To start off, Mr. Nice Neighbor decided he will send me to work Monday to Thursday.
Yeah, seriously. No Joke. Kepong to Kota Damansara, right up to the door step. Mental note to buy something nice for his kids when dear Herbie's discharged from automobile ICU. Semangat Kejiranan still exist in KL...how cool is that? =)
Anyway, yesterday marked the beginning of my Public Transport Adventure. Actually, it should be named: My Getting to Know My Fellow Countrymen Adventure. You see, zipping around town in the armored comfort of my own car sort of shielded me from REALITY.
Again, i have to reiterate: Life is plenty hard for so many out there. My heart goes out to all of you.
Here's why.
Monday
Flagged down a taxi at Cova Square, Kota Damansara yesterday and there, my education began. The Taxi driver insisted there should be a RM 3 surcharge coz he's gonna go back with an "empty taxi" from Kepong. Ok, fine. Everyone's gotta earn a living, i won't grudge you that.
"Sometimes customers trap us. Last time i sent a person back to Kepong, he made me go to the rural places with really bumpy roads. I had to spend 40 minutes trying to find my way out. 40 minutes, wasted. You know how much business i missed?" Complained the Taxi Driver.
"I don't mean you, miss. I'm just saying, sometimes people purposely trap us!"
I kept quiet. Sometimes silence is best. Let the man vent whatever pent-up frustration he has.It's nothing personal. But you know, i realized the poor man must be under a whole lot of pressure to grudge 40 minutes lost. To the point where he felt he was "tricked/trapped". Come on, you think the passenger wanted to live in such a remote place? I'm sure he didn't mean to ambush the taxi drivers.
It must take a whole lot of disappointments to drive a person to this extreme pessimism, i believe. One can only fathom what challenges this pakcik is facing. *Shrugs*
Tuesday
Decided to do a bit of walking. Walked from Sri KDU to Sunway Giza, a cool 2km. Wanted to take a bus back to Kepong but apparently that would mean commuting all the way to KL, switch bus back to Kepong. An exaggerated U-turn. Now i see why commuters complain about our less-than-perfect transport system. Ok, fine. Taxi it is.
A jolly pakcik who mentioned none of the RM 3 surcharge biz. Instead, we chatted about the virtues of Chinese Tea. Apparently this pakcik has been drinking Chinese Tea close to a year. Swears by it's miraculous functions. Helped him ward off hereditary diabetes, high blood pressure and hypertension.
To me, what's miraculous is a Malay, speaking to a Chinese, singing praises about an ancient beverage Gen-Y Chinese have long flushed down the drain. One word: Muhibah. =)
Wednesday
Had two important on-line meetings an hour after class at 12pm. The choice is to just flag down a cab at Cova Square, directly opposite the school or walk all the way to Sunway Giza again to do the exact same thing. It's only RM 3 savings anyway. Decided to walk.
Actually beginning to enjoy walking. Same old 2.1km walk. Blazing sun beating down my neck. Exhaust fumes infusing every breath i take in. The sound of various horse-powered engines zooming pass. Yes, a BMW 3 series sounds distinctively different from a Toyota Alphard. A Comel whizzes, a Kawasaki Ninja vrooms. I can actually stop and read what the banners are screaming. There's actually all sorts of foliage with a delightful burst of colorful flowers growing out of every conceivable plant. Ok, might just be weeds but there's something crazily romantic about the whole scene.
"Why don't i make this a habit? Save some carbon miles." The noble thought formulated in my naive mind. Haha~ as quickly as that thought popped up, reality burst it. Come on. Who wants to pay RM 14 one way, EVERYDAY. Who's gonna send me to work? What if it rains?
OMG! Meeting's at 1pm. It's 12.30pm, i've just reached Sunway Giza. Where on earth are all the taxi's when you need 'em? Panic stricken. More sweat irritated my already soaked back. 5 minutes passed. Felt like forever. A taxi pulled up. Thank goodness it's a good natured Indian driver who prefers to just shut-up. haha..i was really nervous about being late for the meeting. So yeah, not in the mood to talk. Anyway, made it in good time for the meeting.
What really set me thinking was this. As pleasant as the whole walking experience is to me, i do realize it is only so coz it's just a temporary arrangement for me. I will get my car in a few days time and all this, will just be an option. This whole experience is nothing but a "tourist" taking in the sights and "trying to live like the natives". It's like a novelty. Not a necessity.
Totally not so for the hordes of people who DO rely on public transport with NO OPTIONs to help them see things in a different light. What's that like, i can only guess, though i doubt i will ever understand. So yeah, i am lucky. Extremely lucky.
Thursday
Today marks the last day of my circumstantially-imposed public-transport adventure. Ended on a very thoughtful note. Same long walk. Same taxi ride. But different insight. Today, it's another Malay pakcik. This time, it's a Malay pakcik who speaks impeccable English.
This pakcik came all the way from Kedah, Kampung Pendang. Owns a padi field, a chicken farm with 100 chickens, a tiny fruit orchard with durians, mangosteans and rambutans and a tiny vegetable plot. Hang on. What's a productive land owner doing here driving a taxi in big, dusty KL?
He has 4 school going children. Eldest boy aged 26, doing his Phd. engineering. 2nd daughter in Ukraine doing her Medical Degree. 3rd son studying in USM, doing his architectural degree. Youngest is 14, a top student, still studying in Kedah. oh, yeah, only 1 wife. *grins*
"I need additional income. Got to make sure my kids finish their education. Just my padi field and the chickens, not enough. In fact i miss my kampung. I miss my friends, my life back there. Everything we needed came from the land. From the farm to the table. Everything is very fresh. No one needed to workout at the gym. The padi field made sure everyone's healthy. My grandfather is 90+, still walking, still cycling. We may be kampung people, but we're all very healthy, very happy. I believe we are rich that way. But my kids, they want a better life. As the father, it's my obligation to help them fulfill their dreams. End of the year, my contract ends. I will go back to Kedah. My two elder kids would have graduated," confided the taxi driver.
I wish him all the good fortune in the world.
Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone faces their fair share of challenges.
How we handle these unending challenges are very personal choices.
So, before we judge another soul, take a walk in their shoes.
It's very telling.
With that, i end my little report on my insignificant adventure. Till next time. =)
