Occupation : Taxi Chauffer

11/12/05

last saturday, on a taxi to Matrix (phileo damansara 2) from Midvalley with Foong Ling & Hena
the taxi driver was a man in his 50s (could be late 50s)
As compared to previous taxi driver, he was not 'choosy' ( knowing M'sian taxi driver)

As we got up the taxi, he asked where are we headed to.
He doesn't seem to know Matrix exact location, luckily he knew when Foong Ling informed him near Eastin Hotel.
It was drizzling. Foong Ling & Hena was chatting happily behind.
a bit difficult to join them, I spoke to the taxi driver instead =P
earlier he mentioned about the air-cond getting cold on rainy days, so I started the conversation from there
(conversation may not be in sequence, basically can remember the things mentioned only)

me : uncle, just refill your air cond gas ah?
TD : no lah, this air cond like this wan. hot day not cold, cold day become colder
me : oh ...
me : so you drive around KL area? got go outstation?
TD : ours can't go outstation wan, only limited to KL & Klang Valley.
me : like that ya. how do you differentiate? by colour of taxi?
TD : nowadays you can see taxi many colour, they follow the company lo... different company might cover different directory / area
me : so how long have you been driving already?
TD : I used to drive taxi a few years back, then I stopped & work as chef. Then now, I come back to drive lo
me : wa ... chef ah? then you cook very delicious food lo? you open own restaurant? where? next time can come & try?
TD : I was working as chef with Tai Tong Restaurant Group, but now no more already ... retire
me : wa... Tai Thong serve excellent food ... which tai thong?
TD : that one at royal Selangor club
me : so ngam wan, I had attended my friend's wedding there a few months back. Were you the cook during then?
TD : dunno leh cause I left a few months back also
me : so where you staying?
TD : (sorry, I forgot where he stay liao)
me : staying with your family?
TD : yalo, my mother also staying with us, my wife and my grandchildren. my children all grown up already
me : your children sure got ask you to 'heung fook' = 'enjoy life"
TD : haha... no la, nowadays parents don't depend on children anymore lo. not like my parents time, can depend on children. even now my mum stays with us
me : you are very fortunate... 4 generation together
TD : most important in life is to be happy
me : ya... true
TD : while I still can work, why not work. it's hard to slow down when I had been working all these while
me : take some rest ma
TD : need money also
me : so like you all, when start work and when finish
TD : we start 9am till 10pm, sometimes earlier, sometimes later
me : that's 12 hours ++
TD : what to do, then only able to 'pulang modal'
me : so your taxi hire purchase or rent wan?
TD : this is rent, so every month has to repay rent. but the maintenance & repair handle by the company. before this, we dunno, bodoh bodoh go hire purchase, but later found out that maintenance & repairs are very costly.
me : mm... especially you all taxis travel alot
TD : per day can reach abt 300km. each day have to earn about rm50 - rm60 then only pulang modal only
me : may be holiday season got more people. but you are good, at least you don't chose customers. just now, there was a taxi that didn't even wanted to take any customer after 5 people asked.
TD : for me, I believe has to be professional & ethical. If I don't want to take customer, I'll not stop, but if I stop I'll take the customer where they wanted to go. most importantly is happy ma
me : yalo =) when you take customer, you get to know more places & you might get more customer when you arrive at the place
TD : actually, when taxi driver do that, it is no good for other taxi driver in the industry

=P somemore I cannot remember liao. too many things happened that night at Matrix
he dropped us at Phileo Damansara 1, as we decided he need not take the ticket & go in. we can walk to look for Matrix.
I paid and said 'thank you'
but I forgot to do something - to at least get his contact or give him my card ... aiya
then at least i can propose to help him or his children and grandshildren plan financially

however, I knew it was never an easy life for a taxi driver ( although their job may seem easy ... driving people around)
ps. my friend asked "why are you so friendly?" I don't know but I know what I wouldn't know if I haven't asked =)
maybe next time I can publish a journal on 'strangers I have met' and what they taught me =) God bless