The Exuberant Uber Driver of Kuala Lumpur
My two North American Indian friends were going home after a
very enjoyable study/vacation/knowledge trip of 2 weeks. I had accompanied them
on this trip, their first to Asia.
We were at Double Tree by Hilton at KL, said goodbye to the
staff at the Executive Lounge at 34th floor. I wondered, what does it say about
a trip, a city, a country, a hotel when you feel sad saying good bye to the staff?
There was genuine tenderness.
We requested an Uber XL since we had plenty of luggage with
us and very soon Mr. CCC arrives in his car, we had to fit in four suitcases in
the boot, there were badminton racquets and balls. He apologized for keeping us
waiting (just seven minutes after we requested Mr. C was at the front of the
hotel!). The conversation began with the usual politeness, about the utility of
Uber and the roads of KL and the traffic and such.
C had a cheerful personality, like many of his generation
keeps in touch with the World News. When I told him I was from Cuba and my
friends are Americans, he remarked about the thaw in relations between Cuba and
USA and had a suggestion that the reason for warm relationship of Malaysia with
Cuba was a rebuke to the USA by then PM, Mahathir Mohammed. He has travelled
regionally and is up to date about what is happening in the region. Of course,
like most Malaysians he is concerned about the quotidian struggles of living in
Malaysia, while appreciating all what “God” (he later confessed that he had
become an atheist) had blessed Malaysia with: forests, sun and the rain, exempt
from cyclones and tsunami and natural wealth. Of course, we are not that lucky
with our leaders, he blurted out laughing and we all laughed about the recent
scandals of the current PM receiving nearly a billion dollars into his private
account as a “gift” and the attorney general clearing his name, saying all is
fine and the other politicians banding to say that we must forget the scandal
and move on to more Islamization and kindness and RM 500 to every civil servant
during Ramadan. Even if the PM were to pay it out of his “gift” he would still
have money left over for himself and his family. I confessed to C my own
“Malaysian Dilemma”, I love this country more after each visit and have made
some very good friends, I love the food here. Being a Jew I am a little
uncomfortable with the nature of Islamization which is not taking the forward and
in fact taking it nowhere. We laughed about certain incongruities of Malaysian
life as we cruised towards KLIA.
When I told him I was a doctor, he proudly turned to me and said:
How old do you think I am? I said it is difficult to guess the age of middle
aged Asians, they are either young or old or middle aged but there are no
thirty something look or fortysomething look as is evident among the Europeans.
I am fifty, he proudly announced.
He then told us the story embellished of course which had
all of us laughing till we reached the Departure area of KLIA.
He is actually is a self-employed owner of a business, which
employs about 15 employees and most of them are Malay. His doctor had advised
him, on reaching 50 years of age that he must give up smoking and drinking. He
felt that he was drinking and smoking due to the stress of the nature of his
business. He hit upon the idea of becoming an Uber driver after work, so that
his mind will be occupied and keep him away from cigarettes and alcohol as his doctor
had ordered. He loves being an Uber driver, he feels far more relaxed and has
given up his smoking habit and is cutting down of his alcohol intake, which he
hopes to give up completely. We were rolling with laughter at the way he was
relating the story, mixing it with his business, his travels, the local
politics and health. If laughter is the best medicine, this man is the
healthiest person around.
For my American Indian friends this was the highlight of a well-rounded
and enjoyable visit. The best! I shouted as he drove away. Our Uber experiences
in KL has been nothing short of excellent but C certainly is the cream of the
crop...
So, for the chubby, inactive Malaysians, of which there are
plenty, the lesson is
