Monday 18 May 2015

My First Poetry - A Cabby Life in Brief.

Image from www.taxiuncle.com
I'm not good at writing poetry.
My cab is in workshop. I've nothing to do. I write this for you.


I am a cabby.
I drive for money not for hobby.
To buy milk for my baby
And pay corporate P.A.P.


You probably look down on me,
Until you’re late for work and need me.
Then I’m your savior not a nobody.
Without me you might lose your position,
What’s the use of all your qualifications,
Without me, a cabby?.


All kinds of folks use me.
For work, for play and for a fee.
I’m your carrier,
while you’re in pursue of your career.
I take you high, I take you low,
I take you wherever you want to go,
to achieve your whatever goal.


My job is not glamorous, you might not want to do.
I don’t cheat the system like some P.A.P. supporters do.
Though I am but a cabby,
I’ve a name and dignity.
When I greet you “ Madame or Sir",
Please don’t return with a silent sneer.


I've seen joy, I've seen sadness.
To ROM in gladness, mortuary in sadness.
If you can’t pay, the fare is on me,
I felt pain when you run on me.
Wheelchair people, I like to pick,
Their smile for me is all I need.


I take people from place to place,
Oh my goodness, sometimes to wrong places.
You give the destination, I carry the burden,
We are together for only a moment.
After you depart, we’ll not meet again,
So, please forgive me, I won't do it to you again.

11 comments:

Discount Taxi in St Petersburg, FL said...

I am glad to see you getting active again with your blog Mr. James
......and your poetry is just fine by my standards.
Thank you and best regards
Albert Zee
cabby from St Petersburg, FL USA
http://stpetersburgfltaxi.com/

MM said...

Hello. I'm urgently looking for the old blue taxi roof cover. Do you happen to know where to get it?

Diary of a Singaorean Cabby said...

MM,
Sorry, I've no idea where to get OLD BLUE Taxi Cover.

XP said...

Taxi drivers should be rich right?

1 customer = avg. $10
10 customers = avg. $100
30 customers = avg. $300

$300 - $100 (rental) - $100 (petrol) = $100

$100 ✕ 30 = $3000

Just drive daily happily and $3000/mo is yours since Singapore taxi industry isn't competitive, also most people are rich.
In addiction, there are fixed places that you can get customers like Orchard, Changi Airport, Sentosa, etc.

Let me know if I mistaken.

Boh Tong said...

James why is it difficult to get a cab around 11am on weekdays?
I waited almost an hour for one last Tuesday. Most cabs had the
"busy" etc on but cabs were empty.
Thanks for your reply.

Diary of a Singaorean Cabby said...

Hi, Boh Tong,

My guess:

1. Most day shift drivers take their breakfast or lunch around 10 am to 11.30am (after peak hours that ends at 9.30am)

2. Nowadays, many drivers display "Busy" when on the way to pickup passengers on 3rd Party Taxi Booking jobs.

Above are my personal conjectures.

Boh Tong aka Luke Tan said...

Thanks James for your prompt reply :)

Anonymous said...

How genuine is customer complaints of taxi driver. Some officer in taxi company are too lazy to investigate and blame all the complaints to the driver suddenly suspended the driver from driving. This officer one should have not take the responsibility to be in that company office.
Another company do not care at all the complaints. Let it be so driver can lalalala. You want to complaint me compliant lah type.
Supposed complaint goes to LTA directly instead of company. Company should not take any complaints to avoid bias and also to avoid complaints goes to dustbin. Some officer are too arrogant and some are so lazy.
Just my $1 thought..

Diary of a Singaorean Cabby said...

Hi, Anon,

Yes, some dickheads in taxi companies should get the sack as they are often arrogant and lazy when handling a passenger's complaint. In the end, the taxi driver suffered.

Regards
James Lim

Stem Cell said...

so insightful and entertaining. thanks for the poem!

Sean Parker said...

Deep, different but loved your poem.
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