The 158th Episode : Taxi?
[September, 1999 Caracas, Venezuela]
Caracas International Airport in Venezuela. I had a big quarrel with a waiter at a restaurant before. I had no good impression. Just a transit was the purpose this time. I arrived in the mid night from Bogota to stay at a hotel only for one night to leave for Trinidad and Tobago next morning.
A tout man came up to me saying “taxi? taxi?” at the arrival gate. This kind of fellow is usually unlicenced taxi. No, no, even if I drove them off they follow me persistently. I ignored him and reached the official taxi stand to have had found the guy. “What? A licenced taxi driver, you got!?” We laughed for each other. He should’ve waited as I came up here. What urged you?
I didn’t know the distance up to the hotel. How much did the taxi cost? I asked him “I have only U.S. Dollars. Is that OK?” “No problem” he answered. As their currency was unstable U.S. currency was well received in Latin America. I knew that but I asked him to make it sure to avoid a trouble later. A sheet of paper with the name and address of the hotel was shown him to ask the taxi fare. He sounded to say fifteen dollars in English but not clear, that I was not sure. I said him I didn’t hear well, then he said ‘quince’ in Spanish, that I could understand. The name of the hotel we were just going was Quince Hotel. We laughed again each other.
He put my luggage into the taxi to start, when I found the front glass had a crack. It made rattling noise as it started. Was that alright? Flattery I couldn't say comfortable. There were some taxis running with only one head light. Never in Japan. We were heading to west on the expressway. It seemed to be along the coastline, but it was pitch black without any street lights. The ocean couldn’t be seen as trees grown between the road and the ocean. Since the driver was not good at English, both were silent.
There was no end to the bad things that can be thought of, but they were superfluous only in such bad security area. (Sorry) Besides Japanese were often targeted as they were thought to have had money. I myself didn’t have money fortunately or unfortunately.
There were many trees on the roadside. If the driver had been evil, stopped the taxi in those trees and asked for money… What could I do? It was almost 0:00 a.m. in the pitch black. Mostly no other cars were running. Even if I had shouted, nobody would come to help. Still less mobile phone. There was still some uncertainty. While I was thinking such a thing, the taxi turned into the narrow street in the groves of the trees. My anxiety had become MAX! Then, the ocean and lights could be seen towards. “That’s the hotel”, he said. Nobody could see my face in the darkness, but it must’ve been pale when the taxi got into the narrow street in the trees.
I arrived at the hotel safely without being broken the front glass. US$15 (quince dollars) was paid as promised. He offered me to pick me up next morning to the airport but I declined as the hotel would arrange it. He might have ask me for the return trip fare.
Very beautiful day next morning. The Caribbean Ocean in cobalt blue spread out of the window.
