Another interesting taxi uncle story

All in mandarin,


Taxi Uncle: See that guy there (points to an old man with a bike. His bike has like 10kg of cardboard boxes tied to the rack. Old man is struggling to get up the bike and cycle uphill against the traffic). Nice, at least 7 dollars.


W: Wah, like that got 7 dollars, not bad.


T: Yeah pretty good money hor? 4 trips like that in one day he'll get 28 dollars, more than enough to eat well.


W: Its still pretty tough work.


T: Yeah. But compared to newspapers, which are so cheap. You need a lorry to do anything worthwile with newspapers.


W: So where does he bring them to?


T: Oh, I'm guessing there's a collection point somewhere up there (points to the distance).


W: (not really grasping the distance nor the location) wah, so shiong


T: eh you heard about the garang guni man who stays in a bungalow?


W: no way


T: incredible eh? But its true


W: no way. its impossible.


T: its possible. He saved every penny.


W: (still thinking its impossible, but rather not insist on it) yeah, he's incredible then.


T: Yeah. These people work very hard to get to where they are. A lot of fighting spirit in them.


W: (nod)


T: For example, Mustafa. See his shopping center so big? Last time he was...


W: also a garang guni man?


T: no, he was selling stuff at selegie road (second hand market)


W: wow


T: yeah. But they don't tell you how many times these people have failed to get to where they are.


W: yeah I'm sure they had lots of failures in the past. Happens all the time in business.


T: Yeah this people have a lot of fighting spirit


W: mm (I seem to have heard this before)


T: Another example is Dennis Foo. You know who he is?


W: no? Who is he?


T: He owns basically the whole of St James. Yes, he also worked very hard and failed many times to get to where he is.


W: ah.


T: But you know why he's so successful? He's good with people. A lot of people help him. He wouldn't have gotten to where he is without help from others. Nobody would survive in this business alone.


W: so you're friends with him?


T: No la. Why would he mix with taxi uncles?


W: But I thought you said he doesn't have any airs and is very good with people.


T: He's a friend of my friend la. I don't hang around st james enough. If you hang around there more often, you'll be friends with him too.


W: You don't drink?


T: No la. I don't like to drink. I think its a waste of money.


W: Its nice to go with friends sometimes. Not for the drinking, but for the company.


T: Yeah I go sometimes, but I don't like to drink. After all, once it gets past here (holds his hand up and makes a chopping motion at his throat), there's no taste already. Whats the point?


W: Wah you think like that can save a lot of money.


T: yeah. its true isn't it, once it gets past here (again he does the motion at his throat) ... Correct or not? Once the drink gets past here (motions at his throat again), there is no taste anymore.

W: Yeah Uncle. How about eating? I guess you won't spend on expensive food either.

T: Yah. Once the food gets past here (again, motions at his throat) there is no taste anymore. But food gives you energy, so I don't mind spending more on food.

Luckily, soon after that we arrived at my destination. It seemed like I had gotten him stuck like a broken record. Taxi drivers are usually so interesting.