Congratulations

Life does have its ironic - and sometimes hilarious - turns, doesn't it?

There I was feeling all homesick and heartbroken and dead at the KLIA and on the flight back home.

And then, God sent an angel down my way seemingly to send me a message - in the form of a very chatty but well-intentioned taxi driver.


Mr Cabby started off by telling me how there are still rogue cabbies here in Singapore, and I should avoid jumping into their cabs. They are the ones who would prey on seemingly clueless tourists, especially those from China, and bring them to places without running the meter, and then charging them an exorbitant flat fee.

And I thought these rogues operate only in KL and Bangkok.

How do you then tell a rogue apart from the rest? They are the cabs that appear to be carrying passengers but whose lights on the top still lit up. That means the meter has not been activated.

But then, I thought, I would never know if the meter runs until I jump onto the cab - isn't it? By then, a bit too late, right? And it would never occur to me to ask a cabby in Singapore, "You run by meter, yah?" Only in KL and Bangkok would I do that.

All this while during the mostly one-way conversation, I was half-listening with one ear-phone still plugged into my ear, humming all the 'ohs' and 'hahs' while he spoke.


I tucked away my iPod for good when he started coaxing me into a conversation - all in Mandarin, uncle-style.

"Miss ah, where did you just come back from?"

I don't usually like conversations in a cab, but somehow he seemed fatherly enough.

I explained I came back from a business trip in KL. Then he added on his story. His daughter once had been asked to accompany her ang moh boss to KL for a business trip for a week.

Mr Cabby actually forbade daughter to go on that trip. "Ang mohs cannot be trusted one!" So he proclaimed.

I started to feel a little disgusted. If my father were to forbid me... I would still go on ahead. That is just me.

Then he offered his daughter, "This kind of job, don't do lah. Only $1.9k, quit lah. I will support you, you take your time to look for a better job."

Of course, the filial daughter complied.

Wah! This kind of father, I also want.


Daughter is now happily working in MediaCorp, so it seems. And happy is Mr Cabby too.

He offers his daughter advice: "You don't have to earn a lot of money. The most important thing in life is happiness. The most important thing for you is to find a good husband and build a family."

"I see all the career-minded superwomen out there - I see that they are actually living a sad life."

Hmm... I listened and I smiled - while agreeing silently with him on some parts and disagreeing on others.

Then he turned his fatherly attention toward me.

"Miss ah, if you don't mind, you got boyfriend?"

"Er... no."

"You working for how many years already?"

"Er... six years."

"How old are you now?"

"Er... twenty eight." *Starting to frown*

"Miss ah, if you don't mind me saying. Work is important, and I'm not asking you to advertise yourself or catch any man off the streets, but your happiness lies in finding a loved one, and not in your job."

I sensed a nagging session brewing and in order to quickly shut him up, I spouted, "Uncle, it's not that I don't want to get married, I had a boyfriend for six years and now he doesn't want me."

There was a long pause in the cab for a while.

What transpired next... truly amazed, and amused, me.

"Miss. This is good news for you. I'm happy for you, and you should be happy too. You should not be sad or heartbroken, because a man who doesn't want you at this age after six years is not worth it all. What good is he? You should be happy you got out of this before anything worse happened."

"Miss... in fact, I should congratulate you!" And he beamed a huge smile at me.

I almost wanted to cry right there in the cab.


I got off the cab and he got out too, to continue the conversation.

There we were, standing outside the cab at my void deck.

"Miss ah. I'm not kidding. I really want to congratulate you for having found the first step to your happiness. You don't be sad. You will find a better man you deserve."

"You have a good night, uncle." I thanked and smiled.


It's so strange, and funny, I kept chuckling to myself.

I sat at the void deck for a while, to think about what Mr Cabby had said.

Angels always appear in the most unlikeliest places and in the most unlikeliest forms.

Thank you, God.

The cab ride home really has made me feel so much better.