LCCT Taxi Driver

I have a taxi driver.

The one time it was decided (for me?) that it would not fare well if I simply took the long way back (bus, ktm, bus/taxi) to the hostel, and I should take the airport taxi (prepaid, Rm64.20 in the airport), was a story worth telling by itself. Because my taxi driver was on a holiday. It is funny, how trivial things can scar you in the weirdest ways. I only remember three times when I was at the receiving end of a glare from a complete stranger. Once was when I accidentally stepped on a woman's foot in the tren and another from the taxi driver, because I did not know the way back and the last time was from a stranger who was not.

See, instead of taking me to shah alam, the taxi driver seem to have driven me to Klang, a hitherto uncharted land for me. It was almost ten by then, and he stopped his car at the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere and told me to 'get off. Get a taxi.' I was too dumbstruck to glare back, though my friends told me that's what I should have done. 'But I don't even know where I am!' I argued back. 'Call your friends,' he stated, that glare on his face, prominent. 'My friends probably aren't back yet!' I retorted, whilst in my mind, I was trying to remember friends here who own their own transportations.

'You don't know where we are. I don't know where we are. What kind of person lives in a hostel and not know their own address?' he grumbled, glaring. I was running through names. Keren should still be in Kuching. Beatrice, coming back tomorrow. Li Sia, not until Monday at least. Suiying, nah... Oh god. Is that all the people I know? In a state of panic, I called Ek Ying, my housemate. She wasn't available. 'Can you at least drive me to the town area, maybe the ktm station? Someplace where I can get a taxi?' pleading.

I never realized how huge Shah Alam was until that night. It was probably a good thing he didn't know where he was, because lost as we were, he could not find his way to the ktm station and somehow managed to find a route that I was familiar with. 'That way,' I pointed. He drove, the entire time berating my stupidity, lack of sense of direction, 'and why aren't you calling your friend?!'

It was a sin, was it? To be always lost. I have never thought it a flaw. It brought me places and sights I would never have found with a map. Also, there's GPS.

I lead him onwards to the hostel. Remember the masjid near the hostel? He stopped the car there, turned around and resumed glaring at me. 'I thought you said we were near?' a stranger. He was a complete stranger. An old taxi driver. I could fight him off. But my luggage! All my stuff! 'Get off, call your friend to come get you,' he pursued. I don't. I don't have many friends, do I? I wanted to get off. I honestly did. 'It's just at the corner!' I said, pointing at the faint outline of the Akasia building. He reluctantly started the engine and drove me over.

I remember scampering out of the taxi and pulling my luggages out from the trunk as he stood there and glared. My luggage, which had chose that trip to break apart, fell onto the ground as I stood there and thanked the taxi driver. Because I'm a doormat and people walk all over me without feeling guilty. He sped off without another word as I pulled my luggage into a standing position. I took a moment to find my student id and another to compose myself. It took me a moment to realize I was happy to be back in Akasia.

I have a taxi driver. Next time he's on holidays, I'm taking the bus. Or I'll walk. Yeah. Walking's good.