Leave before I call the guard!”
THE KIND TRAINEE
From a distance, Carla, a new sales trainee, saw what was happening. She felt sorry for the old man.
She walked over. “Sir Mike, please let him be. I’ll talk to him.”
“Suit yourself,” Mike scoffed. “Go waste your time on that beggar. You’ll get nothing from him.”
Carla took a glass of water and handed it to Lolo Tasyo.
“Sir, please have some water,” Carla said with a smile. “I’m sorry about my colleague. What kind of vehicle are you looking for?”
“Thank you, child,” Lolo Tasyo smiled. “I’m looking for something durable. A vehicle that can handle long drives and heavy loads.”
Carla walked Lolo Tasyo around. Even though she knew he didn’t look wealthy, she patiently explained every feature of each vehicle with full respect.
“I like this one,” Lolo Tasyo said, pointing at the most expensive pickup truck. “Do you have ten units of this in stock?”
Mike heard this and burst out laughing again. “Ten?! That old man has lost his mind! Carla, kick him out already!”
THE CALL
“We do have stock, Sir,” Carla replied. “But… it’s quite expensive. Each one costs about 2 million pesos.”
“That’s fine,” Lolo Tasyo said. “Just a moment.”
He pulled out an old keypad mobile phone and made a call.
“Hello? Pedro? Yes, I’m already at AutoHub… Yes… Bring the lorry here. The big truck. Right now.”
He hung up.
“Let’s just wait ten minutes, child,” Lolo Tasyo said.
Mike kept laughing. “Lorry? Truck? What is that, a garbage hauler? Hahaha!”
Ten minutes later…
BEEP! BEEP!
The showroom floor shook.
A large armored van—a bank cash truck—stopped in front of the showroom, right beside Lolo Tasyo’s rusty bicycle.
Four armed security escorts stepped out.
THE MOUNTAIN OF CASH
The showroom manager rushed out. “What’s going on here?!”
The escorts entered carrying five large duffel bags.
They approached Lolo Tasyo.
“Boss Tasyo,” the head of security greeted him. “Here is the 20 million pesos in cash you requested, delivered from the farm.”
The escorts opened the bags in front of Mike, Carla, and the manager.
Inside were bundles of one-thousand-peso bills.
Mike’s jaw dropped. His face turned pale. The manager’s eyes nearly popped out.
“Child,” Lolo Tasyo said to Carla, “count it. That’s my payment for the ten pickup trucks.”
“T-Ten vehicles?!” Carla asked in shock.
“Yes,” Lolo replied. “They’re for my farm supervisors. A gift for their hard work. I don’t want them walking or biking like me.”
THE REGRET
The atmosphere suddenly changed. Mike ran toward Lolo Tasyo like a desperate dog.
“Sir! Sir Tasyo!” Mike said flatteringly. “I’ll personally assist you! I’m the senior salesman! I process transactions faster than Carla! Let’s go to my office—there’s coffee!”
Lolo Tasyo looked at Mike with an authoritative stare.
“You?” Lolo said. “Weren’t you the one who said I couldn’t even afford one tire?”
“I was just joking, Sir!” Mike laughed nervously.
“I don’t need your service,” Lolo said firmly. “What I need is respect. And only Carla gave me that.”
Lolo then turned to the manager.
“Manager, I’ll buy the ten cars in cash—on one condition.”
“What is it, Don Tasyo?” the manager asked, bowing deeply.
“Give the entire commission to Carla. And this man…” pointing at Mike, “…I don’t want to see his face while I’m here. Otherwise, I’ll buy from another company.”
“Yes, Sir!” the manager replied. He turned to Mike. “Mike, get out! You’re suspended for one month! Go clean the bathrooms in the back!”
ENDING
Mike left in shame while the other employees laughed.
Carla was left crying tears of joy. The commission from ten vehicles was enough to change her life and her family’s future.
Lolo Tasyo got into his new lead vehicle, while the other nine were driven by his workers. He left his old bicycle in the showroom as a reminder.
Before leaving, he whispered to Carla:
“Child, true wealth isn’t in shiny cars or fine clothes. It’s in humility. Stay kind.”
And the convoy of ten brand-new vehicles drove away, leaving behind a lesson the arrogant salesman would never forget.
