The stupid cab ride; the silent driver
February 16th, 2006 by Bill
In my riveting account of my dismal day yesterday I neglected to mention one of the odder parts of it – the taxi ride.
So we’re driving along and I ask the driver, “Have they closed that bridge yet?”
You see, for me to get to work I have to cross the river and the bridge I would use was supposed to be closed for the next eight months. I thought.
The driver said nothing.
“The bridge – have they closed it?” I asked again, a little louder.
Nada. Eyes forward. Head rigidly fixed on the road. He said not a word. He made no gesture. He gave not the slightest indication he had heard me.
I was puzzled but I let it go. But after a while, as we got closer to the river, I asked once more.
“Have they closed the bridge yet?”
Nothing. He was an older guy – maybe he was deaf? Or deaf in his right ear?
Then we crossed the bridge. Not long after, I was at the office.
As things turned out, the taxi driver had no hearing problems – not when it came to paying for the ride. He heard me quite easily.
I’ve no idea why he completely ignored me. However, I’ve one theory … it may have been because he was confused. Because I was profoundly stupid throughout all of yesterday, I had my bridges mixed up. It’s another bridge altogether that is closed and it’s possible the driver was as puzzled by my question as I was by his refusal to respond.
Whatever … it was just another curious aspect of strange, strange day.
By the way, it’s bloody freezing here today.
