Fred On The Move

Ok. I was resting yesterday for half a day from 1pm but I wasn't resting today as I have some personal errands to do from 11am to 3pm. Then I did some exercise on my Oto machine follow by shower. By the time I finish my personal hygene, it was already close to 5pm. I settled down in my trusty steamer chair and napped for something like an hour 20 minutes. That's enough to charge up my body for my next storytelling.

Last Tuesday (28 Nov'06) was quite interesting when I picked up 3 people (2 caucasians - a lady and a man and a local chinese lady. All of them in the 30's) from The Concourse at about 1.20pm. They mentioned this must be their lucky day. Usually they can't find a cab waiting at the taxi stand. Along the way they were all pretty excited about the coming Christmas, seeing that they bought lots of Christmas stuff and decorations. The caucasians were the more chatty of the 3. The poor local chinese lady couldn't join in the chat as she knows nothing about all the singers mentioned. They were all talking about singers in the 70's and 80's. Then they talked about the BeeGees and mentioned Barry & Robin Gibb and Andy Gibb (the youngest of the 4 brothers who died from drug overdose in the late 80's or early 90's) but they couldn't recall the name of the other brother. I knew it was Maurice Gibbs but just kept it to myself as I don't want to be viewed as a busybody. Most of the time, I would try to strike up a conversation with the passengers but this time round, I concentrated on my driving seeing the excitment and noise created by the caucasians. On reaching their destination and after the fare was paid, I simply told the caucasian lady that the missing person they are looking for in the BeeGees is Maurice. She was as usual, excited and quickly told her male counterpart that the taxi uncle says it's Maurice that they have forgotten and laughs. Hey, this taxi uncle knows a bit of oldies you know. LOL.

Some passengers are just being either naive or greedy. I picked up an elderly Malay mother and daughter from IMM to Teban Gardens at about 10pm. Along the way, I conversed with them in Malay and they were surprised that I am quite good at the language. Told them I studied Malay during my primary school days and passed but flopped my chinese. All of us just LOL. When we reach the destination. The elderly lady asked if she can keep one of the magazines at the back of the seat pocket. Feeling bad, I told her to go ahead. My partner and I provides magazines (not new ones of course) for passengers' reading pleasure. On another occasion, I have reason to belief one of the passengers either my partner or me picked up in the night took 2 of my magazines which is Oct'06 issue with Nicholas Tse and another with a beautiful lady (can't remember the magazine's name). Some people are just plain inconsiderate. They should at least ask if they can keep it though the answer may possibly be no as it is for other passengers' reading pleasure.

Then later in the night at about 10.20pm, I received a current booking to pick somebody from PSB Annexe Building Lobby. I went in through PSB's main entrance and waited foolishly at the lobby without looking at the building's name. Three minutes into the wait, I decided to step out to stretch my legs and arms and happen to glance up at the signage and realised that I am at the wrong place. I quickly drove out and proceeded to drive forward to the next building but found the road leading to it blocked. I drove out again to the main road and found the gentleman waiting at the lobby. Phew! Luckily I wasn't late and just made it in time. This gentleman wants to go to Keypoint at Jalan Sultan. On reaching there, he realised that he did not have enough money and asked me to wait for him while he go to the ATM to withdraw some money. At the same time, there's a lady waiting at the roadside for him to alight. I told the lady to wait if she can as this gentleman is just going to withdraw some money for the cab fare. She looks a bit tipsy and not feeling well. The gentleman returned to say the ATM is down and suggested I sent him to Crawford Road to withdraw the money. As the shortage is about $2.80 (he only have $10), which to cabby's standard is considered quite a lot of money, I decided to forgo the $2.80. He kept saying it's not right but I told him it's ok. I only realised that I should have asked him to pay by nets instead (Comfort cabs can accept nets and credit card, corporate cards and cab vouchers).

The only reason I chose to forgo the $2.80 is purely because I want to make sure of the safety of the tipsy lady that she may meet some people who may possibly take advantage of her in her present state of condition (she is quite good looking and young, maybe about 22 to 24 years and most vulnerable). Along the way to AMK Ave 5, she felt nauseous and asked for a plastic bag. I passed the bag to her and she vomitted not long after. I asked her if she is alright after vomitting and she say yes, much better. It's actually quite a relief to note that I have sent her home safe and sound. I also have two daughters and sure wouldn't want anything to happen to them, not in the state of condition this lady is experiencing.

Well, I have to call it a night for now as I have to prepare myself for tomorrow's call of duty.

Cheers.
fred