Taxi Day

Today is Taxi Day. Why do I call it Taxi Day? Because taxis are screwed up. Not all, but a lot.

I was suppose to meet at CR's place this morning. So I went across the road to another road to take a cab. While walking towards the road I saw an available taxi on the road I was heading to. Like a typical Singaporean(I'm not say this in a patriotic way), I ran for it. I ran there and stuck my hand out. Bugger saw me, changed the sign to "On Call", and turned into the road I ran out from. "On Call" my ass! Unfortunately, I did not notice two other available taxis after that. 2 other available taxis simply ignored me. Only at my 6th taxi was I fortunate enough.

This evening, I was at the taxi stand waiting for taxi. This particular taxi, who was two lanes away, saw me at the taxi stand and wanted to try to pick me up. Thing is, even if the road was empty, he would not be able to change lane in time to stop in front of the stand. Better yet, there were buses and many other vehicles on the road. As he tried to change lane, I tried to tell him forget it by shaking my head at him. There was, after all, another taxi that was just reaching the taxi stand AND on the leftmost lane. Somehow that taxi manage to make his way across, and I was in a dilemma on which taxi to take. CR told me to take the one that tried so hard to come to me.

Taxi drivers are rather... bold. The way they speed is just... wow. They drive through zebra crossing like the crossing never existed. They swerve in and out of lanes like the scenes from Tokyo Drift. They tailgate you like what you do in Need For Speed games. They zoom down roads even though they are expected to slow down or stop soon. Some give the black face when you tell your location. There are those who ignore you because they are waiting for midnight charge. Oh, and they seem to have no patience for learning drivers.

But I cannot say that I hate all taxi drivers. There are good ones who are polite and drive properly, making you feel like a welcomed customer. It's taxi drivers like these that I bother to round up all my taxi fare. My friends always ask me why I'm so rich, to give them extra. These drivers are, after all, trying hard to make a living. Plus, my grandfather was a taxi driver. He used to give me rides to the petrol kiosk near my place in Pasir Ris long time ago, and buy me sweets and snacks.

I know I'm diverting from the topic, but I'm gonna talk a bit of my grandfather. In his younger days, he never fully completed his studies, and he signed on the army. Now I vaguely remember all the army pictures and stuff in his house when I was very young. During army he tried to take his 'O' Levels. So it was like all young students and he was a man among them taking the exams. He did not do well, but I know he tried his best. After serving the army, he went to become a driving instructor, before finally becoming a taxi driver. Because of having many kids(meaning my mother and her siblings), he had to work really hard to support the family. If he were here right now, I could be taking some driving lessons from him in his taxi.

I remember my mom breaking down when news of his cancer first broke out. It was at night, and I was going to bed. When I heard of it, I felt a bit of sorrow. I was young; I did not know what death and loss meant. I remember that he enjoyed food, and he passed away from cancer without being to enjoy any food in his final moments. I remember him bedridden for so many months, always on drips, struggling to stay alive, yet unable to eat. I remember his funeral. I remember the sadness, but yet I did not cry. I could not. Because I did not understand.

Honestly, I really wish I could spend some quality time with my grandfather at an age where I can appreciate him for the man he was. He could see me grow up, and despite not being the smartest grandchild, at least he would see me grow. I wonder if he'll be proud of who I am right now.

And that's why, not matter how much I hate taxi drivers on the road, how much I feel like swearing at them, I'll always keep it in. For him. Because like all the good taxi drivers who are trying so hard to make a living, he was one of them.

I'll blog another time, ya?