After two trips in one evening where he tried to charge me nearly twice what I pay all other cab drivers, I (politely, I like to think) expressed my dissatisfaction. Not five minutes after the second drop-off, I received the following text message:
Don't call me again, lets close in good faith.
Before I had a chance to respond, he followed it up with:
I can't on keep arguing wiz u, just get another cab driver
Surprise, hurt and anger ran through my body as I processed this information.
I had just been broken up with via text message.
It was unfortunate, really, seeing as he was my go-to guy in Bugolobi, but I at least appreciated his frankness in the matter. Other folks are much less direct about their desire to milk you. Literally.
Take, for instance, Operation Missing Milkshake.
No less than three times at brunch, lunches or dinners with friends in the past 6 months, the server has come up to us with our bill at the end of the meal and indicated with feigned embarrassment that she had accidentally left the milkshake/cappuccino/etc off the bill. The server then kindly requests that you add on the 7,000 shillings, and promises that she will fix the receipt later. This 7,000 shilling "mistake" of course, is meant to go straight into her pocket.
Then there's Operation Crumpled 1,000's.
After asking for 5,000 shillings worth of petrol and paying with a 20,000 shilling note, the pump attendant handed back a crumpled clump of 1,000 shilling notes. As soon as I started counting the change, he immediately thrust a 10 and a 5 in through the window with a cry of, "Wait, you take this instead." I continued counting, out of curiosity, to find that he had initially only given me 13,000 in change.
Yesterday, an all new one: Operation Swapped Receipts.
After receiving my bill for 23,000 and paying with 50,000, the server came back with my change. Inside, instead of my bill and change, was my neighbor's, who had long ago paid and left. Rather than 23,000 with 27,000 change, it was for 34,000 with 16,000 change.
You're creative, Uganda.
But we're onto you.
Posts
2 comments:
Fired by a cab driver.That's the best.
Jen, I love your blogs - so entertaining! If it makes you feel any better I was propositioned from a special hire via text. As much as I was tempted by his sms flattery I had to decline and find a new driver. Hope you're well :)
Post a Comment