Yet another Taxi Story

by Guest Tue Jan 24, 2012 6:40 pm

Am no thambi in naarthie land. And I am sure I have said this story atleast 2 times before. But anyway.

Went from Newark to LI, in a taxi, on New Year's eve, at 4:00 am (technically New Years day), This was Jan 1, 2000.

I was ALONE.

The driver was Paki. My other colleagues went with other pakis too, who came with us for some time. Scared me somewhat.

He asked me if I was Hindu. I said yes. Was scared a LOT.

He also asked if anyone knows I am coming. I said Yes. The truth was no. Still Scared.

He also asked me if I knew the bridges' names that we were crossing. I replied no. PANICK.

I was sure I am gonna die. My cell phone was dead, but I kept holding it in hand ALL THE FRIGGING time.

But turned out to be a nice chatty fella. Modern politically, but hated the new modern and open girls who didn't do pardah. Praised India. Got a good tip from me. $25. Wait, was that a bad tip? I was maha cheap back then.

by Nila Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:21 pm

I think a $25 is a decent tip, don't know about Newark or LI. Since we grew up in a terrible hindu-muslim terror prone area. I would never answer straight to...Are you Hindu question.

Are you Hindu?

Are you?

Yes,

Then I might say Yes or No...depending.

No.

I would try to pretend I am deaf as much as possible. It is just a psychological problem, not that I am faced with such situations...yet I am well prepared...LOL

by MaxEntropy_Man Tue Jan 24, 2012 7:43 pm

Tracy Whitney wrote:Am no thambi in naarthie land.

may i ask why you insist on using a term that many tamilians don't like as a group reference? if you don't care that some of us think it's idiotic that's fine, but i am just curious. do you know what thambi means? it means younger brother.

by doofus_maximus Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:59 pm

didn't impy raise the same topic before. I was not worried by the term earlier. But her repeated use irks me. maybe that is her intention.

by Guest Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:36 pm

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:
Tracy Whitney wrote:Am no thambi in naarthie land.

may i ask why you insist on using a term that many tamilians don't like as a group reference? if you don't care that some of us think it's idiotic that's fine, but i am just curious. do you know what thambi means? it means younger brother.

Will open a poll and follow ch verdict on thambi usage.

Btw. May I ask why you have dropped thamizh and thamizhian for Tamil and tamilian in your posts, when you used to keep thumping on them before?

by MaxEntropy_Man Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:44 pm

i use them interchangeably. i'm perfectly fine with tamil and tamilian too as they are anglicized and acceptable names. by the way it is never thamizhian; either say tamilian (anglicized and gender neutral) or thamizhan (male tamilian) and thamizhachchi (female tamilian).

i am not asking you to stop using your idiotic terminology for tamilians. you don't have to do a poll. i was merely curious. please continue.

by Guest Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:48 pm

doofus_maximus wrote:didn't impy raise the same topic before. I was not worried by the term earlier. But her repeated use irks me. maybe that is her intention.

Hmm. Second time you dragged impy's name. Trying hard for a cat fight, are we? Rolling Eyes

by Guest Tue Jan 24, 2012 10:17 pm

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:
i am not asking you to stop using your idiotic terminology for tamilians. you don't have to do a poll. i was merely curious. please continue.

ok... and that's all it is really, idiotic.

by Nila Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:34 am

Hi Tracy,
Thambi means younger brother and it could be offensive to few ppl...esp elders. Imagine that you meet Saar Rajinikanth and you call him Thambi it is offensive for him. Same way, when you call Amit G as "Chotte Bhaiya" - it might tickle his funny bone.
You may replace thambi with "Annae" while addressing individual...for generalization, you might just call it Tamils or better Taamils with style.
Actually "Thambi" is a respectful word you can use for addressing younger generation...Iyyo, I am lost here. Anyone who is younger than you can be called as Thambi.
P.S: My Mom calls my dh as thambi. You can always address me as "Thangachi" - means "Behana" (ROFL at behana) I am outta here.

by Guest Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:42 am

I am switching back to madraasi. Too much drama on this board dammit.

by Rekz Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:13 pm

Sasthi wrote:Hi Tracy,
Thambi means younger brother and it could be offensive to few ppl...esp elders. Imagine that you meet Saar Rajinikanth and you call him Thambi it is offensive for him. Same way, when you call Amit G as "Chotte Bhaiya" - it might tickle his funny bone.
You may replace thambi with "Annae" while addressing individual...for generalization, you might just call it Tamils or better Taamils with style.
Actually "Thambi" is a respectful word you can use for addressing younger generation...Iyyo, I am lost here. Anyone who is younger than you can be called as Thambi.
P.S: My Mom calls my dh as thambi. You can always address me as "Thangachi" - means "Behana" (ROFL at behana) I am outta here.

