Facebook reminded me of a chance encounter from three years ago with a rather remarkable taxi driver—an elderly gentleman by then.
I remember as he prepared to set off, the other taxis around us sped past, aggressive and impatient, yet he waited calmly. “Safety first,” he said. “Earning a bit more or a bit less doesn’t matter, as long as you stay safe.”
“Eighty years old now,” he continued, “what haven’t I seen in my time? I’ve even been shot by the Japanese. Tell me, what could be more important than simply living in peace?”
The journey wasn’t long, but in that short span, he shared pieces of his life. “Education is a wonderful thing,” he mused. “Educated people—they’re different. No matter how hard it was, I made sure my children could study. And they did—they all graduated from the University of Hong Kong. I’ve got a little to spare these days, so when friends back in the village have children heading to university, I send them 2,000 dollars in red envelopes every year. It’s not a lot, but it’s my way of encouraging them. Studying at university in the mainland—it’s no small feat.”
What a kind man, I thought.
“But some of those kids,” he added, “they take the money and never even call me during the New Year. Not once. Then there’s this other boy—he calls me several times every year. Maybe a single phone call doesn’t mean much to you, but for me, it’s everything. It tells me I’m someone worth remembering.”
Before I knew it, the ride was over. He insisted on rounding the fare down to a neat 70 dollars. I handed him the money, smiled, and said, “Thank you so much. Stay healthy, and maybe we’ll meet again.” His face lit up with a radiant smile.
It made me think of Taxi Driver, not just because both he and Travis Bickle were veterans, but because they shared a quiet resolve. Despite the wounds they carried, they chose kindness, doing what they could to make the world just a little less bleak.
I couldn’t think of a song that perfectly matches this story. Instead, here’s something I’ve been listening to lately—newly released, and in my opinion, even better than its earlier version: 102 by The 1975. The lyrics are beautifully romantic.
Have a lovely weekend.
