Unselfish Acts.

This is one particular trip I will not forget.
I was hailed by this pretty young lady along Thomson Road late last night around 11.30pm, and she wanted to go to Ang Moh Kio St.44. Along the way, we started talking generally about working life. She said she was on leave today and that she works in a handphone retail shop in Sim Lim Square. Her straightforward information started me asking lots of questions about mobile phones. She did not feel irritated at all, instead responded to my queries in a happy fashion, about the latest iPhone4 model which I was carrying and she too had a similar one.
You see, I have yet to learn how to manage the many functions it has and she told me for exanple, how to prolong battery life, turn off activities which I don't use, cost of phone accessories, like battery chargers, leather coverings, how to make free calls through Skype and so many other things. The information she gave me was so interesting and comprehensive, all of which I was totally unaware of. She was so kind to offer to help me with certain adjustments to my mobile as soon as we reached her destination. When we arrived, she was so thoughtful by asking to allow her to pay the fare first and thereafter she immediately started working on my handphone, deleting and updating datas, at the same time, instructing me on how to perform and activate certain functions with the handphone which I needed to know. She was very knowledgeable and tremendously helpful, but most of all, she was very patient. I thanked her and was very grateful to her for helping me make adjustments to my mobile. As soon as I began driving away, I suddenly felt so lousy and ungrateful for having collected the taxi fare from her earlier after what she had done for me.
I am truly blessed to be able to meet, get to know and ferry so many beautiful passengers aboard my taxi everyday.  

"Oh No, not ag....!!!."

Being a Night shift driver I have to wash and clean up the taxi everyday before handing over to my Relief driver. For me, its usually around 4am. Sometimes, I get lucky when heavy rain falls, I am relieved of the chore after a tiring shift. I need only to clean and dust the four pieces of floor mats, that's it. Then just watch my taxi get a natural 'heavenly' bath. Believe me, it has always been a big thrill just watching the show. Last night, my last passenger, a young lady, flagged me near Lavender Foodcourt and she wanted to go to Ang Moh Kio Avenue 4. As soon as she sat down, even before shutting the door, horrors of horrors, she started to puke. Fortunately for me, just outside my cab - 'heng-ah'. When she finished, I straightaway gave her an NTUC plastic bag which I always keep handy, at least 3 pieces in the glove box (lessons learnt from past experiences). Asked her if she was alright and will she puke again she answered "Don't worry, I will not puke inside your taxi". I thanked her and gave her another bag to hang on just in case. I immediately sped off. On the way, along the CTE... "OMG" she held the bag to her mouth and puked twice more,  Yes, luckily, inside the bag.
During the whole journey, I felt very apprehensive and dreaded the worst. Finally we reached her destination, she paid her fare, thanked me and left. Safe at last, "Phew" what a huge relief, just then I thought I had to sweat. I think I better not recall what I had to go through the last time a passenger actually did 'it'.

Looking Back...

I first started driving  for TIBS in 1997, and the Taxi company located in Ang Moh Kio had container boxes fully airconditioned as a temporary office where we had to go and pay our taxi rentals every 2 days in cash. We were given 2 white long sleeve shirts and 2 grey long pants a year, every year. 
From then on everyday I had to wear white long sleeve shirts and the grey pants and it is as though we were wearing school uniforms. We looked smart in it and whenever we took a break for lunch or dinner, nobody can tell if we were taxi drivers or office workers. I drove for this company till it was taken over by SMRT. I started driving for SMRT since its inception till April this year when I switched to Premier Taxis - Silvercab. 
It does not really matter which Taxi company you join so long as you pay your rentals promptly. Every Taxi company offers incentives for various schemes and you sign up for a particular one you choose. You pay higher rentals for new Taxis and different rental schemes for older makes. Most of my taxi friends each drive for different Taxi companies and we often exchange and compare views about our company's different operational styles, advantages and disadvantages, bonuses, incentives, diesel prices, time taken to service our vehicles every month and other highlights. 
Every taxi driver has his own group of friends and we meet up everyday at different locations all over the island to get together and have coffee or dinner , chit chats but more so to rest our weary legs. We share our daily adventures, news, family, commitments, problems and assist each other where there is any need. All of us look forward to our get togethers everyday at a certain time and certain place and we contact one another through our mobiles should there be any change of time or venue. We are always helping each other in finding locations and directions whilst plying the roads for passengers....