CONVERSATIONS WITH CAB DRIVERS

It's inevitable that each time I travel to KL, I would need the services of cabs. Normally I would call my regular cab to ferry me to my destination. Sometimes I would call the radio cab service. Some of the cabbies are quiet but some can be rather talkative - depending on the season. If it's the election season, cabbies would give their two cents' worth of their analysis of the political climate. One can often tell what their political leanings are by their conversations eg :

Cabbie 1 : Aiyah, this Samy Vellu fella never help us Indians......

Cabbie 2 : Tak tahu-lah puan, tetapi dengar orang kata kerajaan banyak boros.......

Cabbie 3 : Malaysia maju kalau banding dengan Indonesia.......

Cabbie 4 : Dunno-lah but people get fed-up with this situation.......

Early this year I had an interesting conversation with a Malay cabbie :

Cabbie : Puan nak balik Tahun Baru Cina di kampong mana ?

Me : Johor. Kau pun selalu balik kampong untuk Hari Raya ke? (Having established he's from some other state)

Cabbie : Dulu ya, bila orang tua masih ada. Tapi sekarang balik pun tak ada orang.

Me : Tak ada adik beradik ke ? Kenapa tak kumpul sekali setahun pun?

Cabbie : Banyak adik beradik tetapi tak rapat. Sejak orang tua meninggal, dingin hubungan.

Me : Kenapa pula? Saya rasa semakin kita tua, semakin kita perlu lebih rapat dengan adik beradik. Anak-anak sibuk kerja- semua entah ke mana-mana kerja.

Cabbie : Ya, saya pun rasa begitu. Tetapi, ini isteri mereka buat kacau saja. Abang-adik takut isteri. Mungkin mereka bisik-bisik, bising-bising - timbul salah faham.

Me : Pasal apa?

Cabbie : Pasal sikit harta saja. Tanah 2 ekar dan rumah kampong. Semua mahu rebut. Saya kecewa. Ini pasal isteri mereka. Sekarang kita jumpa pula tak cakap. Tegang.

Me : Sayang kalau begitu. Mungkin lain kali encik jumpa mereka, cuba eratkan hubungan. Sayang kalu putus kerana sedikit harta. You cakap dengan mereka dulu.

Cabbie : Tak tahu nak cakap apa.

Me : Tanya tentang anak mereka, tanya tentang kesihatan mereka. Cakap tentang makanan sihat. Asal boleh baiki hubungan bailik.

It's sad to think that siblings can grow so far apart over minor misunderstanding. I think his parents would probably turn in their graves should they know that their children had reached such a sad situation. I would hate to think that my children whom I've nurtured would ever reach such a state.
In another conversation with one of my staff :
Staff : So puan just come back from visiting your parents? How are they?
Me : Ya, they're old and I feel I must spend as much time as possible with them.
Staff : I am worried about my mum too. She's wheel-chair bound. I've got an Indon maid looking after her. My son drops in to see her in between his studies. Can't bring her here.
Me : Oh, you're only child? No one to look after her?
Staff : I've 9 siblings. But when it comes to this, suddenly everybody is too busy.
Me : You're probably the most educated or earning the most ya?
Staff : Ha, puan, my brothers are all mostly corporate people. One's in Petronas, one works in the bank. One's retired (but his wife refuse to take my mum in). My sister is a retired headmistress and some are still serving in civil service. It's not they're not able - it's the heart.
Me : Yes, our society has developed into a culture of 'pentingkan diri'. But at least they help pay for your mum's expenses.
Staff : When mum was hospitalised, we had a family meeting. Since no one was willing to look after her, they agreed that each will fork out money to help with the expenses. Up to now, not a cent. Semua 'diam-diam sahaja.' I malas to ask them.
Me : Never mind. God will bless you for your love and compassion towards your mum.
Staff : Thank you puan. God bless you too.
So selfishness cuts across racial and religious divide. It's all in the heart.