U Turn

5:45 p.m. yesterday.
23 December 2007

I was waiting for a cab and thinking... "I'll be stuck here, no one would take me home..its rush hour"

Luckily, a cab driver stopped. He's old and by the looks of it, he doesn't speak english much. So I told him where I want to go. I also thanked him for taking me instead of speeding off just like other drivers do.

When we were near my place, I told him... "Signal, U Turn"

That's usually how we talk to drivers. short and direct. no need to elaborate especially this one doesn't really understand a lot of english words.

What followed made my blood pressure shoot up.

Driver: What?!
Me: Signal, u turn.
Driver: U turn u turn. What u turn?
Me: U turn. At the signal. Signal, make a u turn.
Driver: Signal!! signal I know. turn turn shu??
Me: U turn! (making gestures already...he doesn't seem to understand what I'm trying to say...)
Driver: Come back!! come back, u turn u turn.
Me: U turn! You don't know U turn? U turn, like this.... (hand gestures again)
Driver: Come back. Come back! You no know. You wrong!!
Me: You wrong. You dont know U turn, from where you get license??
Driver: (says something in Arabic) You wrong! (arabic again)
Me: Habibi! Don't shout. Don't ever shout at me.
Driver: I'm no shout! I'm talk to you!
Me: Yes you are shouting. I will show you U turn. (nilabas ko nga yung manual ko ng driving...)
Driver: Me no look! You wrong.
Me: You wrong. Look at this. This U turn.
Driver: no looking. You wrong.


At tuluyan na akong na imbyerna. Parang lahat ng dugo ko nasa ulo ko na. I had to take deep breaths. Bakit ba kasi ako nakikipag talo dito sa matandang to.

After making that U turn, he asked where to go.

Me: Service road.
Driver: What?!!!
Me: Service road. inside... (mukhang magtatalo na naman kami)
Driver: speak slowly slowly! (ayun naman pala, hindi makasunod sa sinasabi ko)
Me: Ser - vice - roaaaad.
Driver: Service road...ok. (may halong pagka yamot, para bang sinasabi na service road lang pala kung ano ano pa sinabi mo)

Sino ba ang mali sa amin? hay. Sa susunod magdadala na ako ng mga placards at ipapakita ko na lang yung road signs. Ayoko na makipag usap!