In
some cities, driving a cab is considered and valued
(even
an elevated vocation).
In
London, you need to study and train for about 3 years before
obtaining a licence. Three-fourths of those who begin 'taxi-training
courses' never make it to the end. London cab drivers have been the
subject of 'brain
studies' which
have discovered that the cabbies have a larger hippocampus
compared with other people.
Unfortunately, here on the other side of the pond,
cabbies are usually looked down upon.
But maybe, the following famous folk will help change the image a
little.
Danny
Glover:
In 1999, the actor best known for playing an 'over the hill' cop in
Lethal Weapon movies, used his leverage as a former San Francisco cab
driver to raise awareness about African-Americans being passed over
for white passengers.
Jimmy
Smits:
He may have his Masters in Dramatic Arts from Cornell, but for a
brief period in the early 80's Jimmy Smits played chauffeur to dozens
of rowdy New Yorkers. The cabbie gig lasted only a few months until
he received the pilot script for a new show Steven Bocho was
developing called L.A. Law. (Note that as a struggling N.Y Theatre
actor, Smits acted in off-Broadway plays during the day while driving
cab at night.)
Larry
David
drove a taxi early in his career. In fact, his neighbour across the
hall at the time was Kenny Kramer who helped to inspire the character
of 'Kramer'
on Seinfeld. He also made money driving a limousine for a while.
Brad
Pitt
stated, “I drove strippers, which was interesting. It was an odd
job. There's a place called “The Job Factory” where people
listed 'odd jobs' they needed for a little while...and you'd go and
sign up. It said, “Drive
Strippers.”
I said, 'I got a car!' My job was to go the place...get the
assignment...then go to the girl's apartment...pick her up and drive
her to the party.”
Son
of Syrian Refugee
(the following, courtesy of Dilu)
The destruction of Syria due to a civil war conflict and the rise of
ISIS has led to an impassioned debate
as
to whether the United States should act as a world leader by allowing
Syrian refugees to immigrate into the country. All the usual
arguments are being made by political conservatives against such a
move: What
if they cannot be trusted? What if they're incompatible with our way
of life? What if they take our jobs? But
perhaps a more relevant question may be this: What
if one of them ends up fathering the guy who creates Apple?
Because that's precisely what happened the last time we allowed
Syrian refugees into the country. He had the name and physical
appearance of a white man. Few people were aware that Steve Jobs was
half Syrian.
His father, Abdulfattah Jandali, fled to America in 1954 as a
political refugee.
He worked hard. He drove a taxi. He fell in love with an American
woman.
She got pregnant. Her conservative father forced them to break
up...and the baby was given up.
It's
why Steve Jobs was raised by adoptive parents...and why his last name
is Jobs
instead of Jandali.
But he was very much the son of an Arab refugee!
Note: the foregoing incidents not verified by the writer.
* * * * * * *
The following 'Cabbie Tales' courtesy of Tom
The
Jewish Cab Driver:
A clearly inebriated woman, stark naked, jumped into a taxi in New
York City and laid on the back seat. The cab driver, an old Jewish
gentleman, opened his eyes wide and stared at the woman. He made no
attempt to start the cab. The woman glared back at him and asked,
“What's wrong with you, honey? Haven't you ever seen a naked woman
before?”
The old Jewish driver answered, “Let me tall you sumsing, lady. I
vas't staring at you like you tink; det vould not be proper vair I
come from.” The drunk woman giggled...and responded, “Well, if
you're not staring at my boobs or ass, sweetie, what are you doing
then?”
He paused a moment...then told her...”Vell, M'am, I am looking and
I am looking...and I'm tinking to myself, “Vair in da hell is dis
lady keeping de money to pay for dis ride?”
Now, that's a REAL Businessman!
An
Arab Cabbie:
A devout Arab Muslim entered a black cab in London. He curtly asked
the cabbie to turn off the radio because, as decreed by his religious
teaching, he must not listen to music because in the time of the
prophet there was no music...especially Western music which is the
music of the infidel. The cab driver politely switched off the
radio...turned off the ignition...and opened the passenger door.
The Arab Muslim asked him, “What are you doing?”
The cabbie answered, “In the time of the prophet, there were no
taxis
so piss off...and wait for a camel!”
Compiled by Merle Baird-Kerr...September 4, 2016
