- Information
- AI Chat
The Taximan's Story by Catherine Lim
World Lit
Cebu Technological University
Preview text
The Taximan’s Story
by Catherine Lim
“Little Ironies” – Stories of Singapore
Take me to National University of Singapore, please make it fast coz I got a meeting to attend and I need to be there on time. Very good, Madam. Sure, I will take you there. In plenty good time for your meeting, Madam. This way better, less traffic, less car jams. Half hour should make it, Madam, so not to worry. Have you been taxi man for a long time? What did you say, Madam? I said have you been taxi man for a long time? Ha, ha, Yes, yes, I’ve been taxi man for 20 years now, Madam. A long time ago, Singapore not like this—so crowded, so busy. Last time, more peaceful, not so much taxi men or so much cars and buses. Oh, you must been working so hard! Yes Madam, I can make a living. So, so. What do? I must work hard if wants to success in Singapore. People like us, no read, no write, we must sweat to earn money for wife and children.
Do you have a big family? Yes, Madam, quite big family—eight children, six sons, and two daughters. Big family! Haha! No good, Madam. In those days where got Family Planning in Singapore? People born many, many children, every year, one child is no good at all. Two children, three children, enough, stop. Our government say stop! Lucky for me, all my children big now. Four of my sons working—one A businessman, two clerks, a teacher in Primary School, one in National Service one still schooling. My eldest daughter, she is twenty plus, stay at home, help the mother.
Is your daughter already married? No, not married yet –very shy, and her health not so good, but a good, obedient girl. My other girl—Oh, Madam! Very hard for father when daughter is no good and go against her parents. Very sad like punishment from God.
Today, young people not like us when we are young. We obey. Our parents say don’t do this, we never do. Otherwise, the cane. My father cane me, I was big enough to be married, and still got caning. My father he was very strict, and that is good thing for parents to be strict. If not, young boys and girls become very useless. Do not want to
study, but run away, and go to night clubs and take drugs and make love. You agree with me, Madam?
Yes! I absolutely agree with you. Today, young people they are very trouble to their parents. Madam, you see this young girl over there, outside the coffee house? See what I mean, Madam? Yes. They are only schoolboys and schoolgirls, but they act as big shots, spending money, smoking, wearing latest fashion, and making love. Yes, that’s true. Even though you’re just a taxi man you are aware about the behavior of the teenagers today. Ah, madam, I know! I know! As taxi man, I know them and their habits.
Madam, you are a teacher, you say? Yes. You know or not that young schoolgirls, fifteen, sixteen-year-old, they go to school in the morning in their uniforms and then afterschool, they don’t go home, they have clothes in their schoolbag, and they go to public lavatory or hotel and change into these clothes, and they put make-up on their face. Their parents never know. They tell their Mom go school meeting, got sports and games, this, that, but they really come out and play the fool.
Ah, Madam, I see you surprise but I know, I know all their tricks a lot As I take them in my taxi. They usual is wait in bowling alley or coffee house or hotel, and they walk up, and friend, the European and American tourists, and this is how they make fun and also extra money. Madam, you believe or not when I tell you how much money they got? I say! Last night, Madam, this young girl, very pretty and make-up and wear sexy dress, she told me take her to orchid mansions--this place famous, Madam, fourth floor flat--and she open her purse to pay me, and I say! All American notes--ten-dollar notes all, and she pull one out and say keep change! As she has no time already.
Madam, I tell you this, every month, I got more money from these young girls and their American and European boyfriends in my taxi, more than I get from other people who bargain and say don’t want go by meter and wait even for ten cents change. Phi!!Some of them really make me mad. But these young girls and their boyfriends don’t bargain, they just pay, pay, and they make love in taxi so much they don’t know if you go around and round and charge them by meter!
Then they go inside the coffee-house, and my heart is very, very--how you describe it, Madam, My heart is very Susah hati‘and I say to myself, I will watch that Lay Choo and see her monkey tricks. The very next day she is there again I stop my taxi, Madam, and I am so angry. I rush up to this wicked daughter and I catch her by the shoulders and neck, and slap her and she scream, but I don’t care. Then I drag her to my taxi and drive all the way home, and at home I thrash the stupid food and I beat her and slap her till like hell. My wife and some neighbors they pull me away, and I think if they not pull me away, I sure to kill that girl.
I lock her up in her room for three days, and I ashamed to tell her teacher, so I just tell the teacher that Lay Choo is sick, so please to excuse her. Oh, Madam, how you feel in my place? Make herself so cheap, when her father drive taxies all day to save money for her University.
Is everything between you and your daughter okay now? What is it, Madam? I said is everything between you and your daughter okay now? Yes, yes, everything okay now, thank you. She cannot leave the house except to go to school, and I tell her mother always check, check in everything she does, and her friends--what sort of people they are...
Can you wait for me until my meeting is done? What, Madam? Oh, so sorry, Madam, cannot wait for you to finish your meeting. Must go off, please to excuse me. In a hurry, Madam. Must go off to Hotel Elroy--there plenty people to pick up. So very sorry, Madam, and thank you very much. Oh, that’s ok. Here’s the payment. Thank you for sharing your story to me.
My youngest daughter has a similar behavior Similar like the other schoolgirls that act like gangsters Since you’re a teacher, did you know something strange about the girls After school time, they don’t really go home but they go to hotels and other places for sure.
If you have a daughter, don’t accept her trust. But you only do that when she wants to go out Just like my naughty daughter who really got caught. For that, I scolded her so loud that I don’t even care so I just shout.
The Taximan's Story by Catherine Lim
Course: World Lit
University: Cebu Technological University
This is a preview
Access to all documents
Get Unlimited Downloads
Improve your grades
