Saturday, June 30, 2007
Cabbie's Clever Comeback
by Henk H. van Zuilekom, an Australian journalist/travel writer.


This humorous tale is dedicated to my dear friend Ricky, who, together with his wife Irene and ever-helpful staff member Evelyn, host the Birdwatchers’ Apartelle, Bar and Restaurant in Ermita. An eternal comedian, Ricky tells this story far better than I could ever write it down:

For 14 hours a day Umberto drives his taxi throughout the giant metropolis of Manila. An unsightly excuse for a public conveyance on balding tyres that would pass registration inspection only in Philippines.
One day, at NAIA, the international airport, he is approached by a Japanese businessman carrying a laptop and a small overnight bag:
“Oooh, you bring me City Garden Hotel, A Mabini Street,” and with that takes the front seat next to Umberto.
Traffic is light and the pair travel along in silence until, on Roxas Boulevarde, a gleaming new Toyota sedan overtakes Umberto’s smoking vehicle at considerable speed whereupon his passenger becomes more than a little excited:
“Ooooh, lookie, lookie, Tohota motorcar, maaade in Yapan, veeeery good, veeeery fast, gooood for Yapanese, gooood for me!” tapping himself on the chest.
Umberto, with an understanding in his fare’s national pride, offers a broad, nodding smile and returns his attention to the traffic.
However, barely half a kilometer hence his passenger spots a Kawasaki motorcycle and once again shouts into Umberto’s ear:
“Ooooh, lookie, lookie, Kawasaki motorcycle, maaade in Yapan, veeeery good, veeeery fast, gooood for Yapanese, gooood for me!” and so it went on with the Nip pointing out a Mitsubishi: “Ooooh, lookie, lookie. . .” a Yamaha: “ Ooooh, lookie, lookie . . .” and finally a Honda: “Ooooh, lookie, lookie, Honda motorcycle, maaade in Yapan, veeeery good, veeeery fast, gooood for Yapanese, gooood for me!” to the point of boredom for Umberto.
Having arrived at the hotel, as Umberto helps his passenger retrieve his luggage from the boot, his customer asks: “How muchie muchie?”
Umberto holds up two fingers on one hand and all five on the other indicating a fare of two thousand five hundred Pesos whereupon the man shows considerable anger and even more excitement, shouting: “Ooooh, too muchie muchie, short ride only, why you charge too muchie muchie?”
Umberto’s broad smile returns as he points at the dashboard inside the cab:
“Ooooh, lookie, lookie, Filipino taxi meter, maaaade in Philippines, veeeery good, veeeery fast, gooood for Filipino . . .
posted by mingsworld.com @ 10:52 AM  
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