Lol...sasthi u r in full form..

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:36 pm

Tracy Whitney wrote:I am switching back to madraasi. Too much drama on this board dammit.

I am no Oregonian. iShtoooop calling me that.

by The Absolute Zero Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:55 pm

Tracy Whitney wrote:
1. He asked me if I was Hindu. I said yes. Was scared a LOT.

2. He also asked if anyone knows I am coming. I said Yes. The truth was no. Still Scared.

3. He also asked me if I knew the bridges' names that we were crossing. I replied no. PANICK.

4. I was sure I am gonna die. My cell phone was dead, but I kept holding it in hand ALL THE FRIGGING time.

5. But turned out to be a nice chatty fella. Modern politically, but hated the new modern and open girls who didn't do pardah. Praised India. Got a good tip from me. $25. Wait, was that a bad tip? I was maha cheap back then.

My answers would have been this way

1. Hey this is the land of the free. We shouldn't talk about religion (quirky smile). If pressed again, keep quiet. Or say how great was Imran Khan when he commented about Gavaskar's 96 out at Bangalore and how former's cancer hospital is doing.

2. Coming here? Airport? Yes, the airlines are expecting me. I paid for them. Didn't I?

3. Bridges names. No, would be delighted to hear from his mouth (if no smell)

4. All people die. I never used a cell phone. So this does not matter.

5. $25 tip? You are talking to TAZ, yaad hain? Now your turn to guess how much I tipped him ;-) [For those concerned, I was *not* wearing quo vadis but did carry used chappals in my jute bag (bag is of course the Royal Rice jute bag - recyling to save the duniya)

by Guest Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:59 pm

ya well, I was going to someone's house after office. After an all nighter y2k support, which actually meant hogging on HUGE desserts table all night long.

dude this was Dec 31 99. Kargil was still new. We talked about it. He praised Shareef, and critisized Musharraf. Hence the tip Smile

by The Absolute Zero Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:32 pm

Tracy Whitney wrote:dude this was Dec 31 99. Kargil was still new. We talked about it. He praised Shareef, and critisized Musharraf. Hence the tip

doodette

kargil or not I can tell you one thing. A pakistani outside his country is really a nice guy. A deshi may help others or not but a Pakistani always helps. I have met at least four or five of them in USA and everyone of them was super nice and there was nothing to fear, even if he sported a beard and shaved moustache. But for $25 tip, I will think a million times unless he gave back my lost wallet *AND* my airline ticket and saved my life when my car was in accident on highway traveling at 80 mph. Otherwise he gets my "usual" tip. I won't (of course) throw away my money on someone who throws dirt on his own PM/President. Why do I care.

by Guest Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:38 pm

well, it was early morning, and the cab bill was 100-150 which the company was footing. Tip, I paid on my own. so ya, a little over 20%. So dunno the norm. It was a good ride, with very interesting chat. He told me many amusing things, and it was fun to hear his punju accent and terminologies.

edit: and it was a new year. I guess it was a lucky start for me. 2000 was one of the best years of my life. I got a 30% raise, I weighed 20 lbs lesser, we bought our first house, and second new car. Even the movie songs from that year bring back good memories.

K, Jan 1 2013, am again taking a cab ride from Newark (repeat, NEWARK - the building guards had escorted us all the way to the tazi that night) to LI again. If I stay alive, then 2013 will be a good year too!

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:42 pm

The Absolute Zero wrote:
Tracy Whitney wrote:dude this was Dec 31 99. Kargil was still new. We talked about it. He praised Shareef, and critisized Musharraf. Hence the tip

doodette

kargil or not I can tell you one thing. But for $25 tip, I will think a million times unless he gave back my lost wallet *AND* my airline ticket and saved my life when my car was in accident on highway traveling at 80 mph. Otherwise he gets my "usual" tip. I won't (of course) throw away my money on someone who throws dirt on his own PM/President. Why do I care.

Now that is 2 quo Vadis for each leg...

Just way too much yaar.

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