A rare and serious disorder called PMA

Keith, the taxi driver and owner of the taxi company, really made my day yesterday morning when he drove me and my colleague to the airport.

He is a Scotsman with a wicked sense of humor. Dry, deadpan face but with a twinkle in his eye that lets you know he is not as hard as his exterior projects. He told us he suffers from a disorder called PMA.

“What is PMA?” we both asked.

“Positive Mental Attitude,” he said just as dead pan as he could. My colleague and I collapsing in laughter.

“Seriously ,” Keith said. “There aren’t very many people with this disorder. Most people walk around with the attitude the glass is half empty.  No matter how bright it may be, they just can’t see it. But on the other hand, I always feel positive about everything. A rare disorder I am proud to have.”

My colleague and I were laughing so hard we could hardly breathe. But despite his sarcasm his statement is so true. Leading us into a satirical yet philosophical conversation about the way people view life.

He told us about clients that get into his taxi sometimes insisting they sit in the front seat right next to him and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t engage them in conversation. They look straight ahead as if he is not even there. They are as hard as stones. Expressionless. Making his job that much more difficult. And the journey seem much longer than it really is.

My colleague told a story about how he permanently has a smile on his face and some people like it while others think something is wrong with him. He walks around with a smile and as most of us know smiles are infectious because deep down inside we all want a laugh. We all want something to take us out of those times when life seems too difficult or too mundane for words. When someone smiles, we instantly feel better. Warming our hearts.  But there are some who interpret a smile as an attack on their right to be miserable.

Which led Keith to say that his face is deceiving. He is always happy but somehow that feeling of happiness does not reach his face. His face is just one of those serious faces but on the inside he is always happy. Cracking us up again.

The ride to the airport flew by in what felt like seconds when in fact it took just a little over an hour. Proving to me that when we view life from its humourous side, when we stop taking ourselves too seriously, and when we allow ourselves to laugh out loud, we really can see the bright side of things. We really can enjoy life because we begin to see the humour in everything. That life really does have a bright and cheerful side when we let it in.

So if you are ever flying to Gatwick and need a taxi, I would highly recommend calling Keith at Airport Taxi Service +441784461444. He runs the taxi company and is one of the most intelligent and funny people I have ever met. And even better, he suffers from a rare and serious disorder called PMA. Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.