How far can five cents get you these days?
I stopped a car on the street yesterday, got in and asked the driver if he could get me to my destination. Along the way, the GPRS in the car sounded and then it hit me (a thought, not the GPRS) that I was in a taxi! Damn...I had been trying to avoid those rob-you-blind surcharges. Notice how they make their vehicle so white and brilliantly shiny you don't even realise you are in a taxi? Stupid limousine cabs.
So anyway, the driver (Yes, I know they wear uniforms. I just thought he was role-playing or something.) stopped at my destination and the nice lady in the meter / GPRS asked me for $10.25. The driver decided to add an extra tax though, and told me to pay $10.30 instead.
I fished around in my pocket and since I had exactly $10.25, I decided to pay the driver that just for the fun of it. Well, I have a piece of advice...don't mess with cab drivers. You might end up paying for it with your life. The numbskull of a driver took one ugly look at the fare, and then drove on for a metre or two before slamming the brakes. As if he had forgotten I was still in the taxi. I opened the door and was in the midst of getting out of the taxi when the hell-driver started driving off again.
The point is...he should have just asked if he wanted the extra five-cent tip.
"Excuse me ma'am, your fare is $10.25 but do you mind giving me an extra five cents? I need to combine that with the last five cents I have in my pocket so that I can use the public restroom." That would have worked better, wouldn't it? Heck, I'll even give him more change so the poor guy can relieve himself. Or maybe I was wrong about him. Maybe he was really rushing off so he could stock up on rice or oil.
Whatever. I blame the inflation and god damn taxes.
