All Jayme

A lesson from a cab driver

The cab stopped right in front of the gate as I exited the network compound. What luck, I thought. I was eager to get home to my baby.

“Ma, Kamuning lang po,” I told the cab driver who greeted me with a smile. I told him to take the main road because it was faster that way.

“Hindi po kaya traffic doon? Kung lumiko na lang po kaya tayo dito sa may kanto para mas malapit? (Wouldn’t there be traffic in the main road? What if we just turn the corner so that it would be nearer?)” he suggested, pointing the alternative street we could take to our house.

In all the years that I’ve been riding cabs, I’ve learned to insist on the route I knew because I always turn out right. Before, when I let the cab driver take his own route, we usually end up amid traffic and I pay more than the usual fare.

I firmly but calmly repeated that we take the main road because I knew for a fact that we could get to my house faster that way. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust the cab driver, I was just so eager to get home.

He started the meter with a good natured grin and made a U-turn toward the main road.

“Masuwerte po kayo, malapit lang ang bahay niyo sa trabaho (You’re lucky to be living so near your workplace),” he said.

I simply smiled. I wasn’t one to make small talk with cab drivers. Besides my mind was occupied with a lot of other things.

In less than 5 minutes, we were approaching the apartment compound. I motioned for him to stop at the apartment’s gate, handed him the exact fare and got ready to step out.

Before I could even close the cab door, he turned to me with a smile and said, “Thank you po. God bless you.”

That was the first time a cab driver ever said a blessing for me.

Most of the cab drivers I encountered before were either very indifferent, slightly hot-headed or silently amiable. But whatever the driver’s temperament was, I was always content to just be a quiet passenger.

Tonight’s cab driver seemed like a genuinely happy and kind man. I imagine he must say “God bless you” all the time as he bids adieu to his passengers.

And I imagine that, like me, most of his passengers would have probably dismissed him without a glance.

But, the truth is, the cab driver’s swift but heartfelt blessing got to me.

It made me realize something I’ve known all along: that no matter how fast or fleeting our encounters with other people are, we each have a chance to make a difference and a positive impact on each other’s lives. Just as that cab driver’s simple act of kindness did to me.

Tomorrow when I ride a cab to work, I’d still be a silent passenger. But before I close the car’s door, I’ll whisper a silent blessing and prayer for a safe trip for the cab driver.

Posted in: Reflections

Tags: blessing, cab driver, prayer

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 at 10:27 pm and is filed under Reflections. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.