I have discovered a common trait shared by a lot of taxi drivers - the ability to boast about their family members in a most humble tone.
I have taken a lot of taxis and this is what I found out. It will usually go like this, "Where are you studying now?"
THIS IS A TRAP QUESTION! Try not to answer this question as it is the opening that they want! After giving them the opening, they will then drone on and on about how their son/daughter (I even met one who boasted about his wife) is in which prestigious school or reputable company, their PSLE scores all the way to their A-level scores, how their off-springs SLACK their way to scholarships, yada yada yada...
It seems that the irritating and boastful taxi uncles that I have met have serious inferiority issues. They need to tell others that although they drive taxis, they have the ability to produce genius kids. It looks like they are telling me not to look down on them when I didn't in the first place. If not for their continual boasting,
I would not realise that they are so desperate to raise my perception of them.
Well, two can play at a game. So I start to make up stories about myself. Haha! So far I've been a scholarship student, an auditor, a policewoman, etc. I hope they "enjoy" my story too!
Now, the most sickening part is when, sometimes, I decided to be honest and told the drivers that I am a teacher or is training to be a teacher. This was especially inevitable when I took cab to school.
Another trap question. It will start a whole new round of bombarding me with questions, opinions or advice. I once met a driver who may be a NIE lecturer in disguise, trying to catch me off guard with a math question. The most recent irritating driver (the one with the Wife) told me that
I will not become a good teacher based on my answer to his question "Why do you want to teach?"
At that point in time I felt like giving him my middle finger and screamed, "Stop stuffing down your worthless opinions down my throat!!" Why should he judge me? WHO IS HE TO JUDGE ME! It is not as if he is God and told me what he think of me after looking through my whole life.
By the way, my answer to his question was "I find satisfaction in teaching." Tell me, what's wrong with that? Huh? Tell me tell me! Asshole...
If you are really curious about why I chose teaching, buy me a cup of coffee and be prepared to spend an afternoon listening to my answer. This is not something that I can just explain with a sentence or two. It takes many twists and turns, unexpected opportunities, encouragements and advices, experiences with different people that made me walk down this path. For someone like him, he cannot even start to comprehend this as he may not hold a job that is his calling.
Anyway, after airing his "important" opinion about me, he went on to boast about how good and popular his wife is. Ya lar, I am shit compared to his wife.
Aiya, I don't know why I am so angry. Maybe I should have blasted him right there and then instead of hiding behind my laptop and rant about it. It is just that this teacher role is so heavy for me to carry.
Sometimes, I feel that being a teacher gives strangers the impression that they have the right to judge me. Even when I want to blow my top, I've got to think twice before giving "teachers" a bad name.
I have learned my lessons. I derived more pleasure pretending to be someone than to share my thoughts with strangers. If some driver pisses me off again, he will have my imagination and ability to lie to reckon with. Wuahahaha.. *evil laughter*
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