Melvyn's Project for a Happy Malaysia!
Rakan-rakan sekalian,
Selamat Hari Merdeka!
This is my hastily written contribution for Vincent's Project Happy Malaysia. I had originally planned to write something by Monday, but due to exams until Wednesday, it was just too hectic to complete.
Well, this article is mainly about one of my rare experiences with a cab driver. It had happened many, many moons ago when I was still going for tuition during PMR.
You see, normally while I was at that age, my main mode of transportation(aside from getting my Dad to pick me up at night) was public transportion....it being just the bus. I was admittedly quite miserly at that time, and as a rule, never took the taxi whenever I could take the bus.
So what happened one fine day was that my parents were outstation, and I had a replacement tuition class that was scheduled to end at about 9pm. Murphy's Law struck, and I was left outside the tuition centre at 10.45pm.
Now me, being the ever optimistic guy, was so smart that I only brought enough money for a bus and NOT a taxi. Shit, and walking back is not going to be fun at all, as it started drizzling.
OK. So I really have to take a taxi this time. No one to call coz, well handphones weren't that common those days and I didn't have the luxury of owning one. And the public phones...hmm...I guess 'cordless' is the right word.
Never mind, I know what I'll do. I'll take a taxi back home, then borrow money from one of my neighbours to pay the cabbie. Lo and behold, with that thought I flagged down a cab. This one was a little different from the rest I guess because the cab driver happened to have his 8 and a half month pregnant wife sitting in front.
Reached back home. I had kept my eye on the meter as to have a rough idea on how much to ask from my next door neighbour. CRAP! Remember guys, if it CAN happen, it WILL happen. Not one, or two, or even three, but all four of my neighbours were out, empty garage spaces just gaping at me.
For a minute, I was just standing there, stunned by my rather unfortunate turn of events. The fare was around RM8 something, I think it was RM8.60. And I had about RM3-something with me.
And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, it didn't. The cab driver just gave me a sympathetic look and told me to go ahead, "Tak perlu bayar-lah, kali ini tak apa, tetapi jangan buat macam ini lagi ok?"- or something to that effect.(Can't really remember, it was too bloody long ago)
No shit! A KL cab driver letting me of just like that. Maybe its because his wife was in the car, or maybe he was expecting a kid on the way, I don't know. At that time all I could think off was not to look at a gift horse in the mouth, savvy?
Nowadays, there have been many reports in the media about cabbies ripping off customers and the like. Call me naive but hey, you hardly read reports on the good deeds that cabbies do.It only takes a few rotten apples to make the whole barrel go bad eh?
Anyway, thats the only story I can think about currently that I can contribute for this years bloggers Merdeka Celebration.
Selamat Hari Merdeka semua!
Selamat Hari Merdeka!
This is my hastily written contribution for Vincent's Project Happy Malaysia. I had originally planned to write something by Monday, but due to exams until Wednesday, it was just too hectic to complete.
Well, this article is mainly about one of my rare experiences with a cab driver. It had happened many, many moons ago when I was still going for tuition during PMR.
You see, normally while I was at that age, my main mode of transportation(aside from getting my Dad to pick me up at night) was public transportion....it being just the bus. I was admittedly quite miserly at that time, and as a rule, never took the taxi whenever I could take the bus.
So what happened one fine day was that my parents were outstation, and I had a replacement tuition class that was scheduled to end at about 9pm. Murphy's Law struck, and I was left outside the tuition centre at 10.45pm.
Now me, being the ever optimistic guy, was so smart that I only brought enough money for a bus and NOT a taxi. Shit, and walking back is not going to be fun at all, as it started drizzling.
OK. So I really have to take a taxi this time. No one to call coz, well handphones weren't that common those days and I didn't have the luxury of owning one. And the public phones...hmm...I guess 'cordless' is the right word.
Never mind, I know what I'll do. I'll take a taxi back home, then borrow money from one of my neighbours to pay the cabbie. Lo and behold, with that thought I flagged down a cab. This one was a little different from the rest I guess because the cab driver happened to have his 8 and a half month pregnant wife sitting in front.
Reached back home. I had kept my eye on the meter as to have a rough idea on how much to ask from my next door neighbour. CRAP! Remember guys, if it CAN happen, it WILL happen. Not one, or two, or even three, but all four of my neighbours were out, empty garage spaces just gaping at me.
For a minute, I was just standing there, stunned by my rather unfortunate turn of events. The fare was around RM8 something, I think it was RM8.60. And I had about RM3-something with me.
And just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, it didn't. The cab driver just gave me a sympathetic look and told me to go ahead, "Tak perlu bayar-lah, kali ini tak apa, tetapi jangan buat macam ini lagi ok?"- or something to that effect.(Can't really remember, it was too bloody long ago)
No shit! A KL cab driver letting me of just like that. Maybe its because his wife was in the car, or maybe he was expecting a kid on the way, I don't know. At that time all I could think off was not to look at a gift horse in the mouth, savvy?
Nowadays, there have been many reports in the media about cabbies ripping off customers and the like. Call me naive but hey, you hardly read reports on the good deeds that cabbies do.It only takes a few rotten apples to make the whole barrel go bad eh?
Anyway, thats the only story I can think about currently that I can contribute for this years bloggers Merdeka Celebration.
Selamat Hari Merdeka semua!
