**Walter Sickert - Lion Comique** 1887. Oil on canvas, 51 x 31 cm

The four of us crammed into the cab that had been booked to take us to the opera at Glyndebourne.

Settled in the front passenger seat, dressed in black tie, I engaged the driver in conversation - a grey-haired bloke with a warm, friendly manner.

‘Have you been cabbing in these parts a long time?’

‘Oh, no. We only moved down here to be close to the mother-in-law. I’m actually from South London, and most of my life I was a singer.’

I looked across at him, and noticed his big, bright toothy smile. I could imagine this chap on stage.

‘How fantastic. In a band?’

‘No, no. I was a club singer. Performing Motown and soul. Spent quite a while in Sarasota, Florida.’

We chatted away about the wonders of Stevie, Aretha, Otis and Curtis; the distinction between Stax and Motown; ‘The Summer of Soul.’

At length, I decided to make the obvious request.

‘Go on then, give us a song.’

The driver sighed and turned to me with a grin.

‘I’m afraid not, mate. I’m retired.’

And so we continued to our destination in silence. I was a little disappointed, but he was clearly not going to change his mind.

After the opera, the same cabbie took us back on the return journey, and again we picked up the musical theme.

‘Do you see any soul acts nowadays?’

‘Yes, I travel up to town to check out the likes of Raye and Olivia Dean. Both really good. And I’ve been impressed by a new guy, MT Jones.’

‘Yes, I’ve seen him. Totally excellent.’

Soon, we were back at our hotel. As we disembarked and gathered our belongings, the driver paused, patted me on the shoulder, and, in mature, honeyed tones, broke into mellifluous song.

'I want to stop, and thank you, baby.
I just want to stop, and thank you, baby.'

Delighted by the deferred gratification, spellbound under the moonlit sky, I couldn’t help joining in.

'How sweet it is to be loved by you.
Oh, baby.
How sweet it is to be loved by you.’

In the world of work, when we’ve got a great strategic route or creative idea to present, there’s always a temptation to reveal it sooner rather than later, and so secure the attention and approval of our client audience. But the Singing Cabbie reminds us that sometimes it pays to bide our time and hold our fire; to escalate the tension and amplify the drama. Sometimes, it’s worth keeping people waiting.

'I needed the shelter of someone's arms,
And there you were.
I needed someone to understand my ups and downs,
And there you were.
With sweet love and devotion,
Deeply touching my emotion.
I want to stop, and thank you, baby.
I just want to stop, and thank you, baby.
How sweet it is to be loved by you.’
Marvin Gaye, 'How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)’ (Holland–Dozier–Holland)

No. 584