Monday, June 02, 2008

The oddest things just seem to happen with cab drivers

Cabbies are a fascinating lot. When they're not ranting about the government, they dispense the oddest things to make your commute more entertaining than the latest reality programme on the telly.

My top 10 cab-ride experiences:
  1. Getting prayed over en route to a client meeting. Driver found out I was from the Philippines, assumed I was Catholic (I am, but not really) and proceeded to pray over me for the rest of the ride. An awkward 20 minutes, which by Singaporean standards, is loooong.
  2. Hearing the driver sing along to a song about "your batuta" (policeman's nightstick) and some other phallic fruits on my way back from a meeting in Quezon City.
  3. Being given blessings by a nice old cabbie to find a nice Singaporean man to "make me happy" during my first trip to Singapore.
  4. Receiving shopping tips whilst I was in Bangkok for focus groups. The slightly effeminate driver excitedly told me about how cheap everything was in this city. So I should buy myself a few things, especially their women.
  5. Arguing with them over my nationality. Gaddemit, I am Pinoy!
  6. Getting a free ride after I offered to pay seventy Pesos in coins for my trip from Ateneo to Makati in 1998.
  7. Hearing stories from cab drivers from Singapore about their adventures in the Philippines. It's actually a bit embarrassing to admit that they have explored our country more than I have. Their stories about Palawan and Quiapo are always the most interesting, I find.
  8. Being taught how to speak in Bahasa Indonesia. Saya mau makan!
  9. Getting cooking tips (turnips can make your soup sweeter!)
  10. Having your mobile phone returned after you lost it in their cab.