5 minutes Taxi ride

'Stop!!!' I screamed as usual hurrying pass my house gate. 8.00 o' clock and the assembly starts at 8.15! I am very very late.

My tego is still only half-worn, my hair still uncombed - half flying, half tied. I have an egg sandwich in my hand and a bottle of water on the other trying desperately to reach the gate. It is my usual routine. I go to Yangchenphug and I am always late. I wake up at around 7.30 everyday but by the time I finish washing up and getting half-dressed for school, it is already 8 o'clock. Everyday I rush to the gate at about the same time and it is So difficult to get a taxi from where I live! If I am lucky enough I get a taxi soon enough and be only a few minutes late for school, if Not my name is already being called by my captain. Most days I am not lucky enough.

But today is not most days. I could hear a car approaching just as I neared the gates so I screamed, hoping it would stop. Luckily it stopped, 'Oh, Thank god at least I won't be late today!' I think throwing my half-eaten sandwich as I rush in.

I got in the back seat and without looking said 'Auu, YHS kay na mey*' immediately starting to shove my hands through my tego and starting to get dressed expecting the car to zoom off immediately. But the car did not move. I looked up and saw the driver turning back and looking at me as if I had horns spouting out of my head.

'Auu, Juba bey na Please, Nga late jo dey sey*' I pleaded still half trying to get my tego on. He had a very regal face and I remember thinking he was particularly good looking and very young.  He looked like he was in his 20s but I was in a rush so I didn't dwell on it too much. Something like amusement flashed on his face before he said 'Yes, ma'am' in a mocking tone and started driving.

I felt odd that he was being so sarcastic while I was perfectly nice to him and thought him to be rude but I was late so no matter the driver. I started concentrating back on my tego, wearing it properly and started folding my sleeves. I never get enough time before I start to get dressed properly so I always end up tiding up on my way to school. I folded my sleeves and started arranging my Wonju, carefully folding it up to my satisfaction. My hair was next. It wasn't tied up properly like the school deemed appropriate so I pulled out my comb from my pencil bag and started combing back my hair checking on the mirror to make sure it was being tied properly. I could feel the driver's eyes on me, his expression amused. I ignored him.

Throughout the trip, I saw the him looking at me in the rearview mirror so I purposely glared at him annoyed that he was staring.

Instead his face turned into a huge grin and in an amused tone asked 'Do you always get dressed in a taxi?'.

'I don't get dressed in a Taxi!' I said bitterly still glaring at him, too obsessed with my own appearance at the moment to notice that he spoke in perfectly good English. True, I tidy up my school dress on my way to School but that is NOT the same as getting dressed!

'Looks like dress-up to me' I remember him saying, still grinning.

I should have noticed his accent then but I didn't. I was too annoyed wondering why it was any of his business to note anything out of ordinary. It is not everyday that you meet a Taxi driver who speaks so good English, that too with a British accent! 'It is just ah....small modifications' I said and somehow that only made him laugh louder. He laughed out loud, throwing his head back and shouting with laughter. 'I don't get dressed in a taxi!' I repeated over his laughter, throwing daggers at him with my eyes.

'Alright, alright, I give up', he said holding up his hands as if in defeat though his smirk said otherwise. I started arranging my books, trying my best to ignore him. He continued starting at me in the rearview mirror with his grin intact.

'Do you mind driving faster please, I am late.'

'Yes, ma'am' he mocked again tilting his head to a side.

I avoided looking in the mirror knowing he would be looking at me and hoping he would not talk to me any further. I was already annoyed. Finished, I arranged my bag and tidied up with my wonju and tego still ignoring him. By the time I reached the School parking, I was all tidied up. Hair perfectly tied, Tego neatly folded, Wonju perfectly made, I looked like a typical good school girl. He looked at me and smiled appreciably. He was remembering the way I looked when I entered his taxi and comparing the unkempt girl to the image now. Annoyed I asked 'What?' thinking he was being rude to which he just laughed and said 'Nothing, Ma'am' in that same mocking tone.


When we reached the school parking, I saw a lot of students still walking towards school. Few of my friends were waiting for me along with the other students. God, I was not late! All my anger towards the driver went out the window. He was intrusive and annoying but he drove well. All the mattered was I was on time. The moment he stopped the car, I was out, wanting to get out as soon as possible. I asked

'Ga dhim chi inna?' I knew it was Nu 40, it was the normal agreed upon rate.

He looked at me, something flickering in his eyes for a while and said 'Tell you what, it is free, you don't have to pay'.

While it was a generous offer, I wasn't going to accept. After being so rude to me the whole ride, accepting it would leave me in a debt I absolutely did not want.

'Mingo*, How is that possible? I don't want it. I always pay Nu 40' saying that I handed him the money but he simply smiled and refused to take it. Sighing, that I was keeping my friends waiting I said 'Look, I don't like it that it is free but you aren't taking the money so why not let me pay you half, so that way both are happy?'

'You are one stubborn lady, aren't you?' He said, 'I bet your teachers have a hard time keeping you in control!' and just like that my anger resurfaced.

'I think you should mind your own business' I said and left the Nu 20 bill on the seat and slammed the door. To that too, his only reaction was a loud laugh. I refused to turn back and see the smile I knew he would be wearing. At my expense.

I walked towards my friends ready to tell them about the horrible driver I just encountered. As I reached my friends, they waved and said 'Who is the hot guy who just dropped you off?' Puzzled I looked back and to my horror, I saw him! It was not a taxi I had climbed into when I hurried from Home. It was a private car! I hadn't bothered to check if it was a taxi when I climbed in. No wonder, he had looked at me as if I had horns and no wonder he called me 'ma'am'. I had made a decent guy my diver for the ride and been horrible rude to him too! Oh God, I felt so embarrassed and to think I paid him! The person was kind enough to drop a crazy gal to school and I paid him. I remember turning bright red and I knew the exact moment he knew I had realized my mistake. His wide grin suddenly turned into a loud laugh and throwing his head back he gave a bark of laughter. Still grinning, with my forced Nu 20 bill in his hands he mocked a salute towards me mounting the words 'Yes, ma'am' and drove past me back to town.

Right then I remember standing there on the parking lot and wondering who he was. I don't think anyone would have been that kind to drop a strange girl to school and not be offended by my assumptions.  Others would have kicked me out of his car the instant I made the mistake but Not him. He dropped me to School, not to forget On time. But I never realy did find out. I never met him after that day though not for lack of trying. It felt like he was there only for that day and lost again. Despite that I know I am always going to remember him, my encounter with him made my whole day then and perhaps even the year. I haven't mistaken a private car for a taxi since then, thought sometime I wish I did. Perhaps I will meet him then.



* Auu, YHS kay na mey ---> Can you drop me to YHS?'
 Auu, Juba bey na Please, Nga late jo dey sey ---. Please be fast, I am already late.
Mingo ---> No