my talks with Cab drivers..

Having landed in this country (USA) without a driving license, i knew i would be relying a lot on these people. I took buses whenever i could but had to get into cabs more often than i thought i would need to. May be san rafael being a small town on the suburbs of san francisco did not have many buses but latter i realized that the places i was interested in, did not necessarily interest many people, so buses did not go there. For example Muir Woods is such a wonderful place but buses run to that place from here for only half the year...

Anyway before i get off too far from what i wanted to write.. i was talking of cab drivers. They are an amazing lot. When you are forced to share a 6X4 space with another person, you better start talking to him else u keep feeling strange. And I have found they can be pretty good conversations.

The first cab i took from San francisco airport to san rafael belonged to someone who was from Palestine!!!!!! I said wow.. i never thought i would meet someone from palestine. And then within that 1 hour drive, we shared small bits of our countries and our cultures.. Then i asked him how long has he been here, and he replied 15 years. But did he dream of going back.. Yes he did.. he hoped life would get safer there and one day he would return..

That was the first and then there were many more.. I met one from brazil.. he asked me do you mind me keeping this FM channel on. I said no problem, by the way is it spanish. He said yes and it is very simillar to my mother tounge. We got into a conversation. How long had he been there in USA?? 12 years..

And then one day, i met a cab driver who was from Iran... yes.. he has been here for years.. but cheered me up with a "Namaste.. kaise hain aap" A guy in his 50s i guess, who said he had been in india for some time.. A short trip but he was good company.. made me forget the mad day i had had in office that day..

And then of course, there were people born and brought up in america.. A nice man who said he tried learning Indian Music for some time.. and he said he used to play violin.. i have my own doubts over whether you use that particular instrument to learn Hindustani Music (thats the word he used)...

They are an amazing lot.. Some show unexpected wisdom, some make up great stories and some just reflect a shade of humanity that you had not been in touch with for some time...Its never been a loss, starting a conversation with these people. Sometime i would like to pen down some conversations i have had with cab drivers in Mubai.

But for now, I have at least one more long cab ride coming in the next few days. That should be for my trip to SanFrancisco airport to catch my flight back home. I am wondering who this character would be... if he is interesting enough you will meet him here :)
cheers..