Over the years, I have considered myself lucky to have encountered a wide variety of people during my travels. Most of the significant encounters have happened while traveling in the air. But sometimes these events take place on the ground.

During a recent business trip to Europe, we had a meeting with a partner company. This United Kingdom based company was very helpful in taking care of the travel details, including hotel accommodations and private car from the rail station. With true British flavor, our driver was waiting right on time in full chauffer uniform, including the cap.

My colleagues and I piled into the car and settled in for the 45 minute drive small South Hampton village of Odiham. The normal pleasantries ensued. “Is this your first time to England?” our driver asked. As he continued his genuine desire to make us feel comfortable, he learned that we were from Arizona. “Oh, I have been to Arizona before. Some years ago,” he proclaimed. When asked what took him to the desert state, he began to reminisce. “In my younger days, I was a bit of a wild man, very much into music. Up until 15 years ago, I was a roadie for Stevie Wonder.” He went on to tell of his four years of adventures as a member of one of the most famous entertainers of our time.

I will admit, meeting the roadie for Stevie Wonder may not seem as cool as meeting Wonder himself. But to me it was. For Malcolm, our driver, life was an adventure. And that adventure took him close to someone we all know. And if I had spent 45 minutes with Stevie himself, I don’t believe the experience would have been as genuine. It’s not that Mr. Wonder is not genuine; I would have no way to know. But it is that Malcolm was not jaded by success and seemed to value each person with which he connected. Malcolm has been added to my “cool people I’ve met” list.