i didn't pay much attention to him as i was getting into the cab.
crisp black shirt. malay. that's all that registered.
as the taxi started moving, i passed him my ticket and mumbled "PJ" as i continued to talk into my phone.
10 minutes later, i hung up and looked to the front.
130 km/ph 0_o
then he turned around and asked me in PERFECT CHINESE:
"ni zhu na li?" (where do you stay?)
me: "YOU SPEAK CHINESE??"
him: "wo hui jiang hua yu" (i can speak chinese)
me: *obviously embarassed* "erm...ss2"
him: "kao jin taman bahagia lrt ma?" (is it near tmn bahagia's lrt station?)
me: "fu jin. wo direct ni" (it's near. i'll direct you)
and then both of us fell into silence again.
he looked young, now that i observed closely. can't be past 26.
the taxi looked like it was modified. the meter board was different from a normal waja's and there was a long metal chain hanging on his rearview mirror.
hooked on the chain was a very stylo-mylo white-rimmed sunnies.
at that point we reached the toll. i plucked up my courage and asked him the stupidest question:
"are you chinese?"
again, he replied me in perfect chinese:
"wo shi ma lai zai" (i am a malay boy)
i laughed.
because it sounded so funny!
and then he started laughing too and explained to me that he studied chinese when he was in primary.
me: *SUPER IMPRESSED* "your chinese is good!"
him: "i practice whenever i can with my chinese customers."
and we started chatting, all the way with his simple, yet perfect chinese.
me: "you look young, how old are you?"
him: "i'm 23"
WTH? he's the same age as me!?
him: "born in the year of 86 la"
me: "you're the same age as me!!"
him "oh you can be my girlfriend!"
....
him: "ok, just kidding"
LOL.
and then we started talking about his life as a taxi driver.
me: *points at meter*
"that's fast you know."
him: "normal speed la. everyone who drives an airport limo has gotten into an accident before!"
SWT.
crisp black shirt. malay. that's all that registered.
as the taxi started moving, i passed him my ticket and mumbled "PJ" as i continued to talk into my phone.
10 minutes later, i hung up and looked to the front.
130 km/ph 0_o
then he turned around and asked me in PERFECT CHINESE:
"ni zhu na li?" (where do you stay?)
me: "YOU SPEAK CHINESE??"
him: "wo hui jiang hua yu" (i can speak chinese)
me: *obviously embarassed* "erm...ss2"
him: "kao jin taman bahagia lrt ma?" (is it near tmn bahagia's lrt station?)
me: "fu jin. wo direct ni" (it's near. i'll direct you)
and then both of us fell into silence again.
he looked young, now that i observed closely. can't be past 26.
the taxi looked like it was modified. the meter board was different from a normal waja's and there was a long metal chain hanging on his rearview mirror.
hooked on the chain was a very stylo-mylo white-rimmed sunnies.
at that point we reached the toll. i plucked up my courage and asked him the stupidest question:
"are you chinese?"
again, he replied me in perfect chinese:
"wo shi ma lai zai" (i am a malay boy)
i laughed.
because it sounded so funny!
and then he started laughing too and explained to me that he studied chinese when he was in primary.
me: *SUPER IMPRESSED* "your chinese is good!"
him: "i practice whenever i can with my chinese customers."
and we started chatting, all the way with his simple, yet perfect chinese.
me: "you look young, how old are you?"
him: "i'm 23"
WTH? he's the same age as me!?
him: "born in the year of 86 la"
me: "you're the same age as me!!"
him "oh you can be my girlfriend!"
....
him: "ok, just kidding"
LOL.
and then we started talking about his life as a taxi driver.
me: *points at meter*
"that's fast you know."
him: "normal speed la. everyone who drives an airport limo has gotten into an accident before!"
SWT.
me: "are you serious?"
him: "i just had 2 accidents today!"
OMG.
me: "WHERE?"
him: "one on the highway and one in PD. the motorcyclist in PD flew from his bike LOL!"
me: "aren't you suppose to be scared?" =.="
him:" scared la. send him go hospital, didn't die."
me: "Oh."
and then he told me that he jinxed his meter so that it's 20 km/ph slower than the actual speed.
THAT MEANS HE WAS GOING FREAKING 150 KM/PH NOW!!
and. he's. YAWNING.
wtf wtf wtf.
me: "are you sleepy?"
him: "haven't slept in 24 hours."
ZOMG.
me: "WHY DON'T YOU SLEEP!?"
him: "no time la. need to get customers."
i prayed so hard that he won't nod off T____T
me: "you're so young, why are you a taxi driver?"
him: "i've tried everything la, didn't like it."
me: "what did you study in college?"
him:"diploma in business admin"
me: "you have a diploma and you're a taxi driver?"
him: "i CAN'T STAND office work! and i did sales too, didn't work"
me: "so what you planning to do once you earn enough here?"
him: "open my own travel agency ahaha"
that's when i felt so much respect for him.
here's a guy from a small town with a diploma trying his best to live his dreams in a big city by working his ass off day and night without even once giving up or going astray like all those mat rempits.
and here we have degree holders too pampered to work and leeching off their parents, poor people who blame the rich and rob them, college/university graduates who are too proud to take on jobs they deem low and insignificant.
he reminded me of what's it like to chase after your dreams.
me: "eh, you want branded coffee?"
him: "WHAT?"
me: "STARBUCKS COFFEE. FOR FREE."
him: *eyes widened* "want want want"
i rummaged through my bag and opened my notebook.
there was a starbucks voucher slipped inside on the first page, i took it out and waved it at him.
me: "GO DRINK YOUR COFFEE. don't bang anyone already okay?"
him: "haha okay."
and with that i hopped off and strolled back into the arms of my welcoming house.
i think i learn more from talking to random strangers than from work...no?
i'm starting to miss my blackberry days... when every customer came in with a different story.
i am so not cut out for office work :(
sigh.
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6 comments:
wow..tat taxi driver is really interesting..
but it scared me a little as i thought he would inspire you to become a taxi driver as well lol..
Yeah! Ur taxi driver is super cool and scary too!
Shame on me not knowing how to speak Mandarin... sigh sigh, was supposed to work on that but haven't.
Cant u go back to Blackberry? Any inhibitions? Many of us dont feel like we're cut out for the office work but still, that's where most people ar.
Its amazing how ur taxi driver really works his ass off (though scary la 24 hours not sleeping, there should be a rule on that). Agree with u on those degree holders that are just living off their parents, yet i envy them, such a good life. I need to work now. Been procrastinating long enough
This is a perfect example where God helps us to meet the people we need to meet, to get what we need.
Ahhh office work sux big time~! I agree big time. Hahaha, looks like i have a different path set for me. Lets just hope things will get better for me. Hahaha~!!
sheryl: haha if it pays well i won't mind i guess xD
sue lin:u can't speak mandarin?? @.@ i din know u were a banana! can E speak??mayb he can teach u lol~
and bb is only a temp job..a degree holder can't be selling phones forever rite? =/
rejax: uh-huh...which is? >.<
mas: haha yes yes!! gambate~!! i'm gonna miss seeing u on9 in office lol!
Do degree holders have to work in offices? I dun want to work in an office for the 32 years =(
Yeah i am banana, he's better with Cantonese and Hokkien than i am but not pro. I dont really know abt his Mandarin! Hahah
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