Serendipity In A Cabbie

One day, it abruptly began pouring when the Miss and I were waiting for a cab outside where we go to Bumps to Babes. Because the branded goods warehouses are nearby, the area is periodically packed with shoppers, depending on the season. This day, as I’m watching a cab finally approaching (we went back into then building to kill time, and then came back out when the queue was gone and the residual drizzle was easily shielded by the Miss’ hooded raincoat), my relief turns to indignation when a well-dressed, youngish couple casually materialize out of nowhere to claim the taxi. They barely blink at my “Hey! It’s our turn!”

The woman moves around to the other car door. “Come on! And I’ve got a child with me!”  She gives a slightly sheepish half-smile but still reaches for the door handle to open the taxi door on her side. The cabbie looks up at me. I’m a little desperate. We’ve already killed maybe an extra hour going back into the building when the queue was long. “Look at them. Are you going to let them do that??” I don’t expect him to react, even without such persistent customers there’ve been other cabbies who take the easy way out – even right where we live.

This cabbie however locks the door. When the woman can’t get on, her companion standing next to me first tells the cabbie to unlock the door and when the cabbie points at the Miss and me saying, “They were here first,” the man rounds on me. “WE were here first!!” I really don’t think so, not by a long shot because the Miss and I were standing outside the doors at the now deserted queue completely alone. There were a whole bunch of tourists who had been shopping, seated inside behind the closed doors surrounded by shopping bags and on cellphones, we hadn’t been able to get a seat even if we wanted, but that was it.

“I don’t think so. I’ve been standing outside here alone holding my child when this taxi drove up.” Come to think of it we were standing right under the taxi queue sign.

“We were here first, I tell you!” His companion continues to stand on the other side, still with the sheepish slight smile. She tries the door again. I start to say something, then decide there isn’t that much else I can say. I put my hand on the door handle and the cabbie unlocks the door for me to get in. I have a brief pang of anxiety as to whether the woman will get on as well, but she doesn’t, she just looks sheepish. Her companion however is glowering at me so I get in and immediately lock the door, before strapping the Miss into her portable car seat.

As we drive off, the man is still glowering and muttering, though the woman is actually not. In fact, she has on quite a pleasant expression. Ah, well. If they got too nasty I’d have had the relinquish the cab, the Miss is with me. Ironically, if the Miss wasn’t with me I’m not sure I’d fight for the cab. Though there are just some days with bad weather or traffic where you just can’t offer enough extra money calling one, sometime there just aren’t any.  Fortunately it doesn’t happen that often in Hong Kong. (Cab fighting however, does :D)

“You could’ve just let them get on, they were so persistent. I couldn’t have gotten nastier than them, and they’re still customers for you anyway.”

The cabbie nods. “But it wasn’t quite right. You’ve got a small child, and there aren’t any cabs around right now. The only reason I’m even in the area is because I just got off my break – I was having a bike lesson.” He smiles and indicates a pretty nice motorcycle helmet on the seat next to him.

This is in the NICE cabbie’s ride, not the nasty one! Didn’t realize when I posted without caption that people might think it’s the nasty one!! Major blunder…

I took quite a few weeks to write about it <hangs head>. Because I was “busy” with other stuff….. And then a nasty cabbie yesterday triggered my remembering this guy. I shouldn’t need that to be inspired to write this. But fingers crossed it’s a start…

Things that make ya go hmmmm.