Taxi

Ever since I got married, there have been more houses to visit - Parents, in-Laws. More errands to run – interior designer (then), grocery shopping. More packed schedules – meetings for work, meet wife at mosque, meet parents at home etc. With more of these people, places and schedules to keep, there was also the last-minute work that cropped out of the dark at office, delaying my leaving the office on time.

And then - I discovered a something that would change the face of... how I face my schedules – you either pay through your time or your money. I can either meet my wife at Tiong Bahru Plaza in 1 hour if you take bus (pay more time but less money) or in 20 minutes if you take a taxi (more money, but you see wife longer).

It is this great Philosophical Truth, the Paradoxical Perversion, the Zero-Sum Zen, that I’ve been observing in action for the last few months, whilst at the same time feeling my wallet getting lighter and lighter after paying all the taxi companies. Yes: to have more quality time with your loved ones, you apparently have to pay more moolah to get to a place faster.

So much so I’m getting guilty pangs at recklessly paying for taxis to go from my home to the nearby mosque (10 mins by bus, 3 by taxi), from in-laws to home, and from my parents’ place to my home. And from my home to Vivocity and back, and from Lau Pa Sat to home and from mom's home to my mom and all over again. It’s like an addiction.

I’ve been on more makes and types of taxis than ever before. There are those with smelly insides – these smells could be anything from cigarette smoke to wet cloth to dry fart (don’t ask). Then there are those drivers who talk the talk and don’t shut up. “Our Singapore Government is the best hor.” “Our Government hor, always take our money.” “You from India? IT company?” Then there are those who don’t say anything and drive like they have a deathwish. “Uncle. You are going at 90 km/h at a school zone.”

Then there is the Evil Law of the Taximan. There is the peak period when all the taxis in the Universe, dunya and akhira are all "On call". When you want to take the bus for a change, a whole motorcade of them (various colours, models and makes) will drive past you with their green "Taxi" sign on them.

I foresee that my fascination with taxis will continue, as long as last-minute work crops up and screws up my whole schedule and forces me to spend that additional money to spend that extra few minutes with loved ones.