Sleeping Cabbies

There are always taxis parked at bus bays late at night or in HDB car parks or along quiet roadsides with their taxi engines still running but no headlights on, infact no lights on whatsoever and do you know why? Well actually these taxis with their drivers inside are taking a short nap or simply sleeping when they feel too tired or do not have enough sleep the night before or sometimes just bored. They would usually park their taxis at a quiet spot and sleep. I myself have done that. Taxi properly locked from inside and the seat in a reclining position, it is quite comfortable with the air con on. Normally we rest for about half an hour or so, and after that, we feel very refreshed and awake before we continue to cruise around.

I have a particular taxi friend who drives a Comfort taxi always resting at a certain spot to await taxi bookings. He is in this trade for more than 20 years and had already formed this habit of waiting for calls as he does not like cruising around anywhere nor wait at taxi stands or follow behind long queues of taxis waiting their turns to pick up passengers. He is an OMO driver, meaning "one man only" without a relief driver. He must drive 7 days a week and cannot even afford to fall sick, without any CPF contributions at all and most of them are usually family men with mouths to feed, bills to pay and housing loans to repay. It is sad to see him not having any family life at all except during the Chinese New Year celebrations. We meet once in a while to have a meal or have a cup of coffee and that's where he would confide his problems at home and outside and try to seek some advice. I've learned that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand........