Posts Tagged ‘taxi’
A Tale of Two Taxis
Don’t ever get run-flat tyres. The idea is great – you never have a flat tyre.
Or at least the tyre never looks flat and you can still drive to get it fixed. But if it never looks flat, how do you know it is flat… until you’ve been driving on it for so long it’s ruined and you have to buy a new one for £120. I’ve had my free Mini for just over two years and I’ve now had to fork out for three new tyres.
Also the tyres are a bit of a rarity so this time I had to leave the car at the garage while they ordered a new one. Still, it meant that I got to talk to the taxi driver.
Interesting chap: His usual business was harvesting potatoes for Walkers Crisps. He has a huge machine costing millions and he and his sons drive it 24 hours a day throughout the potato season. The rest of the year, he drives taxis.
“It’s not the same any more, though.” he said. “Now the lorries pull onto the field, drive alonside. I shoot the load into the back and they’re off. I never even talk to the drivers.”
“Do you like talking to people.”
“Well it’s what life’s all about, isn’t it – talking to people.”
“You ought to look at what I do…”
He thought it sounded great. So now he’s got a DVD.
Then of course, I had to take another taxi back in the afternoon to pick up the Mini with its new tyre. Now, admittedly the driver didn’t speak very good English but I don’t know if I’ve ever witnessed a greater contrast.
“Nice car,” I said.
“Not mine. Belong to company.”
“Would you like your own car?”
“Yes.”
“I know how you can get one. You could do what I do. Just tell your passengers about our brilliant club that saves them £1000 a year and you get given a free car. How great is that?”
“Free car. They send me free car?”
“Well, you have to go and collect it.”
“Where collect car?”
“London, just at the bottom of the M1″
“No.”
“What, you wouldn’t take a train up to London to collect a free car worth £12,000?”
“Don’t like train. Car is better.”
I like to think there are very few occasions when I am struck dumb. However this was one of them. The rest of the journey was completed in silence.
- until we reached the garage and I paid him. He then looked at me for what seemed the first time: “You give me information about free car?”
Yes, I gave him information about free car. Heck I’ll give anyone information about free car.
But I just hope he never rings. Maybe he has a cheerful chatty friend…