Page 20 - 2018 June Voices

TERRY TALKS

A Giraffe on a

Cattle Ranch

Terry Beard

As a young lad, I learned that there were two Washington, I became known as the newspaper
classes of people in the world. Those who had boy with high standards, someone who could

class, and those with no class (ain’t got none!). be counted on.
Yes—that special class set aside for bad boys. I may not have been the best in class in
Sans doute, without a doubt, some of us the school house. But like a giraffe, I became
spent our youth becoming the best in class. among the best in class on the cattle ranch to my

Me, I stuck out, like a giraffe on a cattle ranch. customers and to my superiors. I was organized,
I was the ringleader for my class’s band of bad disciplined, and grateful for the opportunity to
boys. The expectation that all of us must adapt serve my customers well.
to herd behavior was still foisted on me. But no Delivering newspapers was not work but an

matter what class I was in, I was going to work opportunity to enjoy the benefits of being best
to become among the best in class. in class.
To this day, I continue to strive for more than To become the best in class at
just plain vanilla ice cream. I prefer raspberry anything, I learned that sticking

ripple! out could be accomplished
I learned through delivering newspapers, that by working hard and smart,
if I focused and excelled at customer service, I delivering newspapers on time
would reap a bountiful harvest as a giraffe in the every time.

herd on the cattle ranch. My motto? Stick out!
The more I endeavored to satisfy my
customers with excellent service, the
more I could have what the

others had in the good class—
the better class. Under
promise and over
deliver. . . was (and

still is) the hallmark
of best in class.
On the streets
of Vancouver,

20 ONE COMMUNITY