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Thursday, July 22, 2010

Stuck in Blackrain, To give up my taxi turn or not to?

Was out in causeway bay in the afternoon. Didnt know what was the thunderstorm signal.

Since I needed to rush back to cook, I didnt have a choice but to stand in the almost horizontal rain lashing at me while waiting for the cab outside Times Square.

It was a long agonising wait. I didnt realise that the rain warning changed from Amber to Black within 10mins while I was in the Q! I thought the rain felt really bad, and I almost had half the mind to get out of the line but sicne I was so close to the front after waiting for 40mins, I didnt feel like giving up.

At exactly 5.30pm, I looked at my watch. It wasnt later at night watching the news that I learnt the warning signal had changed from amber to black at that moment.

While I was waiting and it reached my turn to be at the front, it was already 5.54pm.

10 mins have passed since the last cab. A heavily pregnant woman with a little girl in tow went up to the front and asked the taxi stand warden if she could cut the line.The guy asked her to seek my permission since I was first in line.

She called out to me and explained she is pregnant and had a child, so if I mind letting her go first?

I had a 30secs conflict. I have been in the line for 40mins, and each cab takes every 10mins to come in this rain. If I let her go first, that may mean another 20mins wait!

The evil devil in me was thinking that if she is in such a hurry, then she should just call for a cab.
However, the angelic side of me won the battle and I nodded agreeing to let her go first.

As the man behind me glared at my decision, I had a 2 secs self doubt if I was being stupid but then, I shook the feeling out because I figure since Iam already half drenched in the rain, another 20mins wont kill me since there is no lightning and thunder.Luckily i was in flip flops and shorts, so it had just felt like I was in a tropical rain shower. It didnt feel too bad honestly.

The next cab came in next 5 mins. Perhaps good deed deserves a good turn. My luck changed for the better because 2 cabs came together which was rare. So I got into the cab the same time as the pregnant lady with her child. I didnt "lose" any time afterall. However, the man behind me gave me that glare because he prob was thinking he would have been on the cab if it wasnt for me letting the woman board first.

Oh well...

During the whole time, the person who suffer most is probably the guy stationed at the taxi stand, controlling the taxi Q and offering shelter to the passengers who board the cab. What a tough job!

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