OK, so all of my life, I have been anti-smoking. It’s just one of my things - I don’t like the smell of it and it’s bad for you. But today something happened in my life that has altered my opinion of smoking. Here’s the story…it’s long but maybe you’ll stay with me on it.
John and I went to the lobby of our hotel this morning and the concierge hailed a taxi for our one hour trip to the airport. Now I have to admit that I do not like riding in taxi’s and never have. But John takes them everywhere on his travels so I trust his judgment and usually feel secure because I am with him. The taxi ride started out like most do - uneventful but with me feeling a bit uneasy because I don’t know where we are going given that I don’t know the roads.
After riding for about 15 minutes in the car, John asks the taxi, “Pudong?” meaning are we going to the Pudong Airport? OK, little red flag goes up in Cristi’s brain but the driver assures us we are going to Pudong Airport. Then a minute or two later, John asks me if he can see the Shanghai map I carry in my purse…red flag #2! But then John finds where we are on the map and sees the method to this guys route so I am at ease again (kind of). Then the cab driver starts just randomly hitting the brakes. For example, we are driving on what would be like an interstate in the US but we are going much to slow and then all the sudden braking. Why? There are no cars around us and we are alreayd going much slower than the traffic! Then a little more driving then braking. This goes on many, many times.
I’m watching the guy’s eyes in the rear view mirror and I tell John, “I don’t think he sees well because he is squinting a lot”. But how can this be - a cab driver that can’t see? So we continue the random braking/slow driving with me clinging to the arm rest and then we notice that he is falling asleep!!! Yikes. After another minute or two of him trying to drive with his eyes open, he asks through sign language if he can smoke (holds up the package of cigs) telling us that it will help him wake up. Both John and I say, “No!” because really at the end of the day, I don’t want to smell like cigarettes for a 14 hour flight home! So he puts the cigs away and continues driving in the very braking, slow driving kind of way.
Meanwhile I am getting more and more nervous every minute wishing I could just get out of the cab and walk while John is looking more annoyed than worried! John and I have a discussion about the cigs again - thinking well, if it will help him stay awake then smoke away! So John tells him through sign language that he can smoke - a whole pack in fact if it would help! So the guy gratefully rolls down his window and lights up a cigarette. Literally within seconds of sucking on this cigarette the guys eyes are open and we’re trucking along on the highway at normal speeds as if nothing ever happened. He finishes his cigarette, flicks it out the window and happily finishes the 20 minute drive to the airport - wide awake. It was really comical at that point. So, although I am still not a fan of cigarettes, at least I now have a new appreciation for at least one benefit of smoking.
I think that is the best part of traveling - it opens my eyes to all kinds of new things. We are now in the airport waiting peacefully to board.
No comments:
Post a Comment