Cabbies

I’ve been taking cabs a whole lot more recently, from almost never to almost everyday. Honestly, some cabbies can be pretty interesting, while some are downright scary.

I’ve come across one who speaks with so much enthusiasm and energy that he could’ve been an inspirational speaker. We were talking about careers and goals when he started to talk about how we must work hard and strive to become the next Bill Gates. He’s a nice man, very bubbly but never arrogant. He didn’t even charge me for the toll (either he forgot or he’s really that nice).

More recently, I met one who while practically shouting that as cabbies they must be ethical, shows no remorse in actually being unethical as one. He bragged about how he is different from other cabbies, which I don’t really get. He explains that he a license for a shortwave radio which lets him listen to other cabbies’ radio transmissions for him to be more “efficient” but I don’t see how it helps, beside the fact that it allows him to spy on them. He also explains how taxi drivers are being put into a difficult situation by the government, having lack of standardisation, too low fares (!)… and a few more matters which I began to lose track of. And when I actually reached my destination, the fare was the highest, ever, compared to every other cab I’ve taken in the past month. It isn’t the distance, that I’m sure. I’ve been to further places and paid less for it. Unfair cabbies I’ve seen, but unfair cabbies who are so hypocritical, this is the first.

There’s also this time when I got into this big-sized cabby’s ride and attempted to start a conversation with him by commenting about how busy the vicinity is, all I got was a growling “Everyday also the same“. I kept quiet for the rest of the journey home.

Then there’s also this cabby whom I spoke to about Thaipusam celebrations and he immediately blew his top and started shouting profanities at a particular politician about how he got the innocent people at Batu Caves involved with the Hindraf demonstrators some time ago. I wasn’t sure how true his words were, I just took them with a grain of salt.

One of the most memorable cabbies I’ve met is this soft-spoken, polite guy. Cabbies like him are a real rarity. Typically, it’s either you find cabbies who speak like they’re bargaining in a wet market or those who growl at you like you owe them something. He wasn’t particularly sure where I wanted to go, but he was being very honest about it and requested that I show him the directions. When he realised a better route he was very polite while suggesting it to me. When we reached my destination, he actually charged me less than the rate on the meter, even if it’s just a couple of tens of sen less. I’ve never had any cabby doing that to me so I was thoroughly surprised, and certainly pleased. I told him to keep the change and he was so thankful, I regretted that I didn’t get his phone number as I was in a hurry.

I’ve met considerably more cabbies than just these (I’ve even met one twice) and they all had their fair share of stories to tell (that is if they’re talking). It helps to keep the boredom while travelling away but essentially, it’s just nice to be able to listen to everyday people telling everyday stories.

Everyday Wonders

Some say men’s best invention is the wheel. Some say it the’s Internet. Some say say (insert whatchamacallit). I’m not too sure myself, but I don’t really mind whatever the answer may be. I’m not contesting for the best invention, but the second best invention has to be power steering.

If you’ve driven a car without power steering before, you know what I mean.
If you’ve driven a manual transmission car without power steering, you know better what I mean.
If you’ve driven a manual transmission, non-compact sedan, without power steering, in the middle of bustling KL with heavy traffic and extremely tight spots and tiny parking bays, you know exactly what I mean.

I’m not complaining about the car. In fact I’m grateful to my roommate (he insist that I mention about him) for lending me his car. I’m just saying power steering is. Wonderful.

Next on the list, we have the washing machine. The washing machine has to be men’s third best invention. In my opinion, it’s not aptly named. It should be called Magic Machine™ or maybe Wonder Box™. Unless you have lived for 5 years without one, you cannot imagine the joy to see the clothes you put in just a while ago washed, spun dried and ready to be hung. Where else can you get this sort of life-enriching experience?

Before you go looking for the fanciest gadget or the most powerful computer or the fastest car or whatnot, you can safely bet that men’s best inventions are those which are found everywhere, performing the most mundane tasks, and integrating themselves into our lives to the point that we cease to realise they even exist.

I love my washing machine.

(Or at least a third of it)

Kitty Perspective

A very beautiful picture taken by Kristina Buceatchi.

For once, an altogether different perspective.

Something worth pondering.
Something.

Triviality

It’s a very subjective matter.

Red or blue? Big or small? Do or not? Simple questions. Trivial? Maybe so, maybe not. For some, making ends meet is their life-long goal. For some, going up to space is a mere milestone in their life. Who is to question the importance (or triviality) of such a choice of actions?

These actions will inevitably lead to something. Anything. Are you making a difference through it? You probably can and probably are. But how much, really? Is it a negligible amount? Probably. Not necessarily. But it is not for you to decide. You do not need to decide. You might not even want to know the answer.

Because truth often hurts.